Purposeful Design

What Purposeful Design does

Purposeful Design is a custom solid wood furniture manufacturer and Christian social enterprise headquartered at 1710 Jenkins St., Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2013 and operating as a division of Sagamore Institute, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) charitable organization), the company manufactures handcrafted commercial and residential furniture, solid wood tops, and OEM wood components while employing men overcoming homelessness, addiction, and incarceration. All products are 100% made in the USA using domestic materials, and the manufacturing facility supports wood tops up to 60 inches wide and 144 inches long in a single run, with finishing led by craftsmen with decades of specialized experience.

The company's core products span four lines: commercial furniture (tables, desks, benches, credenzas, bookcases, reception desks), wood tops (tabletops, countertops, shelving, stair treads, refinishing), cutting boards, and OEM supply for manufacturers and designers. Underlying capabilities include in-house milling, sanding, finishing, metal fabrication (powder coating), and custom design with six standard wood species (Ash, Maple, Cherry, Quarter-Sawn Red Oak, Flat-Sawn White Oak, Walnut), eight standard stains, and configurable dimensions, base styles, and finishes. Named customers include Fortune 500 enterprises (Anthem, Telix Pharmaceuticals, MISO Energy), universities (Ball State, DePauw, Notre Dame, Baylor), K-12 schools (Eagle Elementary, Pendleton Heights HS), and others (USA Diving, Prewitt Theatre, 12 Stars Media).

Purposeful Design runs three go-to-market motions in parallel: a sales-led enterprise channel with quote-based custom projects, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (shop.pdindy.com) for cutting boards and residential goods, and an OEM/embedded supply channel for manufacturers and designers. Revenue is generated primarily through product sales, which cover approximately 80-90% of operating expenses, with the remaining 10-20% from tax-deductible donations processed via PayPal or check. Pricing is uniformly quote-based on commercial and OEM work, while residential goods are sold at posted e-commerce prices; invoice payment runs through SmartPay (ProfitStars). The company maintains active social media and content marketing (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, blog) and has been the subject of a Baylor University Institute for Studies of Religion case study validating its social enterprise model.

Name

Purposeful Design

Legal name

Purposeful Design, LLC

Website

https://pdindy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Purposeful Design is a custom solid wood furniture manufacturer in Indianapolis operating as a Christian social enterprise under Sagamore Institute (501(c)(3)). It serves educational institutions, Fortune 500 enterprises, municipalities, and OEM partners while employing individuals overcoming homelessness and addiction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Furniture Manufacturing

NAICS

Custom Architectural Woodwork and Millwork Manufacturing (337212), Nonupholstered Wood Household Furniture Manufacturing (337122)

SIC

Wood Household Furniture, (No Upholstered) (2511), Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430), Public Bldg & Related Furniture (2531)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Finishes & Decorative Installations (Plaster, Stone Veneer, Feature Walls) (IMAFANAM), Stair Parts, Railings & Architectural Woodwork (HSAPAIAJ)

Keywords

• Custom furniture manufacturing
• Solid wood furniture
• Commercial millwork
• Wood component supply
• Social enterprise

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sales of custom solid wood furniture, commercial furniture, wood tops, cutting boards, and OEM component parts. Revenue from product sales covers approximately 80-90% of operating expenses.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting the ministry's mission of rebuilding lives. Covers approximately 10-20% of operating expenses. Purposeful Design LLC is a division of Sagamore Institute Inc., a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Purposeful Design is a custom solid wood furniture manufacturer operating as a Christian ministry and social enterprise. The company produces commercial furniture (tables, desks, benches, credenzas, stools, bookcases, reception desks), solid wood tops (tabletops, countertops, shelving, stair treads), cutting boards, and OEM wood components. All products are 100% U.S.-made in an Indianapolis facility and are fully customizable across wood species, stain, finish, dimensions, and base styles.

Product overview

Purposeful Design is a custom solid wood furniture manufacturer operating as a Christian ministry and social enterprise. The company offers three interconnected product lines: Commercial Furniture (tables, desks, benches, and complementary pieces like credenzas, stools, and bookcases), Wood Tops (tabletops, countertops, shelving, stair treads, and refinishing services), and Cutting Boards. All products are 100% US-made and fully customizable with options for wood species (maple, walnut, cherry, ash, oak), stains, finishes, dimensions, and branding. The company also provides OEM Supply services for manufacturers needing custom solid wood components at scale, and sells Residential Goods through a dedicated e-commerce shop. Products serve diverse markets including Fortune 500 companies, schools, universities, and municipalities. The manufacturing capability supports large orders (up to 60" wide x 144" long tabletops) while maintaining custom design flexibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Furniture Custom solid wood commercial furniture for corporate offices, educational institutions, and institutional settings. Includes tables, desks, benches, credenzas, stools, bookcases, and reception desks. Fully customizable with options for wood species (Ash, Maple, Cherry, Quarter-Sawn Red Oak, Flat-Sawn White Oak, Walnut), stains, finishes, dimensions, base styles, and branding.
• Tables Solid wood tables for conference rooms, cafés, and work areas. Available in various sizes with customizable wood species, stains, and base styles for commercial environments.
• Desks Solid wood desks ranging from CEO offices to home offices, including private offices and collaborative community desk spaces. Customizable wood species, stains, and configurations.
• Benches Solid wood benches for commercial spaces. Customizable sizing (16"-18" width, 36"-96" length in 1" increments), wood species, stain colors, edge profiles, base styles, and paint colors.
• Other Furniture (Credenza, Stool, Bookcase, Reception Desk) Complementary furniture pieces including credenzas, stools, bookcases, and reception desks designed to match other Purposeful Design furniture. Fully customizable to complement existing tables, desks, or benches.
• Tabletops Solid wood tabletops available in 6 standard wood species and 8 standard stains. Designed for learning and working spaces with commercial-grade matte or satin sheen for durability.
• Countertops Solid wood countertops for kitchen settings, islands, and mobile island carts. Built for durability to withstand heavy use while providing both beauty and functionality.
• Shelving Solid wood shelving designed to be supported with industrial metal brackets. Available in matching wood species, stains, and thicknesses as tabletops for cohesive design.
• Stair Treads Solid wood stair treads and risers manufactured, finished, and delivered by Purposeful Design. Contractor installation required on-site.
• Refinishing Service Wood surface refinishing service that sands down, refinishes, and restores worn wood tops to like-new condition at a fraction of replacement cost. Available for existing customers' wood tops.
• Cutting Boards Handcrafted solid wood cutting boards made from premium hardwoods including maple, walnut, cherry, beech, teak, and cypress. Designed for durability, knife protection, and food safety with natural antibacterial properties.
• OEM Supply Solid wood manufacturing services for other manufacturers, distributors, and designers. Includes generic wood top supply (standard and custom lengths) and full furniture design and manufacturing. Offers formal partnership opportunities.
• Residential Goods Residential solid wood products including cutting boards and furniture sold through a separate e-commerce shop (shop.pdindy.com) for individual consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue from product sales covers approximately 80-90% of operating expenses, demonstrating financial sustainability of social enterprise model
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Wheeler MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurposeful Design originated as a spin-off and extension of Wheeler Mission. Wheeler Mission's transitional housing residents are provided opportunities to transition into economic independence through employment at Purposeful Design. This partnership forms the foundation of the organization's employee pipeline and mission alignment.
• We Bloom, Inc.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecular community-based organization that partners with Purposeful Design through its Advance! classes, providing additional training and support services to employees beyond the manufacturing facility.
• Baylor UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaylor University Institute for Studies of Religion conducted a case study on Purposeful Design examining its innovative social enterprise approach and community collaboration model.
• Sagamore Institute, Inc.coreOthersPurposeful Design LLC is a division of Sagamore Institute, Inc., which is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations to Purposeful Design are tax-deductible through this parent organization.
• Advance! Training and Employment LaunchpadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurposeful Design's job training program connecting employers with individuals ready to overcome barriers and thrive. The program provides wrap-around support including discipleship, community, mentorship, housing, and transportation services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stickley: Stickley is a custom solid wood furniture manufacturer with a focus on traditional craftsmanship and made-in-USA production, comparable to Purposeful Design's commercial furniture and wood tops lines for institutional buyers.
• Conestoga Wood Specialties: Conestoga Wood Specialties is a large OEM manufacturer of wood components and cabinet doors, directly comparable to Purposeful Design's OEM supply line and wood top manufacturing capability for B2B customers.
• Harden Furniture: Harden Furniture is a New York-based custom solid wood furniture manufacturer serving commercial and residential markets, comparable to Purposeful Design in product category, craftsmanship positioning, and custom build model.
• Wood-Mode: Wood-Mode manufactures custom cabinetry and architectural millwork for residential and commercial projects, overlapping with Purposeful Design's custom commercial furniture, millwork, and OEM component capabilities.
• Bassett Furniture: Bassett Furniture is a U.S. manufacturer of custom and semi-custom wood furniture with commercial and residential offerings, comparable to Purposeful Design in solid wood construction and made-to-order positioning.
• Ethan Allen: Ethan Allen is a U.S.-based custom wood furniture manufacturer with vertically integrated production and a custom-build model, analogous to Purposeful Design's solid wood custom furniture and made-to-order approach.

Broad incumbents

• MasterBrand Cabinets: MasterBrand is the largest U.S. manufacturer of kitchen cabinets and custom millwork, operating at much greater scale but addressing adjacent commercial/institutional cabinetry and millwork demand that overlaps with Purposeful Design's OEM and furniture business.
• Steelcase: Steelcase is the largest office and commercial furniture manufacturer globally, serving Fortune 500 and educational institutions—the same buyer segments Purposeful Design targets with its custom commercial furniture line.
• Haworth: Haworth is a global office furniture and architectural interiors manufacturer with deep relationships in higher education and corporate segments, directly comparable to Purposeful Design's institutional customer base.
• MillerKnoll: MillerKnoll (formerly Herman Miller) is a major commercial furniture and design company serving offices, healthcare, and education—directly comparable end markets to Purposeful Design's enterprise, healthcare, and university customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@purposefuldesign5101
• Facebookfacebook.com/purposefuldesignindy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/purposeful-design
• Instagraminstagram.com/pdindy
• Xx.com/pd_furniture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Purposeful Design