Pull Start Fire Turns Global Interest into International Opportunity with VEDP Support

For a small Virginia company, pursuing customers overseas can bring significant opportunities, but unfamiliar markets can also bring costly logistics and increased uncertainty.

Pull Start Fire, founded in 2017, manufactures proprietary pull-string fire starters and portable charcoal grills designed for outdoor use. As interest in the company’s products began reaching beyond the United States, Pull Start Fire saw an opportunity to explore international markets but needed a practical way to identify legitimate partners and manage the costs and risks associated with exporting.

That is where VEDP International Trade became an important resource.

According to company owner David Arias, social media generated inquiries from prospective customers around the world, including significant interest from the Middle East.  The challenge was determining which inquiries represented credible business opportunities.

VEDP helped Pull Start Fire evaluate prospective partners through research, interviews, references, and other vetting. That process ultimately connected the company with an established distributor in the United Arab Emirates, which placed an order. Arias estimated that the company went from deciding to explore the Gulf region to receiving the distributor’s order in approximately six months.

The support also gave the company confidence that it was pursuing legitimate opportunities rather than risking its limited resources on fraudulent or unqualified inquiries.

“The fact that we’re selling samples to customers that have been vetted means that they’re viable and realistic opportunities as opposed to me just shooting in the dark,” said Arias.

VEDP’s support has extended well beyond partner identification. Pull Start Fire has used VEDP programs to support international trade show participation,  market research, international patents, legal expenses, product samples, training, and other export-related activities.

For a small company with a limited budget, that assistance can make the difference between pursuing an opportunity or passing on it.

Rebecca Pilch, Pull Start Fire's business manager, said the company has participated in several VEDP programs over the years, including the Regional Export Program and the Supply Chain Optimization Program,   scheduled to begin in January.

VEDP assistance is also helping Pull Start Fire with freight costs related to a sales contract in Israel and with efforts to develop new representation in Australia.

For Pull Start Fire, the partnership has also helped build internal export expertise.

Pilch regularly participates in trainings on tariffs, refunds, compliance, and other international trade topics and shares that information with the company’s owners. After learning about additional global trade training opportunities through VEDP, she completed the Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) training offered through the Virginia Small Business Development Center and plans to sit for the certification exam. The CGBP credential is administered by NASBITE International and serves as a benchmark for competency and standard of excellence in international trade and global commerce. 

The knowledge has helped the company better understand how to vet international customers, navigate compliance requirements, and make informed decisions as it explores new markets. 

International sales currently represent approximately 3% of Pull Start Fire’s revenue, but the company continues to see opportunities for growth. It has an existing presence in Canada, is evaluating opportunities in Mexico, and is seeking new representation in Australia. 

At the same time, Pull Start Fire is looking closely at its global supply chain. Because its products are manufactured in China, tariffs, freight expenses, and other logistics costs remain significant considerations. Through VEDP’s Supply Chain Optimization Program, the company plans to examine ways to move products more efficiently and economically and explore potential domestic manufacturing options.

For Arias, the experience demonstrates why other Virginia companies interested in exporting should take the time to understand the resources available through VEDP.

His advice is straightforward: learn what programs are available and how they might fit the company’s particular needs. For Pull Start Fire, services ranging from vetted international business development to sample assistance and supply chain analysis have made global opportunities more realistic and manageable.