Meet Ray Tuomey | Co-Owner McLean Forge and Welding

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ray Tuomey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ray, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started businesses several times early on in my career and then got involved in the nonprofit world for quite some time. When I left the nonprofit sector, I was ready to start a business that was more nimble and didn’t require boards to make decisions before moving forward with a strategy. As it turned out, my next business was co-owned and, while very successful and exciting, had its own issues with decision making. After almost a decade, I was ready for something new and that’s when the opportunity to buy a local business arrived. McLean Forge had been around for 32+ years and we were excited to join the small business community and test our skills or mettle, pun intended. With just two owners, we can make decisions very quickly and split the responsibilities based on our skills. We made the decision because our products serve a necessary function and simultaneously add beauty. Old-world trades like ours are in many ways a dying breed, but one of the great attractions is that we get to see the results and our products are built to last.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What sets us apart from our competition is our commitment to quality creations, communication and customer service. We have an iterative process in the design phase and then we ask for input on drawings sent to customers and then lastly we test fit almost every piece we make. I would say that our responsiveness to customers is also something I often hear is a thing that sets us apart from our competition. Some lessons I’ve learned along the way is that sometimes we are not the right fit for everyone and that it is ok to turn down some jobs. We tend to offer higher end products and with our overhead, it can be challenging to compete with smaller outfits that lack any overhead, so we don’t try to compete with them anymore. Our prices are fair and our quality and track record prove our products are an excellent value! What do I want the world to know about McLean Forge? In a traditionally male-dominated field, we are proud to have three female fabricators on our team out of our five-person team. Each and every one of us takes great pride in our company and the work we do.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It’s easy to entertain in Boulder. For me, the entertainment starts in the outdoors. A morning hike in Boulder’s foothills around the Mesa Trail or Eldorado Canyon and then lunch at the Dushanbe Teahouse and a stroll on the Pearl Street Mall. In the evening, we might take in a concert at Chautauqua or down at the Boulder Theater, or have dinner at a farm-to-table place like Black Cat Farms. Day two, bicycling up the canyons surrounding Boulder or Hygiene. I could go on and on!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Early on in the process, the Small Business Development Center and the Chamber of Commerce provided much needed insight into the inner workings of running a business, and they still provide many valuable programs. I read numerous entrepreneurial books about doing business differently and they, along with my previous good and bad experiences in the professional world, helped me chart the course for the kind of company I want to run, and be a part of. My business partner Paul and our excellent team are the ones who make all of my ideas into the physical manifestation of my proposals. Having a supportive wife and family are invaluable, as well as having a supportive and collaborative community. We also had two angel investors who helped make our dream possible–Thank you, Blake and Dan!

Website: https://www.mcleanforge.com

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Image Credits
Allie Pinto