From Garage to Global
The Inspiring Rise of Deco TV Frames Sometimes in life, it’s the happy accidents that surprise us the most. That’s exactly what happened when Kevin Hancock, a first-time homebuyer, was renovating his condo in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 2002 to make way for a flatscreen TV. With a degree in electrical engineering, he thought he could be an electrician for a day to install an outlet on the wall. However, after hanging the TV, he realized he had made a critical measuring error—the outlet was visible a few inches above the TV. But instead of moving the TV, he decided to be resourceful and made a frame to hide the outlet. Problem solved!
At the time, Kevin had a photography business, which closed five years later when a major client changed direction. Financially, Kevin was in despair, fighting off potential bankruptcy and trying to rebuild his life. One day, a college friend visited and remarked how much she loved the frame on his TV. Kevin’s instant response was, “Focus! I have a problem here. I don’t know what I’m going to do to get out of this mess. Everyone always comments on that frame!” At that moment, a lightbulb went off—maybe he was onto something! Kevin started researching and found that 600 people a day were searching for “TV frame” but no results came up on Google. Immediately, he got to work and discovered the domain FrameMyTV.com was available. He began working on samples and designs in his garage, using his photography background to create a website long before the days of smartphones.
2006
Around then, a mentor and dear friend offered him space in an old 1800s mill building in nearby Haverhill, Massachusetts. It was more of an attic full of junk, but the price was right. Kevin moved in and made it his own. Six months later, he had his first big break from The Breakers Hotel, a luxury historic five-star hotel in Palm Beach, FL. They selected his frames for all 540 rooms, a timely break since Kevin was struggling to pay bills and keep things afloat. On July 18, 2006, Frame My TV was born. It was a slow start. The phone didn’t instantly ring with orders. Kevin made frames in his garage, then in his dining room, until he outgrew his one-car garage. During this time, he held multiple jobs—serving tables and bartending—until, within six months, he could focus full-time on the new business. DecoTVFrames.com | 978-396-9600
2007
10
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs