Hi, I’M R.T. CUSTER
Robert Thomas “R.T.” Custer is a serial entrepreneur passionate about building a legacy with his products and services. He is relentless in his pursuit of the American Dream and he can’t wait to hear what that concept means to you.
MULTI-PASSIONATE ENTREPRENEUR, SPEAKER, AND GUIDE
The Chris Harder Show
•
Entrepreneur Magazine
•
Colorado's 30 Under 30
•
Watchtime
•
Techstars
•
Watchpro
•
Reporter Herald
•
The Chris Harder Show • Entrepreneur Magazine • Colorado's 30 Under 30 • Watchtime • Techstars • Watchpro • Reporter Herald •
R.T.’s story begins on a Christmas Tree Farm in Pennsylvania
He grew up a 4th generation entrepreneur and farmer. He believes in nurture over nature because he was “groomed” to be an entrepreneur by helping his family build a legacy by planting trees on the farm.
His core values are Respect, Integrity, Empathy, Freedom, and Wealth.
He ties them into everything he does and shares those values with his companies and teams. His favorite quote is “plant trees under whose shade you’ll never sit,” and he surrounds himself with people doing just that.
In 2014 R.T. started Vortic Watch Company with his business partner Tyler Wolfe.
Together they pursued the idea they had in college at Penn State: A wristwatch completely built in the United States. Their signature product, The American Artisan Series, features antique American pocket watches that have been salvaged restored, and preserved inside one-of-a-kind wristwatches. They are becoming the next Great American Watch Company by “preserving American history one watch at a time.”
Their American Dream was almost taken from them though. In 2015 Vortic was sued by the world's largest Watch Company, the SWATCH Group over their practice of upcycling the antique pocket watches. In a 6 year long federal lawsuit called “Hamilton v Vortic,” R.T. Custer defended not only his entrepreneurial vision but also the right to upcycle.
In 2021 the company was finally victorious. They defeated Goliath in a legal battle that almost made it to the Supreme Court. Legal textbooks now contain parts of this story and R.T. contacted for quotes on similar lawsuits regularly.
For this reason and to “share what it’s like from David’s perspective,” R.T. is writing a book called “Upcycling the American Dream: the Story of Hamilton v Vortic.” He’s doing it in true 2023 fashion however by first recording a YouTube-based docuseries, recording each Chapter as a short video, and then using ChatGPT and other AI copywriting tools paired with an expert copywriter to build the book, not just writing a story.
Pairing heart with strategy.
R.T. can share a great number of learnings with your audience. Like his ancestor, General Custer, he charges forward into battle and is always the first one to try new things so he can report back on what does or does not work. R.T. never lectures, however. He’s a storyteller. His mom was a preacher, and after losing her in 2020, he’s woken up daily with one goal: make her proud.
R.T. now has multiple businesses including Vortic Watch Company, Carter&Custer Agency, and Fast Foundations Mastermind. He also has several YouTube TV shows like Custer&Wolfe Building a Watch Company, and Products Worth Talking About.
R.T. is also a father of two boys, Sawyer (6) and Wesley (4), and does the best he can to show them and his beautiful partner Lindsay that everything he does isn’t just for them… it’s for generational legacy.