Interview > Sean Hollick > PUR Holds

Name and job:
Sean Hollick / Optimist

You own PUR Climbing Holds, whats the name mean?

PUR is the scientific abbreviation for Polyurethane. This also ties into my philosophy of life and climbing and hold making. Pure is very compelling for me and climbing can be the purest state of focus its simplistic and pure and just really moved me. So not only does it stand for the PUR chemical it stand for the Purity of the sport of climbing.

Now you have a foundation and a climbing hold company, so what's your real job or are you independently wealthy?

I was a project manager for a textiles company and in March 2012 resigned my position to devote my full attention to my wife and family and pursue my work on The Hollick Foundation. I wish I was
independently wealthy then Id be able to buy the 1000 pounds of silicone I find myself in need of right now.

Explain the foundation to us, what it does and how the hold company links into that?

The Hollick Foundations primary focus is raising funds to provide toothbrushes to children whose families cannot afford them.

How did you get into starting a foundation and a hold company?

A friend of mine is a doctor and works with underprivileged children and one day was sharing with me the troubles of such simple things as the inability of parents to afford the simplest of personal hygiene products for their children such as toothbrushes. The next day i went out and ordered a case of toothbrushes and donated them to their clinic. Then I founded the Hollick Foundation.

I have taken my kids on and off over the years to the local climbing gym and one day we just all clicked and decided how awesome it was to climb as a family. Very quickly we decided to take a 18x30 foot bonus room in our basement to build a home woodie and after spending a fortune on holds decided that with my art background it might be fun and cheaper to just make some holds ourselves. As it turns out it was fun, but cheap no so much hahah. At that point we thought it would be a fun project to start a hold company and be able to help raise funds for the foundation at the same time a win win situation!

As a new hold company and someone that has just started making holds tell us about the trials and tribulations behind starting a company?

There is a very steep learning curve in the beginning, and many of the techniques are considered "trade secrets" so there isn't a lot of info out there. There is quite a lot of research, trial and error involved.

I sent a lot of emails out to people who were doing what I wanted to do, and much like the climbing community I got a lot of suggestions and pointers. The climbing community is very welcoming and I have always been amazed by this. While there isn't a lot of material how to get going there is enough to get started and if you have the determination and desire to make something happen I think anything is possible.

I talked with whomever would share any info with me and I read Three Ball Climbings booklet on how to make holds, watched every youtube video on hold making i could find. I was fortune to meet some great people early on that guided me in the right direction. While some people guard techniques and materials they use as "trade secrets" I'm of a different mind. I think what sets hold companies apart is the designs they come out with. Hopefully if the day comes a young shaper/hold maker asks me how to, I'm more than happy to share whatever information I have  and am glad to pass it on. In the end really all your saving people is a lot of trial and error and dollars on material, the heart of the holds are not so much what polyurethane or pigments you use, but the art of releasing the shape from the block of foam.

 

Whats the most expensive factor in starting a company?

The most expensive factor of starting a hold company is SILICONE period. Polyurethane comes in second. But the silicone is the biggest cost of all, especially if your trying to do any R&D. Of course then there are just the basic start up costs of most other small businesses equipment, advertising/marketing/promotions.

Who do you have shaping for you right now?

We like to offer designs by known and unknown shapers alike! We have shapes by Ferran Guerrero, Louie Anderson, Tony Reynaldo, Ryan Jones, Pamela Hollick, Sean Hollick, Sean Ewers and Chris Neal. We are extremely excited about the designs from Spain by Ferran Guerreo of Psycho Art Holds which you just don't see here in the USA

I would like to be a company that can provide a forum of sorts for people to express themselves through the art of hold shaping.

Whats the overall goal of the hold company?

We established this company to raise funds for The Hollick Foundation. After material cost and operating expenses, profits will be donated to the Foundation.

What medium are you pouring?

100% Polyurethane

You're a new climber aren't you? You loved it so much you figured you'd make some holds

Yes. My wife and three sons and I began climbing together and quickly fell hard for it. After building our home gym the idea of hold making came up and the next thing you know PUR Climbing Holds was founded.

Anyone you want to thank?

First and foremost Id like to thank my wife Pamela Hollick for giving me the freedom to pursue my dreams whatever they might be at any given moment! Brad Clark of Climbing Holds Manufacturing for being a great friend and mentor, Ryan Jones of Hoosier Heights, Ferran Guerrero of Psycho Art Holds, Steve Dison of Three Ball Climbing and of course you for the amazing CHR