Young local entrepreneur prospers with SendAFriend

Jackson's Tyler Macke, with apologies to 20th century poet Robert Frost, has taken the road less traveled by.

Macke, 23, is CEO of SendAFriend, an online care package for-profit business with anticipated revenue of $15 million this year, double the total of a year ago.

A Jackson High School graduate, Macke last month purchased a 9,600-square-foot warehouse at 21826 Highway 177 in Fruitland to accommodate the company's rapid growth.

Different path

Macke didn't leave JHS in 2017 headed for college, military service or taking a job as someone else's employee.

"I decided out of high school the (entrepreneurial) route was better for me," he said, adding, "I think I'm learning much more doing the things I'm doing than I would have in the classroom."

Launching his e-commerce business in his family's home with $1,200 four years ago, Macke has been renting space to house SendAFriend at 2370 N. High St. in Jackson.

"We quickly outgrew my childhood bedroom and my brother's bedroom and signed a two-year lease on North High — moving into adjoining suites as SendAFriend grew," he said.

It's a tight-knit group running this unusual startup.

"My mom is director of operations, one of my best friends from high school is director of marketing and my dad is doing the buildout of our new space in Fruitland," Macke said.

Pandemic-aided

After COVID-19 struck the United States in March 2020, Macke's plan to send care packages of stuffed animals with a personalized message anywhere in the world took off.

Macke estimates SendAFriend has sent 400,000 care packages around the U.S.

"We were in the right place at the right time," Macke said.

"It's a very heartwarming idea even before COVID but with lockdowns and social distancing, SendAFriend was really kick-started by the world situation."

Growing team

"We have a team of about 20, half on the 'fulfillment' side, where orders are processed, and half in marketing and sales," Macke said, noting his business "spreads positivity and love."

The just-purchased Fruitland facility is beginning to be made over with lower-level warehouse space to be used to fill orders. The second floor, which has not been built, will be used for marketing and sales, "to get the word out about SendAFriend."

Giving back

Macke said SendAFriend cumulatively has made donations to not-for-profit groups in excess of $1 million.

"We have a very long list of about 140 organizations who've benefited (and) more recently we have put a focus into grassroots and community-led nonprofits," he said, noting the company has a donation archive on its website where customers may see where SendAFriend targets its philanthropy: www.sendafriend.co/blogs/donation-archive.

Among more recent gifts was a $5,000 small business grant awarded April 28 to JHS student Makenzie Johnson.

"I like to think I'm a dreamer and I did not think (success) would happen this quickly. It blows my mind but it's also exactly what I wanted," Macke said.

What's ahead

"(SendAFriend) is an e-commerce business and I hope it continues for a very long time. I'm also realistic, though, because e-commerce is very volatile. We'll see how the next couple of years go and we'll find out how much our growth will be long-term sustainable," Macke said.

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