A one-line job ad on Craigslist/Portland caught my eye:
You will be a soldier in the war against button-less garments and bags.The story behind it:
You know that shiny button pinned to your lapel or backpack that proclaims how you vote or what band you dig; your stand on eating meat, marijuana, God or global warming? Nod to Scott Hay and One Inch Round, the man and the company behind the ad, responsible for making a million-plus buttons a year at last count, possibly including yours.
The not-quite-30-year-old Hay started cranking out his wares seven years ago in the Bay Area. Startup budget: $500; executive offices, factory floor, shipping, and marketing were all located in his Bay Area bedroom. Over time it grew into a cool place for a handful of musicians and other artists to snag a decent, Zen-like (sounds better than "repetitive") day job churning out buttons. (No union, but dog Emma's need for an occasional walk probably fulfilled the same purpose as a labor contract mandating 15-minute breaks twice a day.)
So, Hay's ad hooked him up with the four or five new soldiers he needed, allowing him to move One Inch Round to Southeast Portland, land of many button-wearers, yes, but more importantly to him: affordable labor and space; serious-minded bikers; a ton of indie music; and, probably, better dog biscuits.
