Dear Readers,
It came to our attention recently that our newsletters are boring! Educational, yes, but dry as a picked-clean turkey drumstick. They didn’t make you laugh, inspire you, or express an iota of our gosh-darn special personality.
So we’re turning over a new leaf. Why can’t we learn and laugh at the same time?
Let’s start fresh with an explanation of who we are: We are Paul and Jana Lombardi. We’re married, we work together, and we have a curly-headed toddler whose first word was “beer”.
Paul
When Paul was four, he terrorized his parents by taking apart his toys and any household appliances they didn’t bolt down. His dad finally went to the thrift store and bought him a record player. In short order, he had it in pieces; the following week he put it back together. He’s been working with his hands ever since.
He’s designed and built in many materials–from custom bicycles to prototypes to high-end furniture. Moving parts are his fascination, and making them move as flawlessly as possible has been his life’s work. He spent his formative years going to punk rock concerts, building cars, and has hair like Sammy Hagar.
He is the precise and exacting in our equation.
Jana
I am the free spirit in our relationship. I grew up barefoot, never more than a few miles from the beach, and was raised on 8-tracks of John Denver and the Beach Boys. My brain toes the line between engineer and artist. My best ideas come when I’m in the shower.
Whereas Paul always knew what that he’d work with his hands, I was always exploring my options. All I knew was that I wanted to be in charge (control issues, anyone?).
My turning point was living in a tiny Costa Rican village teaching local women to earn income raising rainforest butterflies for export. Seeing how a business could not only benefit a family but protect rainforest at the same time fired me up, and I was hooked.
360 Yardware
When we opened 360 Yardware in 2007, it was our goal to create a business that made a difference. With tongue in cheek, we say Life’s Too Short for Crummy Hardware. But the larger issue of buying a quality item once rather than a crappy one over and over again resonates with us. Beauty inspires us, and we want hardware to claims its place in the beauty of exteriors.
This business supports our family. We want to continue growing so that we can create permanent, engaging jobs, both in the production shop and in the office. We believe wholeheartedly that learning high quality manufacturing skills should be promoted in our country, and we love the idea that our small business can help add strength and stability to our future economy.
Our plan is to continue designing and producing hardware, developing relationships with customers, and providing the best service in the industry. And who knows, someday our kid might answer your call!