db Paracord: Teenager thrives as entrepreneur

CROSSLAKE - The face of an entrepreneur comes in all shapes and sizes.

But Damon Billington sticks out. He's only 17, and he's been at his business - db Paracord - for the last three years.

The business specializes in hand-crafted paracord bracelets.

They also make hunter bow slings, turkey totes, and special bracelets for a cause, like breast cancer awareness.

Nearly 2,000 bracelets are on wrists across the nation, and they've been on the shelves of a national outdoor chain store.

Rewind a few years to before paracord touched Billington's now calloused fingers.

He and his family were heading off to their annual trip to the Boundary Waters. It was tradition to get matching T-shirts to commemorate the time together, but that came with a hefty price tag.

So Billington researched a unique bracelet he saw someone wearing. After watching a few YouTube videos, Billington knew he could assemble paracord bracelets easily.

The first small group of bracelets for the family in 2010 turned out well, Billington said. So well, in fact, that when other people saw them, they asked Billington for one, too.

And so started db Paracord.

The Pequot Lakes high school senior spends his free time operating the business out of his Crosslake home, where he lives with his parents.

Billington always has a big stash of supplies on hand for when an order comes in.

He orders massive spools of paracord - about 1,000 feet or 200 bracelets - online.

He handcrafted a "jig" (a wood contraption) to hold the material firmly while he twists the rope.

It works better than the coat hanger on a chair method he first utilized.

He uses a lighter to fuse the ends of the bracelet together and adds a clasp for a final touch.

"I got it down to a science in how to do everything," he said.

Confidence grew with every paracord knot and now Billington can make a bracelet without looking at his hands.

Instead, his focus is on the TV or how many more creations he has left to fill the order.

Billington usually sells his paracord bracelets at craft shows or online, but that all changed when Cabela's asked him to make more than 500 for "Camo for a Cause" bracelets to benefit breast cancer research. They sold in Cabela's stores nationwide.

That's when his dad, Bruce Billington, jumped on to become more of a partner than just a sidekick.

"When we're having meetings with business leaders, if they see a young kid, they might not give respect up front," he said. "So my dad is the adult face behind it."

Billington can't say if Cabela's will again sell the bracelets, but says fans should keep their ears peeled.

Looking into the future of the business, Billington knows he wants to craft more bracelets with themes that raise money for other charities. He's also working with local businesses to offer discounts to those wearing a db Paracord bracelet.

He'll fully hand over the business to his dad during college. After graduation he'll see where things are at with the business. He might join in again, but he doesn't see it being a full-time job as an adult.

For now, though, Billington is concentrating on making bracelets. Lots and lots of paracord bracelets.

About the business:

What: db Paracord

Online: www.dbparacord.com

A closer look at the bracelets:

Time to make one: 20-25 minutes

Average wrist: 7.5 inches

Average paracord needed per bracelet: 102 inches

In each bracelet: Up to three different colors and one custom charm that can be printed with

any logo.

Cost: $8 for single color; $10 for up to four colors; $12 with a charm.

1/4: Damon Billington uses a handcrafted jig to make the paracord bracelets. (Kelly Humphrey, Brainerd Dispatch)

2/4: Flame from a lighter is used to seal the ends of the paracord. (Kelly Humphrey, Brainerd Dispatch)

3/4: On the table sit supplies and equipment used to make paracord bracelets. (Kelly Humphrey, Brainerd Dispatch)

4/4: Damon Billington makes a paracord bracelet at his kitchen table at home in Crosslake. (Kelly Humphrey, Brainerd Dispatch)