As a constant supporter of my eagerness to build and create, she excitedly obliged. I spent the next few days out on the front porch drawing up designs and figuring out how to build this thing. When I had it all figured out, I told my mom it was time, and we made our way to Home Depot. I was only 10-11 years old the time, so my Mom wasn’t expecting much. Maybe a little tabletop catapult that could fling ping pong balls across the kitchen. Welp - $300 later, we returned from Home Depot with 4x8 sheets of plywood, 2x4’s, springs, nuts, bolts, you name it.

With the help of a few of my elementary school friends, I led us to build a huge catapult in the backyard. We set it up on casters; it could fling basketballs, footballs, and even pumpkins across the backyard. Safe to say this drew a bit of attention from the neighbors, and my friend’s moms. So much attention that a local news reporter came to check things out.

This local news reporter ended up writing a whole piece on the catapult, my friends, and I. She interviewed me, my friends, my Mom and the neighbors, and published the article shortly thereafter. As awesome as this was, the actual building of the catapult is not where Catapult Design got its name.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t published in the news article, but I can hear my Mom’s interview in my head to this day. 20 years later, I still remember what she said. The reporter asked her about paying for all of this, and letting her 10-year-old son operate power tools, make a mess in the garage, and fling pumpkins across the yard. My Mom’s response has never left me.

She said “Yeah you might think I’m crazy, but he could be cooped up inside playing video games, he could be sitting on the couch watching TV. But he’s been outside all summer with his friends. He’s been creating, he’s been learning, he’s been building this catapult. Was it expensive? Yes, but I look at how happy my son is, and how much he’s learned - you can’t put a price on that. I’d go right back to Home Depot with him in a heartbeat.”

Catapult Design was founded on the idea that no matter the cost, no matter how crazy it might be, no matter how messy it might get - if you’re learning, if you’re building, if you’re creating… if it makes you happy: do it.

That’s what Catapult Design is to me. Has it been a risk? Yes. Has it been scary? Yes. But every time I get worried or begin to doubt myself, I hear that interview with my Mom in my head. Invest in yourself. Learn something new. Do whatever it takes to make it happen.

That’s the mentality I bring to your projects. That’s the mentality I bring to your brand.