Gene Toodle (BSFCS '98, Consumer Economics) is actually the owner of two businesses. He and two partners are owners of Office Furniture Solutions. And, he is the sole owner of Trendsettaz, which focuses on identifying and developing new products for the "urban savvy" market.

"I started at Office Furniture Warehouse right after graduation using CAD (computer-aided drawing) programs to design modular office units," Toodle explains. "I'd learned CAD in Dr. (Anne) Sweaney's class when we were designing 'smart houses.'"

But within his first year, the owner announced he was closing the business. Two long-time employees decided to buy the business' stock and re-open and offered Toodle the opportunity to become the third partner. The new business is named Office Furniture Solutions.

"I had the choice of staying comfortable or taking a risk," he says. He took the risk.

Toodle's second business began as a search for a cap. A particular cap. The front is designed like a regular baseball cap, but the back has been cut out. The result looks a bit like a visor, but without the top of the wearer's head sticking out.

"I saw it when I was coaching a basketball game and started trying to find one to buy," he says. "It took me a year to locate the guys who had designed it. They were selling them out of their car. I thought they could do better than that."

The designers, DSGNR, agreed to make Toodle the exclusive distributor of the "Sypher" cap and Trendsettaz was begun.

Through test-marketing Toodle decided to produce the hats in school colors of all of the Southeast Conference, plus one in khaki.
"I was out on the golf course wearing one and this 65-year-old white gentleman commented on it and said he'd like one in khaki, so we've done that," Toodle says.

Selling Syphers to golfers is a bonus. Toodle is counting on young, African-American men and women being his big buyers. With that in mind, he provided caps to all of the performers at last year's "For Sisters Only" event, held at the World Congress Center. During the two-day occasion between 50,000 and 75,000 people, primarily African Americans, have the opportunity to do everything from attending health seminars to buying cars. But a prominent focus is the music that's provided.

"We gave hats to all of the performers and most of them wore them on-stage," he says. "Our website (http://www.trendsettaz.com) has photos of rap artist Lil Mo, DJ Chip and the other personalities of V-103 radio station, and Ray Buchanon of the Falcons all wearing Syphers," Toodle says. "We got a great response."

Although he didn't actively think about owning his own businesses prior to graduation (a professional football career was a serious option), Toodle's preparation dates back to his childhood.

"I started working at Blimpies making subs when I was 14. Once I started that, I realized I liked having my own money, so I kept working," he says. "I was in customer service at K-Mart when I was in high school. I guess I have a pretty friendly voice and I learned to be understanding of the customer's views."

As a UGA student, Toodle learned to juggle the multiple priorities that come with being a member of the football team.
"We would work out for two hours most mornings - lifting weights, running, doing conditioning drills. Then I would go to class," he recalls. "I remember some days being so physically exhausted that my hand shook so badly I could barely take notes."

Now, Toodle and his partners are focused on all aspects of Office Furniture Solutions, which sells a full-range of furniture from executive office suites to the modular units that provided Toodle his start in business.

"We do everything from sales to delivery to installation to marketing," he says.

Toodle once dreamed of an exciting career with a big corporation, making lots of money and traveling the world. Today, he's content with his businesses and spending time with wife Kia and two-year-old son Cameron, living near his parents and two older brothers and two younger sisters, and coaching basketball for youngest sister Janay's team.

But, he does have dreams for his businesses.

"I'd like to see Office Furniture Solutions branch out; first with another location in Atlanta, but eventually become a national chain.
"As for Trendsettaz. Right now, I'd like to see Sypher become as common of a name as visor. We'll grow from there."

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