Have you ever had a hobby, like baking or knitting or even 3D printing, that you thought about turning into a business? While this may be a pipe dream for many, it’s a reality for Chris Modesitt, who was looking for a career change after 25 years in the telecommunications industry.He began by selling intricate 3D printed dragon figurines on Etsy, and Modesitt and his team have since grown Fantasy Pets into a major supplier for gift stores across the U.S.The business had help scaling from leading cloud-based 3D printing management software platform 3DPrinterOS.
“At Fantasy Pets, we’re driven by a passion for turning imagination into reality,” the website states.“Our journey began with a simple idea: to create breathtaking 3D-printed fantasy creatures that captivate hearts and minds.Today, we proudly stand as a leading name in the realm of fantasy collectibles.” Modesitt certainly had experience building a business, as he helped a Utah-based telecommunications startup successfully scale into a $100 million company.
But after it was sold, a non-compete clause had him looking for work outside of his original sector.Fascinated with the mix of technical complexity and creative potential in 3D printing, and with a love of miniatures, he marched into a new but uncertain future with a business-to-business 3D printing farm.Modesitt and his son operated Fantasy Pets as a print-on-demand service at first, but it soon grew into what 3DPrinterOS describes as “a thriving consumer product company,” focused specifically on its branded product line of dragon figurines.
Horned Dragon The 3D printed dragons were a hit on global online marketplace Etsy, which makes sense—it’s a great place to find really specific items, like Friends-themed birthday decorations or Ruth Bader Ginsburg onesies (I speak from personal experience on both of these).According to Modesitt, Etsy is “amazing for people who are passionate about what they’re doing,” and the dragon figurines were earning Fantasy Pets thousands of five-star reviews, monthly sales up to $7,000, and a loving fan base.The business was ripe for growth.
Modesitt worked with his brother Ben, an experienced sales and marketing professional, to shift from direct-to-consumer sales to wholesale distribution at physical stores.Looking back, it was a smart move, but the transition was difficult.After working to place the 3D printed dragon figurines at bigger and more unique gift stores, they learned that a sales agency could best showcase their products to a wider audience.
Fantasy Pets now allocates about 40% of its revenue to marketing efforts, and the figurines are featured at major gift shops in their home state of Utah, and in other states as well.Of course, there were also challenges with the 3D printing aspect of the business; it’s not easy to manage 116 printers pumping out dragons and other animal figurines 24/7! It was clear that Fantasy Pets needed a more efficient workflow, and they found it in 3DPrinterOS.“3DPrinterOS allowed us to streamline our entire production process.
Without it, we’d need at least twice as many employees just to keep up with demand.It’s been a critical factor in our ability to scale,” Modesitt said.San Francisco-based 3D Control Systems is an automated, end-to-end software solution provider for AM, and its 3DPrinterOS product seamlessly connects 3D printers, users, and data on a single platform.
Fantasy Pets uses the software to upload designs to a centralized repository, send print jobs to multiple printers at the same time, and monitor progress.It also enables the team to manage their large 3D printer fleet from one interface.“I love it a lot,” Modesitt said about the software.
“The product’s been well worth what we pay for it every month; we don’t buy printers that you guys haven’t done an integration with.” 3DPrinterOS is a customizable platform, and because it’s so easy to use, training new team members is much simpler now, which allows the company to remain efficient while adding to its workforce.As Modesitt said, “an operator can get up and running after one quick lesson.” Lucky Clover Dragon Fantasy Pets found efficiency elsewhere as well.Its 3D printed figurines are definitely high-quality, but instead of aiming for perfection, the business works to consistently find the right balance between that quality and a high throughput.
“The product needs to look great and meet expectations, but our customers aren’t inspecting overhangs or layer lines—they just want something they love,” Modesitt said.He also noted that Fantasy Pets limits its sales to ensure delivery within two to three weeks.“You can’t leave customers waiting.
If they don’t see your product on the shelf, they’ll fill that space with something else.” With a focus on long-term business sustainability, Fantasy Pets licenses designs from artists, working with platforms like MyMiniFactory and Patreon to make sure that its range of figurines are both original and compliant with commercial licensing.It doesn’t just offer dragons: the collectibles run the gamut from other fantasy creatures like trolls and unicorns to forest and marine animals, dinosaurs, and more.My personal favorites are the Nuttynook Squirrel with its long, articulated tail, and the Dapper Crocodile, because look at its top hat! Dapper Crocodile Nuttynook Squirrel To keep costs down and avoid bottlenecks, Fantasy Pets uses bulk filament orders from multiple suppliers.
It also offers multiple colors and options for its collectibles: businesses can purchase custom designs, models in bulk, boxes of mini collectibles—like the Mini Axolotl Box for $112.50—and a variety of bundles starting at $300 that include several different animal figurines, store signage, and, in some cases, even a floor display.Kids and adults alike would absolutely eat that up in a gift shop.Modesitt believes that domestic 3D printing businesses in the U.S., like his own Fantasy Pets, can truly be competitive in today’s market.
As international shipping costs rise, the ability to produce products on-demand, and on American soil, is increasingly important.With solutions like 3DPrinterOS, businesses can also remain agile.Fantasy Pets can use the platform to quickly add new designs, scale production without retooling, and adapt to market trends.
“3DPrinterOS removed the technical barriers so we could focus on growing the business,” Modesitt said.Serpentara Dragons In the future, Fantasy Pets has plans to add more 3D printers to its fleet, so it can grow its product line and investigate new markets.Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
