PPB May 2020

Abrams tank shell casing, five five-inch Navy Destroyer shell casings and two 100-pound practice bombs. The supplier donated 20 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the Freedom’s Throne to Wounded Warrior Outdoors, a Winter, Florida-based nonprofit providing therapeutic outdoor experiences for wounded servicemen and servicewomen across the continent. But behind 2 Monkey Trading’s family of products is also a family business. The supplier was founded in 2006 in Orlando by Ingalls and his wife Lynne, the company’s owner and managing member. At the time, neither had experience working in the promotional products industry, but Ingalls’s fascination with trench art and collecting militaria led the couple into jewelry design and sales before they found promo. Together, they opened up Preco, a jewelry accessories manufacturer, which made a name for itself in selling toe rings to resorts and tourist attractions. The company grew to 75 employees and more than $5 million in sales before the Ingalls sold it in 2001. They kept the entrepreneurial bug alive when they later founded 2 Monkey Trading, a manufacturer specializing in shooting sports and related products. Over its 14 years in business, the company has welcomed its second-generation of employees. Their son Ray Baretta serves as production manager and has been with the company for eight years, and daughter Brooke Ingalls is the operations manager, and has been with the company for nearly seven, and all have found their niche. “All family members have their own expertise and place in the company,” says Ingalls, describing his role as sales and marketing with a focus on concept development, and Lynne’s in system organization and product development. “Getting used to working with your family takes time, understanding, and, most of all, respect for one another.” He adds, “We are really a great team now and have a fantastic extended family with all of our other employees.” About 2 Monkey Trading Co. Principals: Lynne and Doug Ingalls Date founded: 2006 Most popular or signature product(s): Its flagship product is the original Bullet Bottle Opener, crafted from the casing of a .50 caliber machine gun round as well as the Bullet Whiskey Glass. Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB. 1 2 3 4 Making The Glass 1 The lead-free, solid copper bullets used in the Stuck In Glass product line are ordered from a U.S. military munitions supplier. 2 The different glass styles are made, and then carefully heated to a specified temperature with a torch. At just the right time, a steel tool is gently pushed into the glass to shape it. 3 Once the cavity for the item has been created, the glass goes through a multi-level cooling process to prevent cracking and breaking. 4 After the glass has cooled, the item to be embedded is prepared and then secured in place with a special epoxy. | MAY 2020 | 73 CONNECT