Aaron Tharp 0:15
Welcome back to another episode here at Men Explained. Glad to be with you here today. This is not this is a little bit different as the last time you saw me with Josh is just he’s got a lot of irons in the fire. So he’s very busy. But Josh, get back here, brother, we need you in the chair. Very excited. Got got an exciting guest today. We are joined by Ryan fuyuan. owner and operator of Sarah creations in Fremont, Nebraska. So we’re gonna dive into Ryan’s background, learn his relationship kind of about guns and early on how he got connected to it. And kind of how he’s been able to create a really good thriving business around his passion. So with that,

Ryan Fujan 1:02
right, is me.

Aaron Tharp 1:03
Welcome to the show, brother.

Ryan Fujan 1:05
Thank you. Thank you. I’m glad to be here. I appreciate you having me on.

Aaron Tharp 1:09
Yeah, brother. So you you began hunting and you were around guns and kind of shooting at a very early age.

Ryan Fujan 1:16
Yeah. Yeah. As

soon as I could pick up a BB gun. I was often away in the woods shooting little army men down. Yeah.

Aaron Tharp 1:24
Yeah, for sure. And it’s you did spend a lot of time with your father, your grandfather? Very early on, right?

Ryan Fujan 1:32
Yeah. Yeah. I grew up in the country out by North Bend. I grew up like every other country kid. Did you know around guns and outdoors. Dad was a huge, huge honor. Grandpa was in the Korean War. And he was a marksman. So he taught me how to shoot everything there out in the country. And it was it was a an awesome childhood. I don’t know how you get asking for anything better, you

Aaron Tharp 1:57
know? Yeah. Well, I mean, you light up when you talk about it. There’s a there’s a there’s a theme to that. And I’m wondering just that kind of time that you got to spend with your dad and your grandfather and around shooting. It seems like it’s a bond that you guys all shared? Would that be fair to say?

Ryan Fujan 2:17
Oh, yeah, I, I remember all the little things that me and my grandpa used to do. I mean, my grandpa went on top of a green bin and hung spinning metal targets for me just so I could, you know, shoot them from down below with my little 22 and just get that thing whirling up in the air. It’s, it was he was a special man. And he did anything for us kids. And my dad was a farmer. So he was super busy. He always had a, and that’s where I get my work ethic from, I guess, as my father, he was always doing a ton of different jobs at one time. And that’s kind of the way I am now. Even though my wife hates it, but But yeah, my grandpa taught me how to shoot and my dad taught me how to hunt. You know? That’s, it was an awesome time in my childhood.

Aaron Tharp 3:04
Yeah, man. Um, and you have kids of your own? Yep.

Ryan Fujan 3:07
Yeah. seven year old little daughter. Her name’s Olivia.

Unknown Speaker 3:11
Okay, and you’re

Aaron Tharp 3:12
on like a weed. Yeah. And you’re, you’re you’re passing that on, right? That’s something that you’re also doing with your daughter know,

Ryan Fujan 3:18
every time I mean, I can’t take her out every time but I try to make make sure me and the wife and the daughter get out and shoot and teacher gun safety. And I’m gonna get her out hunting with us with us as soon as we possibly can. Yeah, she might. She’s even getting a mitten, you know, spend that quality time with Grandpa too. He. He doesn’t do as much hunting as he used to. But he takes her out fishing. He was on a lake and he loves doing that. Yeah. Awesome. It’s awesome to see your daughter, you know, your daughter’s spend time with Grandpa, you know, making those memories that I got to make with him when I was younger?

Aaron Tharp 3:53
Yeah. That’s, that’s a big statement. And that’s obviously what we’re what we’re pretty centered around ourselves here. And what ways do you think that that time really shaped the man that you are sitting here today, all that time that you got to spend with your dad and your grandfather? And just that bond that you guys shared? Is it as it really shaped who you are?

Ryan Fujan 4:13
Oh, 100% you know, I, like I said mentioned earlier, my work ethic comes from my man, you know, he’s the hardest working man I’ve ever met. And he still continues to do so even though I find him on the couch more than I used to. But here he is right though, so I give it to him. I still kid with him though. He got glasses, you know, so I just got to poke the bear every once in a while.

Aaron Tharp 4:37
That’s awesome. So I guess, you know, this is this, you know, firearms, and it’s something that you’re really passionate about. You’ve spent a long time around it. You recently went into business a few years ago, right?

Ryan Fujan 4:52
Yeah, I I kind of started this. Probably about five but we we became a legit business about three and a half years ago. Okay, this one we actually were signed in paperwork. Yeah. guy going. So taking a little bit risk taking. Yeah, yeah, I got

Aaron Tharp 5:06
an official right. And he brought some stuff here. This is very cool. So it’s Sarah creations, and it’s out of Fremont. Right. So this is some of your work here. You guys do laser etching on a much like a couple of service services, but you really specialize in firearms.

Ryan Fujan 5:24
Yeah, yeah. So this started off, this all started off. I saw a picture on the Internet of a gun that was just I think it was burnt bronze with some battle wire on it. And I was like, Oh my gosh, that’s so cool. I was like, I want to do that to mine. And I looked up how much it cost to have somebody do it. And I was like, I’m gonna do it yourself. Or, you know, I was like, I’m gonna buy this stuff. I’m gonna do it myself. Yeah, and, you know, 15 $100 later, and equipment and stuff, I finally get a spray my first thing, you know, all this starter stuff. But I started off with tumblers and you know, just project little kind of hobby, things like that. And I remember doing my first two cups, and I was so proud of them. And I look back now and I kind of laugh at them. But they blew up on social media, you know, with all my friends. So the orders just started coming in. I was like, oh, maybe I have something here. You know, and it took off. took off from there.

Aaron Tharp 6:20
Yeah, so it’s really cool to hear it will probably surprise you a little bit. So now you’re you’re you’ve built a business now that you’re kind of always close to but you’re also very passionate about what beyond like the the money side of it, because that’s always part of the equation. Right? I wonder what kind of kind of fulfillment it’s been for you to kind of create a business around your passion.

Ryan Fujan 6:45
Yeah, it’s, it’s so cool. I love the look on people’s faces when they walk in and see something that they gave me kind of free rein on. And they’re surprised reaction and how happy they are, that it makes them, you know, when they see it for the first time, you know, and I’ve done anything from firearms to and then I’ve done some really meaningful stuff, like a laser at strong urns and stuff too. And I’m really honored for people to have trust in me to do stuff like that, you know, and be a part of their lives in that in that aspect. And, you know, you kind of feel the connection between that person as well. So,

Aaron Tharp 7:24
yeah, wow, that’s, that would be honorable. I mean, that’s, that’s Wow. Very cool. So, tell us a little bit about the business kind of what you guys, you know, other things that you do the things that surround the work that you do today?

Ryan Fujan 7:42
Yeah, so it’s what’s cerakote is, is thin film ceramic coating. It was developed for the firearm industry and what it is mainly for corrosion protection. Now, when you look at this cup, or you look at some of the guns I’ve done, you’re not like, Oh, that’s for corrosion protection, and it’s just a cool look and cut you know, he painted it, the cool colors, you know, yeah, but with that comes the corrosion protection and that’s, that’s one of the main things that you’re buying when you buy cerakote now they did a study and you can look at it on Sarah coats website. They took a brand new savage rise to savage rifles, and they left the original coating on one and then they Sarah coated the other one in black, so they look exactly the same. They stuck them out in Oregon out in the woods. And you know, up in Oregon, it’s all rainy and stuff up there all the time. I believe the original coating lasted 10 days before it started rusting out. And then it fast forwards on to surco doing like fours 400 and some days Whoa, like foreign 65 days before started selling showing like surface Ross on top of it. So it’s it’s some pretty crazy stuff. Yeah.

Aaron Tharp 9:05
Yeah. So this is a this is a ceiling protecting thing and you guys really specialize in the firearm space. Yeah,

Ryan Fujan 9:11
yeah. I mean, I Serco just about anything. I just had a lady walk in today, I did a metal like just a metal side yard sign. So there’s a ton of different stuff that we can do with it. And it gets compared to powdercoat a lot. Yeah, you know, um, but it’s actually an eighth as thin as powder coat is so and then with powder coat you you don’t get that corrosion protection at all. Actually, powder coat can be really bad for metal if it gets chipped at all, because it’ll actually seal in the water underneath of it because it’s not really attached to the metal. Okay, so we’re circuits bonded to it in every so if I drop this cup and i and i chip it, or scratch it really bad from a hard drop I can’t go back with my nail and like start picking it off because every single little piece of that is actually bonded to that metal.

Aaron Tharp 10:06
Is it sprayed on? There’s a dipped in there, like what’s the

Ryan Fujan 10:10
it’s sprayed on like almost like you would automotive paint. Okay, it’s got a hardener in there. And then there’s some series’s of it where it’s air dried, but most of the stuff that I spray is going to be heat cured. So it goes in an oven that I bake it at. So how hot,

Aaron Tharp 10:26
just random.

Ryan Fujan 10:27
So it just depends on the object. So I can do this can go on Polymer. Yeah, or wood. So that stuff will bake at like 150 to 180. But it’s gonna sit in there for like three hours. Or if it’s just metal and black color. We’ll make that at 300 for an hour. Okay, and she’ll be good to go. Ready to run?

Aaron Tharp 10:48
What’s the weirdest thing that that you’ve been asked? Because you got you can do a lot. Right. And your orders have probably been fairly varied. They’ve come from I mean, you’re talking about urns. And then, you know, this is a very, it’s a little different, but like, What’s the weirdest thing that?

Ryan Fujan 11:06
I don’t know if I’ve had really anything weird to be on? Oh, that’s probably good. Yeah. Okay, I’m glad I’m not to that point. Yeah, you know, I’m sure I may get it now. But

Aaron Tharp 11:15
when you rely on a business, that’s like, you know, we’ll just we’ll take some requests. We’re open to requests, you know, know what you’re gonna get.

Ryan Fujan 11:22
I love doing that stuff. Yeah, I’ll take I’ll take weird stuff. It’s whatever. Yeah, for sure.

Aaron Tharp 11:29
So, you got you guys. I watched a couple of your Facebook videos. So you guys are posting live kind of down there having some cigars. It seems like you got a great crew down there. Were these friends that you’ve met through doing? You know, being around, you know, guns a lot and this kind of the crew that?

Ryan Fujan 11:50
Yeah, so the three other people that I mainly do it with is my wife, Megan, she’s in there. Got to add a little female touch in there. My buddy Nick Novotny. He’s been I’ve known him since my motorcycle days back in the day. But he’s been he’s super into guns too. And all the tactical stuff. So we just became really good, really good friends. And he’s always been there for me and he supports me 150% so it’s awesome to have a guy like that in your in your back pocket. You know? Yeah. And then Jordan Bradley. I met him about eight years ago, I believe. As right when I met my wife

Aaron Tharp 12:34
a little maybe a little destiny that

Ryan Fujan 12:36
Yeah, he was a canine officer there in Dodge County. And I’m friends are some of the other Sheriff deputy there. And I met him through that and we just hit it off right away. And we’ve been friends ever since. So

Aaron Tharp 12:50
yeah. So do you do any? This is obviously the the etching side of it. But do you do? Do you do anything? Do you like teach courses like certifications? Are you involved in like the education side?

Ryan Fujan 13:07
So like with firearms and stuff? I actually help a buddy as sheriff’s deputy. They’re in Dodge County, teach a CCW class. So we normally host those about every other week. Okay, we were pretty busy last week or last week last year. In our classes we had 15 to 18 people about every every single class that we had, so it was it was a good time. You know, I love doing this stuff I love I love teaching people teaching beginners you know I love having people fresh in in the firearms industry.

Aaron Tharp 13:46
You always I I’m personally not as close to firearms as maybe a lot of people I don’t have a problem with them. But I would imagine that like on the teaching in the sort of ongoing education just developing a comfort level and respect for it. Right it there’s there’s an order and there’s this has to be respected. We don’t we’re not careless in this space. So I always like to hear that people are doing their part to give back to the educational side.

Ryan Fujan 14:19
Yeah, I think it’s something like guys like me sometimes take advantage of like or take for granted. Like how I grew up. Since I grew up like around guns and stuff. I was taught that from a very young age. And it’s it’s not an issue for me to know some of these safety rules and, you know, watch my muzzle and watch your your trigger finger and all that stuff. But, you know, these people that are just getting in the gun guns now which is blown up quite a bit in these last two years. With everything that’s going on, you know, teaching these people that have never seen, never been around again, their whole life is is actually extremely important.

Aaron Tharp 15:00
If people are in there doing them via Can they do them remotely?

Ryan Fujan 15:05
Like take take the class eight classes? I we haven’t done anything remotely, you know, I have no no issues if somebody is looking to get into guns and and a lot of people come to me just because I’m in the gun industry, you know asking me about different types of firearms or what to get into, I have no issue sitting down with those people, you know, having a half hour hour long conversation about, you know, gun safety and what to look for, and how to train and what steps to take to become a responsible gun owner.

Aaron Tharp 15:35
Yeah. Oh, that’s, that’s awesome. So if I have like some, you know, if I’m thinking about maybe purchasing my own, and would you be somebody that I would be able to turn to for like, your, I’m a new gun owner. I mean, that’s, I’m gonna go in and try to act like, I kind of know, because I did some Google review research, I’m gonna get either totally taken to the cleaners or whatever. So I’m a new gun owner, are you somebody that I go to and work with? To learn more about that?

Ryan Fujan 16:08
Yes. So I can, I can sell firearms, but it’s definitely not something that is a main part of my business. It’s just kind of a little side piece that I can do. Um, but I’m definitely there for, you know, information for these people that are just getting into guns. Like I said, it’s it’s happened quite a bit, you know, recently, and I have no issues doing that. I mean, you can kind of tell some people, you know, people just getting into the gun industry, we

Aaron Tharp 16:36
probably probably spot them from a mile away. Yeah,

Ryan Fujan 16:40
totally without going go. And you know, what guns they go for right away off the bat. And so it’s pretty easy to spot. Yeah,

Aaron Tharp 16:49
so you guys have expanded, your business has expanded to another laser. I think I read.

Ryan Fujan 16:57
Yeah. So I actually went full time I was, I want to, I say it was part time in the shop. But really, I was putting in full time hours there all the time, but went full time with my shop here in January. And then back in November, which this is really pushed me to go full time as we purchase two lasers to kind of push our business on to the next level. I kind of felt like if I stayed just with surco, they might fall behind with the industry. So I wanted to make sure that I was kept up with everything. And so we now have a fiber fiber laser and a co2 laser. Okay, so the fiber lasers what I’m going to do all the deep engraving on on metals and stuff, and then it’ll do polymers as well. So I can do like, Glock and SIG grips. Okay, they’re handguns. And then the co2 laser is what’s gonna help me take care of, like cups. It’ll take like the coatings off cups. So a lot of people have seen those laser engraved cups. Yeah. And then I can do wood stuff. You know, deep engrave on wooden and all kinds of things. So that thing is surprises me every time I stick something in there. I have get life gets pretty pissed at me because I’m wanting to like grab everything out of the house and sticking to the laser. You know,

Aaron Tharp 18:20
you had that coin. That is Dogecoin. Yeah, that like the detail on that is incredible. Yeah. Yeah. That’s very cool. I would do the same thing. I just be like, what can I fry next? So this is cool, man. Like, and this is really beautiful stuff. I mean, it’s Thank you. It’s cool. And the detail like I said, it’s really beautiful. Where do you Where do you want this to go? Like, what’s the what’s the next 510 years look like for Dan,

Ryan Fujan 18:49
is I’ve been so busy, it’s kind of hard to even look that far ahead. But I just want to be I don’t want to be like a huge gun, a gun shop like a gun dealership, I just want to keep perfecting my craft and just take it wherever the industry goes. You know, I think a lot of guys get in trouble when they bottle bottle themselves down into what they’re doing. But I’ve I’ve kind of been paying attention to the other big, big name applicators out there. And you know, they they kind of tell you like don’t lock yourself in a in a little bubble. You know, don’t be afraid to take yourself like if you have a big project come up. And it has nothing to do with firearms. Don’t be afraid to take that job because I think is going to that thing may make your living for the rest of your life. So I’m just kind of, I don’t know, flying almost flying by the seat of my pants. But

Aaron Tharp 19:41
yeah, but you’re a determined guy. Yeah. And obviously, it’s been you’ve taken some risks to get this thing with wheels and to keep it afloat and to keep it gone. Oh yeah. So it’s exciting. Some risk taking but

Ryan Fujan 19:54
yeah, it’s it’s been pretty nerve racking these you know, it’s kind of hard. If you haven’t ever started a business, but making that jump to fully support yourself on a full time business is a is a pretty crazy landmark. And for our family, it’s something that we definitely all had to be on the same page about. And luckily enough, I have an awesome fiance extremely supportive. She’s out there as much as she possibly can be with me, even though I know some nights she dreads it. She’s out there till 232 so I even have the kid involved too. She we make it a game she you know, we unpack boxes with the cups and self cheaters erase me all the time. We got to do something to keep their interest in there. But

Aaron Tharp 20:40
yeah, every everybody’s in the family going. Yeah, that’s very cool, man. Yeah. Well, if, if our listeners want to find out where to where to go to meet up with you and learn more about what you do, and take advantage of some of the stuff that you’re offering. Where should they go?

Ryan Fujan 20:58
We’re on Facebook and Instagram, and you’re just gonna look up Sarah creations, LLC. And you can also hit me up on the cell phone. It’s 40247014420

Aaron Tharp 21:09
you just gave away you know how many people just gave you one? Go, it could be a good problem. No, that’s very cool. Ryan. It’s It’s very cool to have you on the show. Thanks so much for joining us and you guys should go check out their work. This is really beautiful and very detailed stuff. So thanks so much for your time, man.

Ryan Fujan 21:28
Thanks for having me.

Aaron Tharp 21:29
Yeah, for sure. That’s gonna do it.