We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Taylor-Weber and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Outdoor Office, Inc was truly started out of necessity, not because of a business or money opportunity. The company was really created before we knew there was a business. After working from a kitchen table since 2014, we knew we needed a solution to our space needs and traditional means were out of the question due to cost, time, and inconvenience to our daily life. The idea for creating a separate space started by looking at what is currently available and the costs associated with those options, but then diving deeper into the actual process in which it would be completed allowed us to fully understand the pitfalls and shortcomings of what was currently available to not just us but anyone looking into this same type of project. Once we had all that information we knew there was a big market and a large opportunity for us to promote what we had done and how anyone looking could have the same space created for them. The last push for us to start a business was when we utilized a few pictures on social media and we had hundreds of people reach out to us asking how they can get one, so it was at that point we knew we had a business in creating fully finished, functional, backyard home offices and studios.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Outdoor Office created a business model that has an all-inclusive pricing structure to design and deliver their own backyard studio space. Our process sets us apart from the competition because generally the client will be required to find a company to provide a foundation, an electrician to provide the pre-wiring and final stage wiring for the office itself, they will also be required to get permits from the city or county, they will need to understand the easements and setbacks, and finally they may be required to find carpenters to complete the work. With Outdoor Office, we handle all of that, we do all the prep work, installation, finish work, and delivery. To us, All-Inclusive means everything, not part of it.

Our model was designed specifically to oppose what the normal expectations would be in the construction/contractor world. We build our staff and employees with the all-inclusive model in mind. The expectation clients often have is that we will come in like a general contractor and hire out sub-contractors to complete the work. At Outdoor Office, we do all the work. Only Outdoor Office employees and staff will work on your studio and because of that the client only talks directly to Outdoor Office. We don’t set up a porta-potty in the street and delivery a truckload of lumber for the driveway…we build our offices in our warehouse in a controlled environment and then our team delivers a fully finished studio or our modular system gets built and completed on-site in a matter of a couple weeks. We are extremely proud of this model as it allows the clients to experience something totally different than what they are used to our what they will find from any competition out there.

Our company has grown so fast in such a short amount of time that there have been many learning lessons, both good and bad. In fact, we recently were awarded the 27th Fastest Growing Private Company in the Pacific Northwest by the Business Journal, as well as a 2022 Maker and Manufacturer of the Year Award. Both of these awards were tremendous for us as a company as it acknowledges that what we are doing as a company is the right way to do things. But with success also comes setbacks, and we have had to go through some growth pains like hiring new employees, finding new office and warehouse space, and the overall challenges of just operating a business. Overall, our lessons may feel unique to our business, we’ve found that most business owners and entrepreneurs have similar stories, so finding groups and other successful people that you can leverage is something that I would highly encourage. Don’t pretend to know everything and be willing to listen and learn from others.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First, we are huge Padres fans so the trip would be required to happen during a homestand. We love going to Snooze for breakfast up in La Jolla to get Chocolate Chip pancakes. If we had a couple days worth of time we would certainly go to the San Diego Zoo to enjoy the walk around Balboa Park and really take in the Zoo and all its amazing animals. One of the other places we go to in the Midway Museum. There are many days on our trips that we go there just to hang out and explore a new area of the ship that maybe we haven’t seen before, or we just go to grab a drink and walk around for some exercise. During our stays we often stay on Coronado for many reasons, but we walk everywhere and being on the island allows us to enjoy the beach, the food, and time with the family. Some our favorite things to do on Coronado is to watch the training flights from North Island Naval Air Station, the ships going in an out of San Diego Bay, and for me personally being around the NSW and Special Operations Forces community is a priority for me. Seeing each new class at BUD/s is a reminder of how great our military is and the families that support them. Finally, like I said earlier, we would get to Petco Park early to watch some batting practice, maybe catch a ball, get some food, and grab some drinks before the game is started. Once the game starts it’s go time and anyone going with is had better be ready to cheer and get excited for the Padres.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I can certainly say the main shoutout should be to my wife, Jamie. She not only helped create the idea for Outdoor Office, but she also was literally the first employee for the company outside of myself. Her dedication to the business is unmatched as she was a elementary school teacher for over a decade and quit her job to support our family at home and the new startup business back in 2018. I can honesty say that without her the business would not be where it is today. She is the one that stood in that kitchen and said we should go for it. There were many hours talking, debating, having some wine, and researching this field before we ever officially started the company. Jamie really allowed the company to grow and her trust in me as an entrepreneur and her trust in the idea for Outdoor Office let me do what I needed to generate the momentum required to create the new startup. Of course, it must be said that her love, support, and friendship as my wife is by far the most meaningful thing that she has done for me and my career.

Website: www.Outdoor-Office.com

Instagram: @outdoor.office

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/outdoor-office-llc

Facebook: @outdoorofficesheds

Youtube: @outdooroffice

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