We could start this story way back, but let’s begin in 2020, when the world shut down and everything felt uncertain. I had just lost my first job after graduating college, my small network had stalled, and I felt lost without knowing what was coming next. With nothing else left to do, the pandemic gave me the push I needed to dive into my passion for product design. I locked myself in my bedroom, spending every day behind the glowing screen of my desktop until I could launch my design consultancy, MA.DE.

My hope was low, but so was my fear of failure. I started designing for other small businesses, building my confidence one product at a time. I learned the ins and outs of prototyping, design, and manufacturing.

I rented a closet-sized studio just outside Boston in an old factory, gathered tools, and made friends with other designers who would become instrumental to this project’s growth. Over time, the space expanded, and we finally started bringing the designs we dreamt up to life.

My goal has always been to create things that are not just useful but beautiful—elevating everyday objects that often go unnoticed. Because in the end, it’s the small things that can bring the most joy.

I hope that what we create finds a place in others’ lives, and that they support us just as I want to support other local designers, giving them a space to turn their ideas into reality.

It wasn’t easy, but I’m finally at a place where I want to share what I’ve built and provide a creative space for ideas to thrive. I hope 9997 continues to grow, not just as an outlet for me to create what I love, but as a space where other designers can join in and bring their visions to life.