During a time like this, we are all looking at ourselves and the world around us. We are reevaluating what is important to us and what is valuable to the world. As I ordered a pick up order of groceries, I looked at my bill and realized that there was nothing like Elf Ears on that receipt.
We are part of the entertainment industry. We don’t fill your belly when you are hungry, relieve headaches when you have them, or wipe your… Ok, enough of that line of thought.
What we are is a bit of happiness. When we first started I wanted to make fantasy art, show and sell it to others, and become as well known as Todd Lockwood and Larry Elmore. I sold my character on Everquest (I needed a clean break!), formed the business, and named it after my old EQ guild, Aradani. I have never been a solo wanderer, I have always needed and wanted a tribe. So I enlisted my brother and sister, and our friend Josh.
That first weekend we sold $85 in art. Not even enough to pay for the table and portfolio books I had purchased. But everyone loved my brother’s Elf Ears that he had custom painted for himself. We all looked at that, and by the next weekend we were selling Elf Ears, right next to the art. Eighteen years later and we are doing the same thing.
Sure we have grown from our little EZ up to bigger booths, but we have stayed a small creative company whose focus is on making a great product and taking care of those around us. Each time we put elf ears on someone, we delight in the joy and happiness our little product brings.
Aradani now has some great booths at some amazing shows. We now have a property in Nashville that produces hordes of Elf Ears per day. We have gone from working on this as a part time gig, to having the three founders (Mike, Paul, and Sara) and a crew of 4 working all week long making, shipping, and designing elf ears. And this doesn’t count the wonderful elflings we have helping us at shows across the lands. We are indeed lucky.
(The Office Elves)
Michael Bielaczyc |
Paul Bielaczyc |
Sara Bielaczyc |
|
 Romerus Greer |
Laura Bielaczyc |
Aiden Walker |
|
 Brian Hulsey |
The Future
As we enter this difficult time of no social gatherings, we just wanted to say that your patronage and support have made this dream come true. We will weather this storm and keep making elf ears and bringing them to you.
There will be a time past this darkness when we can all get together. And Aradani will be right there, smiling and sharing an ale with you.
-Mike
