Today we’d like to introduce you to David Blake.
Hi David, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Back in 2009 my Grandmother died after a long illness and was buried at a cemetery in New Jersey. When my grandparents had purchased their lot the cemetery was in the middle of nowhere; it is now in back of a warehouse district.
This, more than anything else, stayed with me reflecting back on that difficult time. In the months and years following, I started to get interested in memorial art and the history of it in various cultures and societies. And I came to a conclusion: in my humble opinion our society had lost an artistic connection with the end of life and I made it my mission to change this.
In 2015, I lost my job as a VP of Product and decided it was a great opportunity to start executing this mission. Starting in my apartment, I’ve slowly but surely assembled a group of very talented artists dedicated towards helping families celebrate the life of their loved ones. From Seattle to Dallas, my company, Spirit Pieces, strives to produce amazing quality memorials for the generations. We now carry the widest selection of handmade cremation ash keepsakes online and we’ll be thrilled to be working with dozens of talented artists to have this happen.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There’s certainly been challenges in getting where we’ve been today. First and foremost is awareness. Generally, the topic of death, and more specifically the disposition of ashes, isn’t something people search out beforehand. We help people during a very small window of time during which they are already very distracted.
Identifying the challenge was difficult enough but meeting it was even more so. We’ve invested heavily in online advertising and SEO optimization. While not many people on any given day are searching for us, those who are likely will find us.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
While I’m not a glass artist myself, I am a retired (at 35) wedding photographer still actively doing portrait work in the Austin area. My style is the low depth of field in low lights to best capture the nuances of how light interacts with the subject.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My brother has been a big help since the inception of the business. He had (and sold) his own business prior to me getting started with Spirit Pieces. As such, he was able to identify a lot of the pitfalls and issues that I likely was going to face, and how to best overcome them when met.
Pricing:
- Jewelry: $75-$400
- Home Decor: $89-$1200
- Average Price: $125
Contact Info:
- Website: www.spiritpieces.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/spiritpieces
- Facebook: facebook.com/spiritpieces
Image Credits
Spirit Pieces
