Business for a Better World: My Cabin
An interview with Anisha Seltenright, Chief Marketing Officer of My Cabin.
Q: Describe your company.
A: My Cabin offers sustainable, modular small homes with striking Scandinavian design and versatility of living in four different sizes. In June 2022 the North American production facility began operating in Waukegan for the North American market.
Q: Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?
A: We have eight employees and imagine by the end of the year we'll double.
Additionally, we are aiming to purchase more modernized machinery and equipment, improve material storage and place larger material orders.
Q: What will your company's main challenges be in the next year?
A: Scaling responsibly while managing high customer demand and continuing to offer a high end, competitive product when material and labor costs continue to rise
Q: What's the hottest trend in your industry?
A: ADU's (Accessory Dwelling Units) that can be used as a backyard office, extra bedroom, in-law suite, pool house, teen living room and more. Municipalities are recognizing the need and demand for ADUs across the country, and specifically California is an adopter. Since COVID, we've also seen a rise in people looking to escape their primary homes and retreat into nature, which has led to a demand in secondary homes as well short-term rentals. Lastly, we've seen the shift from RV-rated, wheel-structured tiny homes to more permanent, quality structures like My Cabin that can enhance a property.
Q: Does climate change affect how your company does business?
A: Climate change is tied to everything we do in the sense that our smaller square footage units are all built with less waste therefore producing less of a carbon footprint. Our units are lighter on the land in terms of foundation digging, pouring and installation and allow for much more precise building. We also purposely add a lot of insulation so they are high-performing units that require less energy usage.
Climate change is tied to everything we do in the sense that we believe smaller square footage units can be more utilized as they require less energy and less building materials.
Q: What does your company do to reduce the effects of climate change?
A: Our controlled factory environment allows us to be more precise and produce homes with less waste. Our units are engineered with the highest level of insulation and high-performance windows to reduce the energy needed for heating and cooling. We are also exploring off grid solutions, including solar panels.
Q: What does your company do regarding DE&I (diversity, equity & inclusion)?
A: We are an equal opportunity employer and we are focused on keeping our workforce diverse as we scale.
Q: Does your company donate time or money to any philanthropic causes? If so, what causes?
A: As a startup we are just getting our business built, but we are looking to partner with some local charities in the environmental and housing space. We recognize there is a lot of opportunity to partner with local nonprofits and we hope to do just that.
We are also looking to build an apprenticeship program to help young people grow their skills and trades.
Q: What do you do to make your business a good place to work for your employees?
A: We are centered around transparency and the highest level of integrity. We promote and cultivate a comfortable and safe environment where employees enjoy coming to work every day, for example our team opted into a four-day workweek to give them a longer weekend to spend with their families.
Q: Do you have a business mantra?
A: Still in the works.
Q: What is one interesting fact about your company that most people may not know?
A: PrefabPads LLC is a family-owned business in the Chicago area that comes from a 100-year-old family business dynasty.
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