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Mark Ford AMERICAN DAKOTA americandakota . com
The city of Calhoun in northwest Georgia sits in the heart of the Cherokee Nation . Today , Calhoun is home to a huge textile industry , which includes American Dakota , a niche rug supplier that uses Native American artists to create its designs .
Owner Mark Ford has been working with a team from the Georgia Department of Economic Development ( GDEcD ) to facilitate exporting his products . Recently , he discussed his business model and its reciprocal relationship with the area ’ s indigenous people .
What prompted you to do business in Calhoun ? We ’ re in the textile business , and it ’ s a textile town . Even in high school , if I had a summer job , it was usually with a textile company . Since I was 17 years old I ’ ve been dabbling with textiles . When I was in college , I swore I ’ d never do rugs . I ’ m going to get a real job ! Lo and behold , here I am doing rugs .
You work with indigenous people . In college , I minored in Native American studies . I ’ ve been a staff artist since ‘ 93 with Whispering Wind magazine , which is a bi-monthly magazine that covers crafts , culture , powwows , and history . That work is where some of the inspiration comes from . Part of our mission at American Dakota is to seek out positive relationships with Native artists and create passive income for them . It ’ s a real treat to work with someone who ’ s off the grid a bit , yet they can earn income from something they create .
You have an equal profit sharing arrangement with your artists , is that right ? Yes ! If I make 50 bucks , they get 25 . I never begrudge writing those checks because that ’ s what we planned to do from the beginning , and it ’ s very rewarding . It comes full circle , where you see somebody and you build a relationship and some trust . It takes a while to capture their weaves and designs and get them to approve it . Some of these artists have spent nine or 10 months making one rug — they ’ ll sell it and get one check . Or , they can share that design with us and get perpetual income forever . They own the copyright . It ’ s their design . The fun part is working with the artists and seeing how to handle their artwork or rendering ; then we get the nod from the artist and put the spotlight on them — that ’ s our goal .
And you then manufacture and distribute their designs . Yes ! And we help them find stores , if they ’ ll allow us , and we ’ ll introduce their rugs to our existing customers .
Are there other companies in the area doing the same sort of thing as you ? No , we are definitely an oddity . We ’ re small compared to others . Their sample departments are bigger than ours . And they have to feed that machinery , so at their plants they have looms , printers , various machines … It ’ s like a steam engine you have to keep chugging the coal into .
Exporting ; you tried Japan at first , correct ? I worked with the State of Georgia looking for opportunities . Initially , we were very well received in Japan . I knew we would be . If it ’ s one thing they appreciate , it ’ s craftsmanship ; it fits in with their culture . They ’ d rather buy something handmade than mass-produced . They like American iconic stuff : Harley-Davidson , Mickey Mouse , Playboy … These things resonate with them , so when you have a company that has that uniquely Americana look , the Japanese get it . Japan knows American nuances . They know more about Navajo ( artistry ) than a lot of Americans do .
They liked the aesthetic and the fact that we work with tribes ; there was a lot of potential there .
The next chapter with the State of Georgia is trying to get into Canada . We ’ re already exporting there via FedEx , but there ’ s some bigger potential . The people at the state office are coaching me on opportunities . They ’ ve been fantastic . They go to Japan and Canada for me and do their homework . They take it seriously .
What do you want to be known for ? We want to be good at our genre . We want to be the best . That means setting the bar in a cabin or a rustic mountain home where others are held to our standard . That would be flattering if it happened .
The Georgia Department of Economic Development ’ s nationally recognized Trade team works with Georgia-based small businesses like American Dakota to expand their global sales , making companies more resilient and creating opportunities for growth . The Trade team ’ s services , ranging from market research to international connections , are provided at no cost to eligible Georgia businesses . To learn more or connect with one of our trade team members , visit georgia . org / trade .