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Deadman N'Graving:
Local business leaves perfect impression

Fifty cups with a company logo helped launch Deadman N’Graving. 

Founders Nicholas Seaman and Sydney Schmit were in their garage tinkering with a laser engraver they’d bought in Sidney, Montana, when a neighbor passed by and put in that first order. 

“This is it. We can really make this work,” Seaman remembered thinking. “I sold my dump trailer, sold my quad and threw everything into the business.”  

Seaman said the couple operated out of that garage for a few months and maxed out credit cards to set up shop. At their location on 50th street northwest of Wal-Mart, a steady supply of power keeps six laser engravers and additional presses running, often all at the same time.

“You name it, we engrave it,” is how their website puts it. 

That means tumblers, wine glasses, leather patch hats, metal and acrylic tags, faux leather notebooks, keychains, knives, bottle openers and more.

“Our biggest focus is on promotional products for companies,” Seaman said.  

They got the word out to local businesses by taking around free samples, and they keep the conversation going on social media.

“Snapchat has been one of our biggest platforms we use to make sales,” Schmit said.

Every day is different. “We divide and conquer, we’re always helping each other out,” she said. 

The focus is on growing, and the pair hope to add an employee or two. “We’ve only taken out of the business what’s absolutely necessary for us to get by. Everything goes back into the business,” said Seaman.  

Pride in putting out a perfect product is what drives them. 

“I want to stand behind anything we sell,” he said. “It’s nice to be out in the community and see someone wearing a hat we made.”

 

To see this story in the June issue of North Dakota Living visit: https://cloud.3dissue.com/186261/186734/221810/JUNE2024NDLMWEC/index.ht…

If you'd like to check out other issues of North Dakota Living visit: mwec.com/north-dakota-living