Two Montgomery brothers endured their cluttered workspaces for most of 2020 before deciding to transform their work-from-home environments into spaces conducive to wellness, balance and productivity.
Now, they are selling furniture to people who want more from their at-home workstation.
In January, Nick and Will Jaroszewicz launched Porvata, an online furniture retailer that provides direct-to-consumer workspace solutions, including customizable stand-up desks and ergonomic chairs.
Porvata is named after the god of the woods in Polish mythology; a god with no image whose presence is felt through the woods. According to the brothers, the woods behind their childhood home have always been a peaceful, balanced place to escape the hectic aspects of life. The company’s goal is to re-create that familiar calm in at-home work environments.
“With everybody talking about what work is going to look like in the future, a lot of people are going to be working at home at least two to three days a week, if not more,” Nick Jaroszewicz said. “In that case, we're going to need more than a kitchen table.”
During the first couple of months, the brothers focused on gathering feedback and spreading the word about Porvata to their colleagues, friends and family. Now, the company is beginning to reach a larger market. In April, the company’s revenues doubled and orders have since picked up to a run rate of more than 30 orders a month.
Porvata declined to disclose specific revenue figures.
Porvata’s early success lies in the company’s ability to customize home office pieces without sacrificing convenience, Nick Jaroszewicz said.
“You may find yourself having less of a workspace than you want because you’re only working with what Amazon or Wayfair has rather than what you need,” he said. “What we want to do is put the power in the people so that they can make the best of space they have.”
The company is working on developing new desk design options beyond the laminate finish with the woodgrain pattern they offer. The brothers hope to have options for “nicer wood or wood composites” available on the site soon.
Porvata manufactures its desks in Fairfield and its chairs in Philadelphia. While the brothers hope to eventually expand their manufacturing across the U.S., they are focused on building their market locally.
“Shipping a large desk across the country is challenging, involves plenty of risks and takes a long time in the world of Amazon where everybody is used to getting their shipment in two days,” Will Jaroszewicz said. “So, as we work through those challenges we want to continue to expand our manufacturing and distribution footprint.”
Porvata office desks and chairs are in the $300-$500 price range; its standing desks $600-$800. Nick Jaroszewicz said people should consider the value of a comfortable, productive workspace where they might be spending most of their week.
To continue getting the word out, Porvata is holding a contest on the company’s Instagram where they will be giving away a free hour-long consultation from a professional interior designer and one of their more popular products, an “All-Day” office chair.
The Jaroszewicz brothers are the only two employees at the start-up, but believe that they have the capacity to continue to see rapid growth as Porvata's network grows.
Will Jaroszewicz graduated from Indian Hill High School in 2013 and earned his bachelor’s degree in economics at Harvard University in 2017. Prior to co-founding Porvata, he was a finance manager at Kraft Heinz, working on the company’s U.S. finance team and helping to manage the company's U.S. marketing budget.
Nick Jaroszewicz graduated from Indian Hill in 2010 and received his bachelor's in history with economics at Harvard University in 2014. Before co-founding Porvata, he worked in sales at Anheuser-Busch as a senior district manager. He is an MBA candidate at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.
