By Lauren Caggiano
19 December 2007

Craig Martyn is a young entrepreneur in a 100-year-old industry, but his business practices are far from archaic. Martyn, a business student at Cal State Fullerton, is a shining example of how someone can transform a hobby into a growing business.

An avid model train enthusiast, the teenager wanted to cater to an unfulfilled need in the marketplace for model train detail and accessory items. In 2000, at age 15, Martyn’s vision of introducing a new product became a reality with the inception of BLMA Models (an acronym for Best Looking Models Around).

For the Southern California native, the model business was a natural extension of a hobby.

"Passion is what has transformed it into a business," he said about his business’ impetus. "Everything was built on a passion."

Since July 2000, as the company’s founder and president, Martyn has learned a great deal both in and outside the classroom. Just last year, the college sophomore established an outsourcing agreement with two factories in China. The models are designed in house; however, nearly all tooling, molding, assembly, painting, printing, and packaging is done in China. The products range in price from $3 to $325 per unit. According to Martyn, BLMA has five distributors and is accessed through thousands of dealers all over the world.

The 22-year-old entrepreneur views his business as a practical application of his course study.

"This business incorporates all that I’m learning in class," he said. Principles such as importing, exporting and outsourcing are not just abstract textbook terms, according to Martyn. "I’m doing this," he often thinks during lectures relevant to his own business practices. It’s applied knowledge, he said. "I would like to share what I’ve learned," he tells readers.

Running a small business has its share of highs and lows, but Martyn has managed to capitalize on his investment. In the past four consecutive years, BLMA has seen a three-fold return in gross sales, which he attributes to his decision to outsource to China.

"Importing is what’s going to make BLMA Models what it could be," he said looking to the future. "Higher quality products with lower prices demand the utilization of outside markets to remain competitive in the changing marketplace," he added.

Martyn said he places a great deal of responsibility on himself for the success or failure of the business.

"Being your own boss, you only have yourself to blame if something goes wrong," he said. "[The business'] success is my success. I thrive on the constant excitement of improving my business." Moreover, the young businessman places a strong value on self-reflection. "It’s an instinct to self-reflect, to examine what I’m doing and [what I] could be doing," he said.

Martyn prides himself in an "outside the box" business approach that does not compromise quality. Likewise, the founder claims that superb customer service is central to the company’s mission statement and competitive edge. Customers and high quality products come first, he said.

Honesty is also critical to "sustaining relationships with customers," according to Martyn.  "I try to run my life and business to the highest level of ethical standards," he said. "I’d rather give someone my handshake than let them down. This business is a reflection of myself."

BLMA Models has a competitive edge due to Martyn’s innovative marketing practices, which includes his website. Photos of product prototypes and links to videos and PDFs with assembly instructions can be found on the site, according to Martyn. The website, blmamodels.com, features a video commercial, which he describes as "in your face marketing." The site has grown in popularity, from 300 hits a day in August 2006 to an average of 1,000 daily hits currently.

"You can have a website and then you can have a good website," he said.

But while some students would pause to relish their success, Martyn is never satisfied. He enjoys constantly improving on his products and making the business more profitable. To achieve his goals, the entrepreneur said he manages BLMA with a "big picture" approach, looking at how everything will ultimately impact the business.

"I don’t want to come to a position where I’m content," he said. "I enjoy pushing the limits. Ultimately, the constant yet calculated risk taking is my biggest source of success.  You’ll never know unless you try."

So what’s next for this self-made entrepreneur? Martyn is scheduled to graduate in 2010 and has some lofty goals for the future. His first short-term goal is to pay off a business loan ahead of schedule. Ultimately, the young entrepreneur wants to use his business as a stepping stone to get into real estate later in life. He has also considered selling the company and working as a consultant. Whatever he decides, Martyn said he is "always up for a challenge."

           

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