Manuel Palos Sculpture Inc.
Our sessions with our SBDC advisor over the last 3 years has helped us map out a clear strategic business growth plan, be accountable and have a person to share our vison with who understands us.
Manuel Palos Sculpture Inc. is a business specializing in sculptural art. The business creates and sells sculptures, crafted from various materials, which are then marketed and sold to art enthusiasts and stores like Restoration Hardware. The business is focused on producing high-quality, artistic sculptures.
Manuel Palos Sculpture is one of the leaders in architectural restoration and does custom work for Architects, Interior Designers, builders, contractors, and landscape designers across the country. His work can be found internationally from private commissions to major public placements including several projects for the City and County of SF including the restoration of the Palace of Fine Arts
Manuel Palos was born and raised in Mexico, influenced by the notable landmark structures and architecture that surrounded him. Manuel honed the ancient skill of stone carving and sculpture by living and studying in Italy and becoming a master stone carver and sculptor. Over the last 10 years, he has added his daughter Alexandra to the business who also runs it with him.
He has become well–known for his many private and public commissions and notable projects across the nation. In addition to his work, he teaches stone carving in his San Francisco studio and holds stone carving and sculpture workshops in his studio in Puerto Vallarta.
SBDC advisor David Mitroff, Ph.D. has played a pivotal role in helping Manuel Palos and his daughter Alexandra overcome various challenges through one-on-one consulting sessions. The challenges included negotiating contracts with retailers who were having difficulty, especially during COVID, securing new vendors of materials, designing outreach programs to attract new clients and determining the best ways to retain and secure new employees. Through these personalized consultations, the business received targeted advice and strategies that have resulted in a remarkable increase in sales by $150,000, reaching an annual sales figure of $500,000. This growth also led to the creation of three new employee roles, which also means this highly skilled art continues to be taught to new apprentices.
The most important part of the technical assistance received by the owners, Manuel and Alexandra Palos, was the advice and guidance related to marketing and sales strategies, especially on how to price their unique sculptors and the type of restoration work they provide. This included mapping out the financial modeling, product release dates, and sales strategies for long-term growth. These strategies not only helped the business increase its top-line revenue but also had a direct impact on its ability to create and maintain jobs. While other resources and services offered by the SBDC were also valuable, the increased sales and job creation resulting from improved marketing and sales were likely the most critical outcomes for Manuel Palos Sculpture Inc.
“Our sessions with our SBDC advisor David Mitroff over the last 3 years has helped us map out a clear strategic business growth plan, be accountable and have a person to share our vision with who understands us. We are artists first and David with his deep understanding of business taught us how to be in the business of art. Equally as important, he reduced the pressure of the business and made the business fun again, which allowed my father and I to grow closer together personally and professionally.”
Alexandra Pablos
co-Owner of Manuel Palos Sculpture Inc.
