In 2004, Steve Keihner had a great idea. While purchasing outdoor furniture for his home from roadside lot alongside Highway101, he struck up a conversation with the owner. Seeing an attractive opportunity, Steve purchased the business – and Terra was born.
Steve and a small “team Terra” got to work expanding the product line, working with architectural designers and manufacturers to create high-quality furniture with a sleek, refined aesthetic, all while maintaining a focus on personalized service.
(pictured above) The original Mill Valley location of Terra Outdoor, located on the shores of Richardson Bay adjacent to Highway 101.
Early Momentum
Terra forged close working relationships with designers, factories and suppliers from Jakarta to Germany to create outdoor furniture with distinctive, modern looks, constructed from teak, aluminum, concrete, rope and all-weather wicker. Customers got excited about Terra, and the company quickly became the go-to outdoor furniture resource for discerning homeowners and interior designers.
“When you reach a certain point when you’ve got cool products, cool-looking stores and fun people to buy from, if the brand is right, you can really grow.” – Steve Keihner, CEO of Terra Outdoor
Over the past 2 decades, Terra has grown from one location to 13 showrooms, and from less than 10 people to over 200. Some of them have been with the company for the long haul. “It’s been amazing. We’ve had the brand develop, the product lines develop, the showrooms develop, and have the team still be able to keep a family environment.”
(pictured above) Founder & CEO, Steve Keihner
The View From the Top
What’s Terra’s secret? CEO Steve Keihner said it best: “We’re the little guy that had people who believed in us, and we grew together as a family and created something really special. It’s not about selling widgets. What’s more exciting is the connections we make with people.”
And that includes customers, as well as everyone who works for Terra. “It’s just exciting to not only see great people doing great things and working together,” Steve said, “but also to see our evolution. Sell, sell, sell is great, but it’s even better if we care, care, care.”
Thinking of the future, Steve said, “I’m a member of a business group that sets out to build 100-year companies. With the help of that group, I’ve set up a foundation that, if I were to die tomorrow, will allow Terra to continue to grow, with managers who will continue to build the company. And it’s set up so that profits will go back to team members and charities. The idea is to build a legacy business – an ‘evergreen company.’”
“When you have beautiful furniture, that makes you want to invite friends over and have a glass of wine and feel the magic of something that’s architecturally designed, just like a beautiful home. It creates a sense of well-being. It makes a huge impact on people’s lives.”
(pictured above) Customer Service Representative, Jim White
A Customer-Care Masterclass
Customer Service Representative Jim White joined Terra 11 years ago, taking a brief break during the worst of the pandemic. “After a year and a half, they wanted me to come back. I couldn’t wait to get out of the house!”
It helps that Jim has deep roots with the team. “I’ve known (Director of Purchasing) Jim Singer for 25 years,” Jim said. “I’ve been doing this so long, and I think experience has a lot to do with this position. You know, our White Glove delivery service isn’t just a saying. We live up to that with our attention to detail and customer service.”
An ace troubleshooter, Jim helps customers take care of any problems they might have, either on the phone, via FaceTime or, when needed, in person. “I love working here. I look forward to coming to work. Customer service is my main goal – no situation is going to outdo me. I’m gonna get it done.”
(pictured above) Director of Purchasing, Jim Singer
The Man with the Purchasing Plan
Jim Singer has been in the outdoor furniture game for more than 30 years, ultimately landing at Terra 13 years ago. He was a perfect addition from the start.
“Terra, when I joined, only had teak furniture and wicker furniture – that was it! No metal furniture, no aluminum furniture. To Steve’s credit, he let me bring in some metal products, and now it’s a big part of our business.”
These days, Jim’s duties have him managing the purchasing department, as well as working in Terra’s showrooms, helping both sales associates and customers. “I work for Terra, but I’ve been in a lot of other outdoor retailers, and our showrooms are by far the best in the industry,” Jim said.
What’s Jim’s favorite part of his job? “We’re the CarMax of outdoor furniture! I love being out in stores, working with people. That’s what I like to do. I like to motivate, to train, to get people excited about Terra. Everything with us is about making the customer happy. Word of mouth is so important – we want people to say what a great experience they had. For us, it’s all about the customer.”