Exploring Life & Business with Ted Verderame of Endatto

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ted Verderame.

Hi Ted, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ. Upon graduating from the University of Denver in 2009, I was fortunate to land a position consulting for Booz Allen Hamilton, specifically working on a contract with the government to improve the business operations of the Department of Veteran Affairs. That kicked off my time in the consulting industry, and was succeeded by a stint in Chicago consulting for a tech company using SaaS to streamline clients’ internal processes. Finally, in 2015 I moved back to Phoenix and became the 3rd hire at a small firm focused on helping financial advisors start and fix their independent practices, ranging in size from family offices to nationally recognized firms. By the end of 2018 I realized my time consulting had run its course and Endatto was founded in the second quarter of 2019.

When I finally decided to start my own business, I knew it would have to be something I was passionate about to the point that it could be my primary focus every day. One of those interests was watches, my first being a Christmas gift from my parents as a child. As the years passed, the tradition continued and my humble collection of starter watches began to take shape. As I got older and began to expand my collection on my own, I was overwhelmed with the array of options available, and at the intricacy of the construction and design of the mechanics. Quickly, I was hooked. So, when I was deciding what kind of business to start, a watch company was what I kept coming back to, all thanks to my parents initiating me at a young age. Fortunately, the barrier to entry in terms of capital was not insurmountable and the knowledge I gained consulting ensured I was organized from the start.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Unfortunately, it has been anything but a smooth road! After founding the company in April 2019, we had made enough progress to initiate manufacturing the watches right before the pandemic hit. Obviously, this led to a number of issues.

First and foremost was the release of Endatto’s premier collection. Our plan was to release that collection in the first quarter of 2020. Obviously, that plan was thrown out around the turn of the year. We had worried that would be a possibility as some of our overseas vendors began to experience delays in the fourth quarter of 2019, and by the start of 2020 we knew that a first quarter release simply would not be possible. As a result, we zeroed in on a date we felt was feasible (June 17, 2020), and decided we’d release then no matter what. It was possible this meant selling watches before they were finished being produced, but we knew the broader market would understand our predicament. We could also promise the watches would arrive eventually, as all invoices had been paid, so it was just a matter of vendors getting back to work to finish the production. We’re proud to say we were able to stick to that date, with delivery of watches starting only a few weeks later.

Also, a major part of the watch world is attending shows. It’s an opportunity for brands and customers to interact face to face, allowing the customers to see the watch in person and even try it on for size. Obviously, the pandemic ended that possibility for a while, which was a fairly crushing blow. Shows are one of the best ways for a small, independent brand like Endatto to affordably introduce itself to a subsection of the market all but guaranteed to show interest. Eventually, a biannual show decided to get creative and go virtual, so we decided to pivot with them and participate in the unknown, hoping for the best. Was it the same as an in person experience? No, but expecting it to be would have been shortsighted. However, it was absolutely beneficial. We got a bit of publicity and built a number of relationships that will continue for a long time to come. Given the choices, I’m thrilled we decided to make the best of what was on offer, rather than fret about the inability to present in a fashion that wasn’t possible at the time. Unfortunately, we’re still waiting on in person shows to start back up.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Endatto?
Endatto is an affordable-luxury, Swiss-made watch brand based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Endatto strives to design watches with character, versatility, and multi-generational appeal. Uniquely designed dials differentiate our collections from the industry at large, which is down to a steadfast focus on color and texture. We work tirelessly to provide enduring quality, as evidenced through the deployment of the ever reliable ETA 2824-2 automatic movement in each of the first three watches produced.

Endatto is a portmanteau, composed of a few Italian words and a Latin word. Together, these words and their meanings strike at the heart of Endatto’s motivation and goals.

Atto: Italian; act, action, feat.
Esatto: Italian; exact, accurate, true, right, correct, strict
Innato: Italian; inborn, natural, inherent, native
Indoles: Latin; character, younger generation, genius, talent, native quality. Translated from the English for “caliber” (caliber is another term for the movement of the watch)

Atto represents the company’s mindset. Esatto serves as an ode to what one seeks in a watch, and without which a watch is fairly useless. Innato drives at the founder’s love of watches from an early age and his lifelong entrepreneurial spirit. Indoles is a nod to what Endatto hopes to build. A company with character producing watches with character, to be appreciated by any generation while helping to initiate a new generation of watch lovers.

All of this is in mind when we design our collections. Taking inspiration from the natural beauty of the landscape in the American Southwest, each Endatto timepiece is thoroughly thought out.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Absolutely! First, establishing timelines without flexibility is useless, because when you start your own business you’re reliant on too many outside influences to realistically stick to “set in stone” timelines. My best example of this was a timeline that was important, but ultimately impossible to keep – the release of our premier collection.

Second, you can only control so much, so be sure you can trust that partners, colleagues, and vendors understand and share your vision. Once a strategy needs to be executed by others, you’re reliant upon them sticking to the script. When they deviate even slightly, it creates a waterfall of consequences that you must react to whether you like it or not. This occurred a number of times, from the design phase, to the materials phase, to the production phase. A single delay, a single mismatch of material and machine, will leave you scrambling to move forward in the most efficient way possible.

Pricing:

• C1V1 – $950
• C1V2 – $950
• C2V1 – $900
• Calf Leather Watch Straps – $45
• Buffalo Leather Watch Straps – $70

Contact Info:

• Email: info@endatto.com
• Website: endatto.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/endattousa/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/endatto
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsnpdzawqNw