2011 was a huge year for Ugmonk. Thanks for helping us make it our biggest year yet!

Here are some of the highlights from this past year:

• Released 27 new products
• Introduced the Ugmonk Premium Line including these 18″ Wood Ampersands
• Did our first independent show at D-Structure in SF
• We celebrated our third year with the release of the 3rd Anniversary Set
• Launched a new lookbook
• Donated over 5000 meals to children around the world

And here are few highlights from the the blog:

• How I made my custom monitor stand
• The new Ugmonk warehouse
• How I get things done
• What is Ugmonk?

Can’t wait to show you all the cool stuff we have in store for this year. Here’s to an awesome 2012!

I’m excited to announce that we set a new record this year for our annual charity drive! With your help, we were able to provide 1687 days of meals for needy children around the globe. That’s over 5000 meals!

Thanks to everyone who purchased items and helped us achieve this record. We’re looking forward to doing even more next year. If you didn’t get a chance to participate but would still like to donate, just head over to www.ricebowls.org.

Check out this little video that we received from one of the orphanages in India to thank us for our support. It’s awesome to see some of the similing faces of the kids that we’re able to help.

When I started Ugmonk I knew very little about how to run a business and manage a brand. I didn’t study entrepreneurship or take a special class on “How to Start a Tshirt Company.” I just had a passion for design and wanted to create awesome products. Too many people are looking for the “3 Easy Steps to Creating a Successful Brand.” They want to know the secrets of how to create “buzz”, get better website traffic and sell more products. Unfortunately there’s no magic formula and it’s just about doing the work.

From the start I’ve always focussed on creating unique products that people will want to talk about which is key, but a lot of what has brought Ugmonk to where it is today is just putting in the time to figure things out for myself. Some people may think I get to sit around and design all day, but I actually spend a huge chunk of time every week doing less glamorous things like email, customer service, contacting sources, editing photos, ordering supplies, etc.

One of the biggest motivating factors about running my own business is knowing that if I don’t get something done, it will never get done. I don’t have a bunch of employees to delegate the things that I don’t feel like doing.¹ This means that even the boring, tedious tasks won’t get completed unless I just do them (and trust me, I’m a procrastinator if there ever was one).

So my advice is simple: hustle, put in the time, and do the work!

[1] Though Ugmonk wouldn’t be where it is today without a ton of help from my family.

I’ve written about my design process more extensively here and here, but I wanted to share some of the original sketches for Don’t Just Stand There to show the evolution from start to finish.

Christmas is only 6 days away! If you’re like us, you’ve probably procrastinated and still have some last minute holiday shopping left to do.

If you place your order today and use the code LASTMINUTE at checkout, you’ll receive 15% off your entire order AND a free upgrade to USPS Priority Mail (within the US only). To receive your items by Christmas, orders must be placed by 11:59pm tonight (December 19th).

Congrats to Brent Galloway and Jeremey Fleischer for winning the Ugmonk Giveaway! (winners were randomly selected)

Thanks to everyone who participated and shared their favorite tradition. Stay tuned for more giveaways. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Christmas is just around the corner, and especially this time of year, it can be as much fun to give as to receive. We are giving away two $100 Ugmonk Gift Cards.

2 Ways to Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this blog post with your favorite holiday tradition.
2. Go to our Facebook page and click “share” on the contest post.

Enter at both places to increase your chances to win. The two winners will be chosen at random on Friday, December 16th. Happy Holidays!

My wife and I spent the day in NYC yesterday seeing some sites and getting in the Christmas spirit. It was a little chilly, but we lucked out with some sunny weather and had blast as always. We took the East River Ferry from Brooklyn to Manhattan which gave us some great views the the city and Brooklyn Bridge. If you haven’t tried it, I’d recommend taking it at least once. Can’t beat it for only $4/person. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day.

This year’s theme reminds us that we need to do more than talk. We need to take action to help those less fortunate than ourselves. There are countless organizations and ways to contribute to big problems around the globe, but an effort to be kind to your neighbor or to better love your family is equally as important. The only way to go wrong is to do nothing.

In addition to the new shirt design, we have 5 more new items launching today, including 3 additions to the Ugmonk Premium line!

Leather Bi-Fold Wallet

This uniquely designed bi-fold wallet is handcrafted from a single piece of leather which can be easily flattened for tanning and oiling. The raw leather starts out a light color and will age, darkening as it absorbs the oils from your hands and is exposed to the sun. The more you use it, the better it looks.

On Friday, we’re kicking off the 4th annual Ugmonk Charity Drive. This year we will be partnering with a great organization called Rice Bowls to supply meals to orphans around the world. For every item sold through the end of the year, we will donate a full day of meals to a child in need.  Thanks in advance for your support!

More About Rice Bowls

Ideas like giving, service, and philanthropy are intangible concepts, making them difficult for kids (and some adults…) to grasp and value. Rice Bowls is an easy, tangible way to bring these intangible concepts to life — and have fun to boot. Plus, you’re helping our Christian orphanages rescue, love, educate, and feed children at the same time.

Read more about the process here.