Guest Profile: Bobby Nakamura

Bobby Nakamura is a third-generation business owner under the Naka's business name. The business started back in 1957. Bobby has a lot of experience on what works in the industry, particularly on the Hawaiian islands.

Other Notes/Links:

To learn more about Naka's Drapery visit Nakasdrapery.com

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Video

https://youtu.be/7ZQhMpP4xNU

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Transcription

Will Hanke 0:06

Hey everybody, welcome to episode number three of marketing pains. My name is Will Hanke II thank you for joining us today. I’ve got a fantastic guests in the very comfortable state of Hawaii and Maui to be particular while it’s getting ready to snow and do some craziness here, I’m sure he’s not preparing for snow. Bobby, nice to have you on. Thanks for having me.

Bobby Nakamura 0:31

Yes, actually, it’s actually a little rainy right here today. So it’s bad for us is so bad.

Unknown Speaker 0:39

you for saying you don’t have you can’t go outside, right.

Will Hanke 0:45

It’s great. Well, thank you so much for jumping on today. I really appreciate it. I’m interested. Do you prefer Bobby or Robert or what do you

Unknown Speaker 0:53

buck Bobby’s? I like Bobby. Yeah.

Will Hanke 0:57

Okay. So, so why don’t you go ahead and listen Jump in. Tell me tell me your name, your business name and give me the kind of the two minute elevator pitch about your business.

Bobby Nakamura 1:06

Okay, my name is Bobby Nakamura, I’m an owner knockos drapery and it’s a family run business. It’s it started out 62 years ago, my grandfather say we do all kinds of window coverings drapery shutters. We do some flooring to complement that. And we have our own drapery fabrication shop in house and so that’s that’s our bread and butter. Do it.

Will Hanke 1:37

Okay, how what is the percentage of Window Treatments versus flooring?

Bobby Nakamura 1:44

It would be about 90% window treatments and 10% flooring. Yes, it’s it’s not even close.

Will Hanke 1:52

Okay?

Is the flooring just something that you know and it’s easy to kind of pick up that business once your house

Bobby Nakamura 1:59

It’s it’s Yeah, it’s a it’s an extra business that we we have on there extra money maker. It’s we’ve previously um my father used to do a lot of flooring you would just flooring flooring flooring, but since the market changed, you know, big box stores came in and so they took over a lot of flooring stuff. So we we focus more into window coverings now and when the treatments and the flooring is to complement to that, you know a lot of old time customers, they they still know us and they still want you know, the services we provide them.

Will Hanke 2:32

Okay, and how many employees how many trucks

Bobby Nakamura 2:36

we have three employees including me and two trucks ,

Will Hanke 2:43

okay, and obviously you only serve Maui, you can’t really drive any further. I’m assuming.

Bobby Nakamura 2:51

I’ve been asked to go to other islands and do work several times and I’ve actually I’ve gone over too long. Done measuring a site the logistics of you know getting everything done in a. But you want people want me on this.

Will Hanke 3:08

Yes. Crazy though. Interesting. Interesting. Okay. And you mentioned that your business about 60 years old so I think you said your grandpa started your grandfather.

Unknown Speaker 3:18

Yes. My grandfather started. He actually started as a poster in mini blinds. So but basically the Naka’s name is it’s been transformed over the years. I mean, with, of course with the, with the market and how the how it goes and yeah, so about 60 in 19. Oh, it’s 63 1957 you started, actually before Hawaii became a state.

Will Hanke 3:39

Oh my gosh,

Bobby Nakamura 3:40

yeah. When you’re in for Hawaii became state.

Will Hanke 3:43

Wow. Wow, that’s awesome. And was it always on Maui?