The Collaboratory
The Collaboratory is a Mesa, Arizona-based art-design studio and creative school offering hands-on metal arts instruction (welding, plasma cutting, blacksmithing, knife making), creative retreats, corporate team building, and trauma healing ministry for individuals, hobbyists, corporate teams, and faith-based clients. Founded in 2010 by Ceri Jones Tretter.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersMesa, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Collaboratory does
The Collaboratory is a privately held, founder-operated art-design studio and creative school headquartered at 526 E University Dr, Mesa, Arizona, originally founded in Denver, Colorado in January 2010 by Khabir Salahadyn and Ceri Jones Tretter and relocated to Arizona in 2019. Following the co-founder's passing in 2012, Ceri Jones Tretter has continued as sole operator. The business combines hands-on metal arts instruction (MIG welding, TIG welding, plasma cutting, blacksmithing, knife making, and 3D printing), creative retreats, corporate team building, private coaching, a faith-based Creative Faith Class, and a trauma healing ministry ("Healing The Wounds of The Heart") built on the American Bible Society's Trauma Healing Institute model. The studio also generates revenue through original art sales under the "Keep Your Eyes on The Light" brand and a book store currently in development.
The underlying operating model is small-group, in-person instruction in a single equipped studio, with class sizes typically capped at 5–15 participants and seat pricing ranging from $98 (team building 2-hour) to $1,100 (Creative Faith Class 9-hour program). Notable technical components include professional-grade equipment (Lincoln and Miller welders, Hypertherm plasma cutting) and proprietary patina techniques developed by the co-founder. The business sells through multiple channels: Active.com-based online booking for classes, direct sales for corporate team building and retreats, keepyoureyesonthelight.com for art e-commerce, and faith-based partnerships for trauma healing equipping sessions. No app, API, or digital platform is offered.
Revenue mechanics are diversified across one-time class fees, per-person team building packages, private coaching (undisclosed pricing), commissioned art installations (e.g., Kimpton Boutique Hotel Bozeman, Ryan House, Swigert McAuliffe International School), and a $150 trauma healing equipping program that includes facilitator certification. Customer segments span individual hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts, corporate teams (e.g., GoDaddy WordPress team), faith-based individuals, and youth/educational institutions. The company is privately funded with no institutional investors, operates without disclosed headcount or revenue figures, and carries material key-person dependence on the founder.
The Collaboratory firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Collaboratory
- Legal name
- The Collaboratory
- Website
- https://thecollaboratory.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Collaboratory is a Mesa, Arizona-based art-design studio and creative school offering hands-on metal arts instruction (welding, plasma cutting, blacksmithing, knife making), creative retreats, corporate team building, and trauma healing ministry for individuals, hobbyists, corporate teams, and faith-based clients. Founded in 2010 by Ceri Jones Tretter.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Collaboratory industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Metal Arts Education
- NAICS
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)
- akta.pro primary industry
- CNC Plasma/Laser Cutting & Automated Fabrication Training (EDAOADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA), Collaboration & Teamwork (EDABAMAC)
Keywords
Where The Collaboratory is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mesa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Collaboratory business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Creative Classes: Small group classes (5-15 people) teaching welding, plasma cutting, blacksmithing, and knife making. Classes range from 60 minutes to 4 hours with per-person pricing. Prerequisites required for advanced levels.
- Team Building Workshops: Corporate and group team building experiences ranging from 2-5 hours, priced per person. Includes material packages and safety equipment.
- Creative Retreats: Extended immersive experiences for individuals and small groups, with multi-day programs for personal transformation and creative development.
- Private Coaching and Project Classes: One-on-one or small group sessions for custom projects, with instruction tailored to individual skill levels and project goals.
- Trauma Healing Ministry: Trauma healing equipping sessions using Bible-based trauma healing model from Trauma Healing Institute. Includes certification programs for facilitators.
- Gift Certificates: Prepaid gift certificates for classes and creative experiences, with promotional offers (buy 60-min class get $20 certificate, buy 90-min get $25, buy 2-4 hour get $30).
- Book Store: Ceri and Friends book store offering faith-based literature, currently in development.
- Art Sales: Sale of original metal art sculptures and lighting installations by Ceri Jones Tretter through keepyoureyesonthelight.com.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Team Building - 2 Hour Session |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Team Building - 3 Hour Session |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Team Building - 5 Hour Strategic Planning Session |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Creative Faith Class - 9 Hour Program |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3 Hour Knife Making Class with Gift Box |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3 Hour Knife Making Class Only |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 60 Minute MIG Welding Class |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 90 Minute MIG Welding Class |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2 Hour Welding & Plasma Cutting Class |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 4 Hour Knife Making (Blacksmithing) Class |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 90 Minute Blacksmithing Knife Class |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 90 Minute TIG Welding Level 1 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guided Studio Time |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trauma Healing Equipping - 4 Day Intensive |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Collaboratory product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Collaboratory is an art-design studio and creative laboratory that delivers hands-on metal arts instruction in welding, plasma cutting, blacksmithing, and knife making through small group classes. It also offers corporate team building workshops, multi-day creative retreats (surf/art), and a trauma healing ministry program combining craftsmanship with prayer-based support.
Product overview
The Collaboratory is an art-design studio and creative laboratory offering a unified platform combining physical creative education with artistic services. The core offering is The Creative School, which provides hands-on instruction in metal arts including MIG Welding Classes, Plasma Cutting Classes, TIG Welding Classes, Blacksmithing Classes, and Cut & Grind Knife Making Classes. Supporting services include Guided Studio Time (open studio access), Groups and Team Building Workshops (corporate team building), Creative Retreats (executive/professional creative immersion), Private Coaching and Project Classes, Creative Faith Class (spiritual creative practice), and Trauma Healing Ministry (trauma healing certification program). The studio also sells General Gift Certificates and features Ceri Jones Tretter's art lighting works under the 'Keep Your Eyes on The Light' brand. The company operates from Mesa, Arizona, serving individuals, families, and businesses seeking creative experiences and skills.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Keep Your Eyes on The Light: Ceri Jones Tretter's art lighting series featuring original works of art lighting sculptures.
- Healing The Wounds of The Heart
- The Creative School
Products and services
- Small Group Metal Arts Classes Hands-on small group classes in welding, plasma cutting, blacksmithing, and knife making for individual adult learners and hobbyists. Students complete a tangible project in a single session under expert instruction.
- Corporate Team Building Workshops Facilitated team building workshops tailored for corporate groups, combining creative metal arts making with group bonding activities. Designed for HR, People Ops, and team leads organizing off-sites.
- Creative Retreats (Art/Surf) Multi-day creative retreats that combine art-making experiences (such as surf/art immersion) with travel-based programming for individuals and small groups seeking an immersive creative getaway.
- Trauma Healing Ministry Faith-based healing program combining hands-on craft with prayer-based support for trauma survivors. Available on-site and through community programming in the Mesa, Arizona area.
- Collaboratory Art, Books, and Gift Certificates Retail product line including finished art pieces, books, and gift certificates for purchase, serving as ancillary revenue and a way for customers to gift Collaboratory experiences.
Quantifiable outcome
- Classes suitable for ages 11 to adult, with private classes available for younger children
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Collaboratory
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Collaboratory technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
The Collaboratory partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Trauma Healing Institute (American Bible Society)coreCeri Jones Tretter has been immersed with the Trauma Healing Institute since April 2019 and became certified as a Trainer for Trauma Healers. In January 2022, she created 'Healing The Wounds of The Heart' ministry in partnership with THI, offering trauma healing equipping sessions and certification programs for facilitators. The ministry uses the proven Bible-based trauma healing model used in over 100 countries with more than 194 language groups.
- Denver School of Science & Technology (DSST)minorThrough the Working Art Denver Ability Center, Khabir Salahadyn served as technical lead mentor for the robotics team 'Brute Force' competing in the First Robotics National Competition. Mentorship focused on youth development through hands-on technical skills.
- Arizona Artist Blacksmith AssociationminorReferenced as a resource for blacksmithing education and community. Listed on the Resources page as a recommended organization for blacksmithing enthusiasts.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Collaboratory competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Painting with a Twist: Nation's original paint-and-sip franchise offering group painting classes including corporate team building events. Comparable group experiential learning model with private event and team building focus, but at larger scale and in different medium.
- Muse Paintbar: Paint-and-sip franchise offering group art classes with team building and private event capabilities. Comparable direct-to-consumer experiential art class business model with corporate group bookings, though in painting rather than metal arts.
Direct peers
- The Crucible: Oakland-based industrial arts school offering welding, blacksmithing, blacksmithing, and metalworking classes plus open studio access. Most direct comparable to The Collaboratory's metal arts education model, though at much larger scale.
- Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts: Tennessee-based craft education school offering workshops in blacksmithing, metals, ceramics, and fiber arts. Comparable workshop-based creative education model focused on adult learning and personal artistic development.
- Penland School of Craft: North Carolina-based craft education school offering workshops in blacksmithing, metals, woodworking, and other media with intensive formats. Comparable immersive educational model with focus on personal creative development alongside technical skill.
- Artisan's Asylum: Massachusetts-based makerspace and industrial arts education center offering classes in welding, metalworking, and fabrication. Comparable in combining technical metal arts education with community studio access for qualified members.
- Pratt Fine Arts Center: Seattle-area arts education center offering classes in blacksmithing, metals, and other media, with open studio access for advanced students. Comparable educational structure with prerequisite-based studio access similar to The Collaboratory's Guided Studio Time model.
- Anderson Ranch Arts Center: Colorado-based nonprofit arts education center offering workshops in blacksmithing, ceramics, woodworking, and other media. Comparable hands-on adult arts education model with intensive workshop format similar to The Collaboratory's classes.
Regional players
- Metal Museum: Memphis-based museum and education center dedicated to metalsmithing with classes, exhibitions, and artist residencies. Comparable focus on metal arts education and artistic practice, though serving a different geographic region than The Collaboratory.
Others
- Trauma Healing Institute (American Bible Society): The faith-based trauma healing program that Ceri Jones Tretter is certified through and partners with to deliver the Healing The Wounds of The Heart ministry. Partner/ecosystem relationship rather than direct competitor, providing reach into 100+ countries and 194 language groups.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Collaboratory social profiles
Digital presenceThe Collaboratory financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Collaboratory leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Collaboratory funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Collaboratory M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Collaboratory
What does The Collaboratory do?
The Collaboratory is an art-design studio and creative laboratory that delivers hands-on metal arts instruction in welding, plasma cutting, blacksmithing, and knife making through small group classes. It also offers corporate team building workshops, multi-day creative retreats (surf/art), and a trauma healing ministry program combining craftsmanship with prayer-based support.
Is The Collaboratory a public or private company?
The Collaboratory is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Collaboratory founded?
The Collaboratory was founded in 2010.
Where is The Collaboratory based?
The Collaboratory is headquartered in Mesa, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Collaboratory make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Creative Classes are the primary driver. The others are team Building Workshops, creative Retreats, private Coaching and Project Classes, trauma Healing Ministry, gift Certificates, book Store and art Sales.
Who are The Collaboratory's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Painting with a Twist and Muse Paintbar. Direct peers are The Crucible, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Penland School of Craft, Artisan's Asylum, Pratt Fine Arts Center and Anderson Ranch Arts Center. Metal Museum is listed as a regional player. Trauma Healing Institute (American Bible Society) is listed as an others.
Does The Collaboratory have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Collaboratory.
What industry is The Collaboratory in?
The Collaboratory's product category is Metal Arts Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOADAH, CNC Plasma/Laser Cutting & Automated Fabrication Training, with a secondary code of THAJAKAA, Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture). Its NAICS code is 71151.