My Story
- James Welter, came from a furniture making and woodworking family residing in Legionary Lake Mills, Wisconsin, the idea of design and woodworking has always intrigued me; after receiving my engineering degree and inspired from my dad (Omar) and my uncle (Ron), I set out to find my path in life. Leaning it's more important not to follow a path but rather to leave a trail.
- My first experience in furniture design came when I met a woman with a little boy that had MS, asking if I knew where she could purchase a chair that would fit her son's special needs? I did not, then the light came on realizing I could do this for her. I could design, build and upholster a chair that would fit her son's special needs, mission accomplished.
- Wanting to explore my newfound skills using CAD (computer aided drawing) I designed and built another chair, but this one had a lumbar support positioned in the back. I contacted a chiropractor for his approval and received it.
- Started my own business doing in home furniture repair working for extended warranty companies, which took me places I would have not normally gone. I ran the business for over a decade, which ended due to a car accident. During that time, I witnessed how reclining mechanisms work, bend and stop working, I saw how disappointed people became and, in many cases, how people depended on their chair to recline for medical applications. I knew there had to be a better way and had an idea on how it may work.
- Made several trips to the World Furniture Show in High Point NC in search of anything similar to my idea; and found nothing. Applied for a patent in 2014 doing it myself; received the patent in 2018.
- While talking to a CLOSE friend one day, I realized the value of unexpected pleasures and how they are never weathered and always arrive bright and new. Unexpected Pleasure became the trademark in 2021.