A Chat With July’s Profile, Doug Mockett, founder/owner of Doug Mockett & Co.

CS: Development was gradual over the years?
DM: Yes. We got some money.

CS: What was your biggest challenge when you broke into the catalog business?
DM: Lasting the course until this thing turned the corner. After I made the first sale, my wife, Sonia, who is an architectural space planner, said, “You know, everybody in the furniture biz needs these grommets.” I thought she was crazy. She insisted, so I wrote a direct marketing letter and sent a sample of the grommet with the letter to 400 furniture manufacturers, to the presidents of 400 furniture makers. And I got about, I’m not kidding, I couldn’t believe it, 185 phone calls. I go, “Oh my God, this is incredible.” So I knew there was something there, it was just a matter of hoping I could tread water till the thing turned the corner. And it took about 18 months and it turned the corner, and it’s been all on the up since then. It’s amazing. Started in early ’81 and I remember Christmas of ’82 is when it worked out.