Carroll Spur Company

An Inside Look at Carroll Spur Company

BY KRYSTA PAFFRATH

Carroll Spur Company embodies everything about the Western industry. Here’s a Q&A with Carroll Spur Co. co-owners Dustin Carroll and Mehgan Carroll.

CLN: CAN YOU GIVE OUR AUDIENCE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO YOURSELF AND YOUR COMPANY?

Dustin: I’m Dustin Carroll, I’m co-owner/maker here at Carroll Spur Co. I rode bulls professionally for five years until I had a bad wreck. After that, I did some local amateur stuff but eventually decided to pursue a different dream. I have always loved art, mostly sculpture. So, I moved to New York and attended art school. I started dating Mehgan after I moved back home. We now have three amazing kids and we’re working on another dream of mine, building our own cattle ranch.

Mehgan: I am Mehgan Carroll, co-owner and operator. I attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with my B.A. in Business Management/Marketing. I also do all of our photography, which is one of my favorite things to do. I had my own a photography business for a while, but as Carroll Spur Co. was growing, so was our family. Ultimately, I decided to close it and focus on our family and Carroll Spur Co. Now, I get to combine all of the things I love to do, and I get to live that every day.

CLN: HOW DID YOU START YOUR BUSINESS?

Dustin: It started out as a thank you gift for my dad. I really wanted to make him a pair of custom spurs. I knew it was something he’d wanted his whole life. I started with rasp, but it was so restrictive. So, I took a different approach. I decided to create the spurs that same way I create my sculptures. Looking back, the first set wasn’t my best work, but he loved them, wore them everywhere. He was working out on the oil fields out in North Dakota at the time. Pretty soon, I had all his friends and friends of friends calling me and asking me for set.

Mehgan: I was like, okay, I’m already working on our company name and logo. I’ll have a Facebook page up shortly and that’s how Carroll Spur Co. was born.

CLN: WHAT PRODUCTS DO YOU OFFER AND WHICH ONES ARE YOU MOST WELL KNOWN FOR?

Dustin: We make handmade custom bits, spurs, conchos, headstall buckles, spur strap buckles, rings, and pendants.

Mehgan: We’re most well-known for our spurs and our engagement rings.

•Carroll Spur Co. spurs are solid bronze, making them durable and rust-proof.

•Carroll Spur Co. makes custom rings that start at $425.

CLN:WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

Dustin: For the most part, I get to do something different every day. I really enjoy coming up with new designs and ideas, then bringing them to life. I get inspired by the ideas our customers have.

Mehgan: When I get a message or email saying “she said yes.” When we get to play a small part in someone’s engagement or putting a loved one’s handwriting on a pair of spurs, seeing how much these pieces mean to our customers, it’s so rewarding.

CLN: WHAT IS YOUR GOAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS FIVE YEARS FROM NOW?

Mehgan: There are lots of goals that I want to accomplish. I want to shorten turnaround times, I want to do more clothing, spur straps, the list is endless, really. It’s just the two of us right now, so I definitely want to start expanding and building a team in the near future.

Dustin: I would also like to build up our design portfolio.

WHO IS SOMEBODY THAT YOU REALLY LOOK UP TO THAT HAS HELPED SHAPE YOUR BUSINESS AND ATTITUDE?

Dustin: Besides my wife, she’s the real reason this company exists. I may be the dreamer, but she turns my dreams into reality. I would have to say my dad. He works hard and he lives and breathes the cowboy way of life.

Mehgan: This is definitely going to come back to haunt me in the future, but I’d have to say it’s Dustin. He is such a dreamer, he is never afraid to take risks, and he’s not afraid to fail. I think that’s why we’re here today.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING THOUGHTS ABOUT YOU OR YOUR BUSINESS THAT YOU’D LIKE OUR AUDIENCE TO KNOW?

Dustin: We’re not just making and selling our products, we’re using them too. I see a lot of people on social media commenting on our spurs things like “too pretty to wear” or “I’d be afraid to get them dirty. I make them because I want to provide our customers with a high-quality set of spurs, the ones that they can leave on their boots and then pass down to their children. How they look is just an added bonus.

Mehgan: I think just how much time and love goes into each piece, each order is personal and unique. We’re so grateful for all of our customers and all of the support, and we’re excited about the future.

FORNEY INDUSTRIES: A STAPLE IN FARMING & RANCHING COMMUNITIES

BY BLAIR WEILNAU

Forney Industries has been in business since 1932, serving farm and ranch, DIY and industrial markets. It all started with J.D. Forney and his invention of the Forney Instant Heat Soldering Iron. He went door to door across the heartland to sell his invention. A few years later, he invented and produced the first successful 110-volt/125amp welding machine, gaining permission from the Rural Electric Association to climb utility poles to connect his welders for demonstration. His persistence, innovation and determination created the foundation for Forney, and they’ve been selling welding and metalworking equipment ever since.

Forney Industries has always focused on not only meeting industry standards but exceeding them as well. Innovating is just one of Forney’s main priorities. Another has always been to evoke a deep sense of trust in customers, so that when they see Forney Green, they know it comes from a company they can depend on. In respect to this foundational belief, the future of this company will always be held to the high standards of its past.

Forney is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colo., with warehouses in both Colorado and Ohio. They deliver products to all 50 states through their extensive customerservice network and can also be found online with top ecommerce retailers. Currently Forney offers thousands of metalworking products within four categories: welding, abrasives, personal protective equipment and shop tools, but they continue to innovate new products to meet the needs of their customers. With an experienced and talented group of engineers and product managers leading the way, each product released has been intentionally created For Welders, Built by WeldersTM. From solving the simple need to repair metal in the 60s, to crafting thousands of products for a wide spectrum of metalworkers today, adapting to the ever-changing needs of their customers continues to be paramount for Forney Industries.

“It was innovation that began my grandfather’s company in 1932, and it’s only fitting that we continue to innovate and produce products that are revolutionary,” explains Steve Anderson, President and CEO of Forney Industries.

Whether you recognize Forney’s classic red welders, the iconic next generation of Forney green welders, or you’ve been with them through it all, you can trust their products have been crafted with customers in mind. After all, Welding in America is not just a slogan, it’s the backbone of this company. “High-quality has always been, and remains paramount to all of us and our employees,” said Anderson, “it’s the Forney promise that the products we offer to our users are of the highest quality and we offer our customers the products they need to remain successful.”

Visit your local Forney retailer, or forneyind.com for more information. •Forney Industries has been serving business since 1932.

•Steve Anderson, President and CEO of Forney Industries