Veteran Company Leaving a Legacy for Service Members

Fire for Effects' custom flags really got started with a battalion ball and the discovery of a hidden talent."My guard unit was in charge of hosting a battalion ball... we actually were able to get a lot of assistance from a local VFW and small business, and we had a Medal of Honor recipient come and speak to us," Paul, the OPS manager for the business, said. "Oftentimes... they'll get this generic looking plaque... that says 'thank you for your outstanding support.' Well, we didn't want to do that... so [Matt] drew up these amazing flags for these guys. "Instead of that generic plaque that would end up in the bottom of a drawer somewhere, Matt made custom flags, constructed from wood and customized with engraved detailing. When given to their new owners, they caused an uproar in the crowd."When we presented them to the people... everybody started asking about it," Paul told us, and the idea quickly grew from there. "He started doing a couple of them for some friends... I told him, 'You can start a business out of this.'"[caption id="attachment_9046" align="aligncenter" width="640"]

A colored version of a Fire For Effects flag. (Courtesy)[/caption]So, on top of their National Guard duties and outside jobs, the two quickly set to work on making this idea a reality. They began constructing flags that included branch symbols, service awards, and other accomplishments, all meant to be a lasting memento for service members and their families. They were given as gifts, and presented at events, to the delight of the recipients."My partner, Matt, he's the talent behind everything... my end of it is everything before that; the sales, all of that," Paul said, humbly. "This went from a hobby to a business, to 'holy cow, we're moving a little faster than we thought and there's some real potential here.'"While they're not ready to quit their day jobs just yet, the duo is deeply passionate about their product, and in particular, the custom work that they do. In their minds, putting that same quality in front of every customer is their ultimate vision of success, and eventually, they want to make this venture big enough to do full time."No one's going to have that same gift or that same product," Paul said. "We make sure that what we do is exactly what that person wants. The thing that distinguishes us from our competition is our custom work... we haven't disappointed a customer yet."