Turning passion into profit

By Douglas Sams
doug.sams@gwinnettdailypost.com

Gwinnett Daily Post/Anthony Stalcup
Michael Howard is the president of Volunteer Collectibles, a company that makes custom high school mini-helmets in Gwinnett County. Howard is hoping to sell enough helmets to save Lions Club Park in Lilburn.

LAWRENCEVILLE — Michael Howard’s home office is filled with the tiny white and orange University of Tennessee helmets he’s been collecting for years.
Now, the 33-year-old AT&T marketing specialist is tapping into his passion for the Vols to reach another goal he’s had for years — running his own business. When he can afford to get away long enough from the telecom industry, he turns his attention to building Volunteer Collectibles.
He orders miniature helmets in Norcross silver, Berkmar red and Duluth purple from Illinois-based Schutt Sports. From there, he tries to get the exact replica of the local team’s decal, whether Blue Devil, Patriot or Wildcat. He can customize a helmet for any Gwinnett high school team.
Howard, who runs the business from his Lawrenceville home, has about 50 customers.
The helmets can be seen in local school stores and on display in a few restaurants. One of his biggest orders comes from Gerald Mitchell, president of the Greater Lilburn Football Association.
Mitchell recently bought nearly 50 of the miniature Berkmar High Patriots helmets to use as an Association fund-raiser. Mitchell hopes he can sell $2,500 worth of the collectibles to help save Lions Club Park, where this fall 200 children in the Lilburn Football Association will learn football fundamentals — the basics that may help them one day make the high school team.
The park needs an estimated $400,000 in improvements, but the city said it probably can’t afford to spend that much. Rather than see city officials end up selling the park, Mitchell is taking Howard’s miniature Patriot helmets to local business owners. He hopes they will spend $50 to put the helmets on their office shelf or desks, not only showing Patriot pride but also providing money to renovate the park.
“This is the first year we’ve decided to go with the red Patriots helmet, just like the one the high school team wears,” Mitchell said. “We want everyone to know we are a feeder system for the team.”
Howard started Volunteer Collectibles in March. He already has a Web site that he wants to begin upgrading soon so he can take orders over the Internet. Eventually, he wants his business to pull in about $75,000 to $100,0000, or about what he makes with AT&T. Then, he can devote his energy full-time to his real passion — being a successful entrepreneur.
Howard thinks he’s in the right spot for his business to take off. Gwinnett is a high school football hotbed, with Parkview, Buford and Brookwood all winning recent state championships.
“Right now, I’m just having a blast with this,” Howard said. “It’s going really well, and we haven’t even started football season, yet.”
On the Web: http://www.volunteercollectibles.com/ <-->