Forging a New Path
Brad Collis stands behind a table of his creations—small, red oak boxes with intricate designs that will soon hold someone’s change, dice, jewelry or even a pet’s ashes. To get here, it’s taken Brad a lot of learning—about his strengths, his laser forging tool and running a small business—but he couldn’t be happier today, standing behind his own wooden sign, Fire Forge Laser Creations.
“It was definitely a learning curve, a big learning curve,” says Brad, from his shop in Lumby where he fires up his laser printing tool to etch the shapes of everything from wolves and foliage to ravens and fish on the delicate surface of red oak. “There’s so much possibility though, and I get to be creative. That’s what I like about it, the versatility and the creativity.”
Almost 18 months ago, Brad was feeling ready for a change from work he’d done for many years that was not creative. Brad, self-diagnosed with Asperger’s, was also craving independence and the chance to dive into projects without worrying about the social side of being in a formal workplace.
After meeting with a case manager at WorkBC Centre in Vernon and sharing more about how he might succeed in a less traditional role, Brad was connected with Anita Labelle, customized employment advisor. During a 12-week discovery phase with Anita, Brad was honest about his hopes:
“In that discovery phase, he said, ‘I really, really, only want to do my own business,’” says Anita. “He’s very self-aware and he knew he couldn’t work in a role where he’s expected to be very outgoing.
As he explained to Anita during that time, he likes “logic and reason” and trying to maintain a gregarious personality at work was just “so stressful and anxiety provoking” that he was determined to find another way.
It was about the same time that Brad happened to come across an advertisement for a laser printing tool capable of etching designs onto wood, leather, tile and more.
“You can make an amazing amount of things with it,” says Brad, who knew right away this would be his ideal employment: bringing creations to life that would hold people’s everyday and most important items, and help them mark life’s milestones.
Now that Brad had a viable business idea, Anita was then able to be his ‘co-pilot’ and support him as he prepared to launch his business and succeed in its first year. Anita connected him with self-employment workshops, business advisors who specialize in supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities, and, later, she helped him with marketing to local businesses where he could sell his creations.
Fire Forge Laser Creations was born. Today Brad attends Farmer’s Markets to sell his wares, as well as a growing handful of shops in the area including the Christmas Tree Farm in Lumby, Westside Cannabis Co. on OKIB land, and Expressions of Time in Vernon.
Some of the special projects he’s tackled over last year include customizing tiles as grave markers for long-gone relatives at the Lumby cemetery, “crystal boards” for customers at Expressions of Time, boxes for local cannabis shops, and he recently created a vibrant emblem on delicate red oak for a few members of the Coldstream Fire Department to mark its 60th anniversary.
“That one turned out really, really well,” says Brad. “I have a sign that says, ‘Give me your ideas and I’ll see if I can make it a reality,’ and that’s how that came about. I just happened to have those paint colours and it worked.”
Anita says Brad has shown tremendous fortitude, and his business is succeeding because of it.
“He’s got so much perseverance, grit and determination to move forward with this despite barriers he’s encountered along the way.”
Brad feels he’s just getting started. He’d like to explore selling his unique boxes online and gain more facility with other materials, including tile and leather. He’s also focusing on custom orders for both homes and businesses.
“There’s still a lot of potential.”
Find Fire Forge Laser Creations at a local market or, to inquire about a custom order, email Brad at Flamestrike_85@hotmail.com.
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