Meet R.T. Custer
R.T. Custer (Robert Thomas) is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vortic Inc., which owns both Vortic Watch Company and Colorado Watch Company. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, R.T. is a dedicated entrepreneur on a mission to preserve American history and revitalize domestic manufacturing. With over a decade of experience building watches in the United States, and even defeating the SWATCH Group in federal court. R.T. is one of the only American leaders in the industry committed to complete transparency and craftsmanship. Father of two, storyteller, and champion of the skilled trades, he believes in ābuilding trees under whose shade youāll never sit.ā
About
Vortic Inc. is the parent company behind two brands with a shared mission: preserving American history and proving that āMade in USAā is here to stay.
Vortic Watch Company salvages and restores antique American pocket watches, transforming them into one-of-a-kind wristwatches. Each piece tells a story, preserving family heirlooms, celebrating early American engineering, and keeping history on your wrist. From their daily āWatch of the Dayā releases to the limited-run āMilitary Editionā that supports the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative, Vortic is redefining how Americans value legacy.
Colorado Watch Company, launched in 2023, represents the next chapter: manufacturing the most American-made watches at scale today. Designed as rugged, modern heirlooms with āIndustrial Americanaā styling, their Field Watch and GCT models aim to be the proof that large-scale, high-quality American manufacturing isnāt just possible, itās necessary.
R.T. hosts the American Dreamers podcast and YouTube show, showcasing the people, stories, and skills that make American entrepreneurship worth fighting for. Heās passionate about supporting skilled trades, American jobs, and veterans, believing that the products we buy should reflect our values.
Why Book R.T. Custer As Your Guest
Authentic Voice on American Manufacturing
R.T. doesnāt just talk about Made in USA, he shows it. Heās built two watch brands that manufacture domestically, hired American veterans, and kept the entire process transparent. Audiences love hearing from someone who can speak plainly and passionately about revitalizing American industry.
Relatable Entrepreneurial Journey
From using nearly every type of small business funding imaginable to defeating a multinational conglomerate in court, R.T.ās journey is full of hard-earned lessons. Heās not just another CEO. Heās a father, a builder, and someone who knows what itās like to bet everything on an idea.
Champion of Skilled Trades and Veterans
R.T. is on a mission to close the skilled trade gap and support veterans through his work with the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative. He can speak knowledgeably and emotionally about the need to value skilled labor and provide real opportunities for those who serve.
Great Storyteller with Real Transparency
Podcasts and interviews need guests who donāt hide behind buzzwords. R.T. is honest, funny, and clear. Heāll share wins, losses, and the messy realities of manufacturing in the U.S, all while keeping listeners engaged with real human stories.
What R.T. Custer Loves Talking About
āMade Here, Not Thereā ā The Case for American Manufacturing
R.T. breaks down the realities of building in the U.S., supply chains, cost challenges, and why it matters for jobs, security, and identity. He makes the big-picture debate personal and compelling.
The Skilled Trade Gap and How to Fix It
America needs more than office workers. R.T. is passionate about bringing respect, training, and opportunity back to skilled trades, something he lives daily through his manufacturing facility and hiring practices.
Preserving History Through Craft
From 100-year-old pocket watches converted into heirlooms to modern rugged designs inspired by military history, R.T. can talk about how storytelling and craft create emotional connections in products, and why this matters in a disposable age.
The Real Life of an Entrepreneur
Not the Instagram highlights, the real story. Funding challenges, lawsuit battles, leadership lessons, and family balance. R.T. believes the best way to inspire other entrepreneurs is through honesty and transparency about what it takes.
Grab R.T. Custerās Bio
R.T. Custer (Robert Thomas) is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vortic Inc., parent company to Vortic Watch Company and Colorado Watch Company.
Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, R.T. is on a mission to preserve American history āone watch at a timeā while proving that large-scale American manufacturing is possible. Vortic Watch Company restores antique American pocket watches into one-of-a-kind wristwatches, celebrating legacy and craft. Colorado Watch Company builds the most American-made watches at scale today with rugged, military-inspired designs.
A passionate supporter of the skilled trades and U.S. veterans, R.T. partners with the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative and believes in manufacturing transparency, integrity, and fun. He hosts the American Dreamers podcast and YouTube show, highlighting real stories of American entrepreneurship.
Known for defeating the SWATCH Group in federal court to secure the right to use āHamiltonā on restored dials, R.T. is a seasoned, relatable voice on what it takes to build and run a values-driven business in America today.
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