Fathead got its start by selling kids life-size decals of the athletes they idolize. Today the 9-year-old firm is finding some of its biggest gains from business-to-business sales.
Business-to-business work helped lead Fathead's growth spurt in 2014. It is now a $50 million company.
"That continues to be a very big area of focus for us," says Joanna Cline, chief marketing officer for
Fathead.
Business-to-business work included custom work for large companies and institutions. Among that subset is work for universities, such as the University of Michigan, which use Fathead’s custom decals for athletic and other events.
"Universities are really finding that we can transform their spaces," Cline says.
Fathead makes poster-size decals of everything from famous athletes to major brands. Dan Gilbert acquired the firm eight years ago, making it a member of the Quicken Loans family of companies.
Fathead has expanded its business by licensing major brands, such as Martha Stewart and John Deere. It is also getting ready to launch a new venture called
Studio F, which allows artists to sell their work online as a fathead decal poster while Fathead keeps a percentage of each sale.
That work has enabled the downtown Detroit-based firm to add significantly to its staff. It has hired 44 people, bumping its staff size to just over 100 workers. It is currently looking to hire two software engineers. More info on those openings
here.
Source: Joanna Cline, chief marketing officer for Fathead
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.