The Story Behind Bell & Beam

(or: how a kid with too many hobbies became an ADHD adult who just had to make things)

Hi, I’m Andrew. I live in Philadelphia with my two kids and a brain that never really slows down. Growing up, I was the kid with a new obsession every week. Every sport imaginable, reading, drawing, music, Legos, Tinker Toys and so much more. If it involved learning something new, making something weird, or letting my imagination run wild, I was in.

Turns out, all that energy had a name: ADHD. I didn’t find that out until I was in my 40s. But once I did, a lot of things made sense. Especially why I’ve always felt pulled to create, how I love the outdoors, connecting the dots between the details that most people overlook.

Bell & Beam was born out of that same spark. I started this shop because I love making thoughtful gifts that surprise people. Things that are a little unexpected. A little personal. A little… off the wall in the best way (kind of like me).

This isn’t a big operation. It’s me, some lasers, a 3D printer or two, too many iPad "notebooks" full of half-baked ideas, and a growing number of happy customers who seem to get it.

What I care about most is making things that matter. And doing it in a way that reflects what I believe: in kindness, in equity, in inclusion, in showing up for people. That’s not marketing talk (although I do work in marketing analytics in my other life) it’s how I live, and it’s how this shop runs.

So if you’ve got an idea? Especially a wild one? Let’s make it real.

Thanks for being here.
–Andrew
Bell & Beam
A little laser. A lot of heart.