Welcome to the third episode of On Air with Team Jensen: The Art of Industrial Real Estate.
Teaching you the art of industrial real estate, this is On Air with Team Jensen.
Hello, hello everyone. Welcome to Episode 4 of On Air: The Art of Industrial Real Estate with Team Jensen. Today, we have Nick Paradise here with us from Frog Furnishings.
Nick: Thanks for coming on, I appreciate it.
Nick: Of course, thanks everybody. Excited to kind of dive into some of the things we’re doing and also just hear a little bit more about my background and how I landed with Frog Furnishings.
Host: So just jumping into things, you’re a KC guy. Are you from the Olathe area originally?
Nick: Overland Park, born and raised.
Host: Cool, cool. Frog Furnishings is something you started, but peeling back further, I think you started out working at Jayhawk Plastics, right? Tell us how your career started in plastics and how you ended up with Frog Furnishings.
Nick: It all started with the movie The Graduate, which probably dates me. But really, it started with my dad and uncle. My dad was watching the movie, and Dustin Hoffman says, “The future is plastics.” My dad decided he needed to get into plastics. He left college, worked for an envelope company, and came up with a plastic product for the printing industry. He started manufacturing out of his home in Leawood, Kansas. Eventually, he brought on my uncle and started Jayhawk Plastics, manufacturing plastic and steel machine parts for the printing industry.
They just celebrated 50 years on July 3rd this year. In the late ’90s, my uncle had the idea to pioneer recycled plastic. They bought machinery and started making recycled plastic lumber, turning that into furniture. They sold their first order of 10 yellow tables to Gainesville, Florida, and despite resistance from their plant manager, they pushed through. We’ve been making outdoor furniture out of recycled plastic for 23 years now.
Host: Early on, how much did they deal with EPA hoops or compliance challenges?
Nick: Definitely dealt with environmental compliance. The main concerns are internal plant operations—no runoff, no chemicals leaching, proper filtration. We’re very clean and even doing an environmental hygiene study at the plant today. It’s not an easy industry; it’s more art than automation.
Host: Did you spend much time at Jayhawk Plastics before Frog Furnishings?
Nick: Yes, I had an office there when I was six—shared it with the accountant! Worked in sales, customer service, even out in the plant. When we started Frog in 2000, I was in high school. My dad told me to get a real job after college before working for him. So I became national sales manager for a spring break travel company in Fort Lauderdale. Learned a lot about active selling there. Came back 14 years ago, started in sales at Frog, then took over general manager and sales manager roles when my cousin left.
Host: When did you rebrand from Jayhawk to Frog Furnishings?
Nick: About 8 years ago. We were at a Missouri Parks and Rec show, and people would see “Jayhawk Plastics” and make jabs. As we became more well-known, we needed a more neutral, fun brand. Frogs are generally liked, and it’s worked out well.
Host: Can you walk us through how the furniture is made?
Nick: Sure. We work with suppliers who send us pelletized plastic. We heat it to 350–400°F, push it through machines (Extrusion), and shape it into profiles like 2x4s or 2x10s. We color and cut it as needed. We mostly make park benches, picnic tables, trash receptacles, bike racks, message centers, and Adirondack furniture.
Host: Do you do custom branding?
Nick: Not our bread and butter, but there’s a good market. Logos on tables, memorial benches, messages like “Made from recycled plastic.” Nice touchpoints for cities or companies.
Host: Switching gears, tell us about your family life.
Nick: Met my wife through her cousin. We grew up near each other in KC but never met until later. We joke it’s good we didn’t meet earlier. We have a 2-year-old and almost 5-year-old.
Host: And your dad went to KU?
Nick: He was a KU student. He and my uncle flipped a coin—one went to KU, the other to K-State. They were great business partners—rarely disagreed. Their rule was if they both didn’t say yes, the answer was no.
Host: What’s the status of the business today?
Nick: We sold Frog Furnishings two and a half years ago to PlayCore, a Chattanooga-based company. They own 44 outdoor brands. I stayed on to run it. My dad and uncle still run Jayhawk Plastics a mile away. PlayCore gives us more reach, better buying power, but also lets us make our own decisions.
Host: How did COVID affect you?
Nick: It was a boom for us since everything moved outside. We locked in pricing just before the crash. Had to shut down for 3-4 weeks but got deemed essential by pivoting to make innovator boxes. Took us 1.5 years to catch up to demand. We’re now back to shipping some SKUs in 2 days.
Host: What’s your outlook for the next 5–10 years?
Nick: Outdoor activity will stay important. COVID reinforced that. The boom has passed, but demand remains healthy. We’re shipping faster, and our trendlines look solid.
Host: What’s your take on the growth of South Johnson County?
Nick: I live at 159th and Nall. Development like Prairie Fire and Chicken N Pickle changed traffic patterns. Blue Hawk is a great project. Highway 69 expansion will fuel more development. I hope we avoid too many more apartments—Johnson County feels more family-oriented.
Host: Any sports you’re into?
Nick: Huge Chiefs fan, former season ticket holder, been to playoff games and Super Bowls. Big into local sports. Have a Mahomes jersey I wear proudly. Trying to get to Lambeau or even Germany for a game.
Host: Any big summer plans?
Nick: Lots of work travel—NY, NJ, Memphis, Dallas. Also going to Vegas for a punk/alternative concert with my buddy to celebrate turning 40.
Host: Appreciate you coming on. Best of luck with Frog. You’ve got a great niche, and recycled plastic is only getting more relevant.
Nick: Thanks, guys. Really enjoyed it. Appreciate the time.
Host: That wraps Episode 4 of On Air with Team Jensen.
