Special Podcast Deal - ONLY $1.49 for an entire year of Woodworkers Guild of America Premium Membership - go.wwgoa.com/ethan/  This episode is with Tim Holland, owner of TH Custom Woodwork. If you want to hear the full story behind how TH Custom Woodwork got started - Check out the show archives - episode 140 We all forget measurements, we all struggle with deadlines - but when both of those come into play at once, it can be an unforgiving situation. Couple that with realizing you missed a...

Special Podcast Deal - ONLY $1.49 for an entire year of Woodworkers Guild of America Premium Membership - go.wwgoa.com/ethan/  Back in 2013, when Tim started selling furniture, it was just something to do for family and friends. But as his skills grew, so did the demand for his work. And now, what started as a fun side business has been his full time job for years. But as client projects grow, so does the demand on one's time, and as a one person shop, a family man, and someone who rarely...

This episode is with David D’Eramo, owner of Tiller Trade Co. If you want to hear the full story behind how Tiller Trade Co. got started - Check out the show archives - episode 138 Deadlines, and being able to manage them can be business killers. In this episode David shares a true story example of when his company had to rush a project on site and what the not so pleasant results were. He also talks about his overall take on hard deadlines and how he thinks about them when running his...

David grew up wanting to own his own shop, but as he got older his career path changed. His passion for building though, was reignited as an adult, when he saw other people building in his own home and thought, I can do that better. Now with his own company, he is living his childhood dream and making sure his clients are getting nothing less than the professionalism he would want for himself. Follow along as we talk about marking your territory, the way to advertise your company locally, how...

There are a lot of different ways to run a furniture company, and similarly there are a lot of different ways to have a career in the furniture industry even if you don’t have a furniture business. Austin is a mix of both. Starting the Austin School of Furniture as well as running his own furniture business. He is an example of someone who took a business and marketing background and found a way to be successful in the further industry, without the traditional approach of just building...

This episode is with Kwadwo Som-Pimpong, owner of the furniture company Crafted Glory. If you want to hear the full story behind how Crafted Glory got started - Check out the show archives - episode 135 Get ready for one of the most wild journeys I’ve ever heard a piece of furniture go on. And I really mean that. Who would have guessed that one extra long screw could turn into such an adventure. We have upset clients, shipping nightmares, car trips, planes, forklifts, this story has the...

Kwadwo is the definition of balancing 2 full time jobs - working for someone else as an engineer by night, and by day, he, his wife, and their employee spend their time building furniture.  As the years have passed, what started as a small goods Etsy company back in 2017 has now turned into a furniture business with a strong foundation that is growing year after year.  Follow along as we talk about the good and bad of Etsy, laying groundwork for a business' future, understating your pricing...

This episode is with Bryan Ortquist Owner of the furniture company Old Mountain Woodworking If you want to hear the full story behind how Old Mountain Woodworking got started, check out the show archives - episode 133 Bryan is a student of woodworking, and he has a lot of rules in the shop when building pieces - you have to be when you build the giant tables that he does. But his biggest rule actually came from one of his smaller tables, and it wasn’t even really wood related. It came about...

With his hands in so many different parts of the industry - furniture making, cnc work, wood milling, lumber drying, exotic imports, teaching classes, and more - Bryan has to make sure his foundation in each of these practices is solid enough that he can take on clients in any part of his business and it won’t cause issues with the rest of the parts running smoothly. So how does he do it? Follow along as we talk about reaching out to community competition mindset vs creative mindset, working...

This episode is with Ashley Pieper, owner of the furniture company Shallow Creek Woodcraft. If you want to hear the full story behind how Shallow Creek Woodcraft got started, check out the show archives - episode 131 Stress from a project is easy to see when it comes from outside influences like - materials, clients, timelines, or disasters that you never see coming. But there is also the internal stress that is less easy to quantify, but is still a major stumbling block for a projects...

In an industry that is leaning further and further into technology, Ashley is building her furniture business in more of a traditional way. Learning hand tool skills over machine inputs, gathering knowledge more from books than social media videos, and spending carefully considered time on her furniture rather than working towards the need it yesterday culture that many of today’s production falls into.  So Follow along as we talk about going to furniture school later in life, what you can...

This episode is with Jack Cerchiara, PhD owner of the furniture company Salish Sea Woodworks If you want to hear the full story behind how Salish Sea Woodworks got started, check out the show archives - episode 129 I don’t want to ruin the story here by giving too much away at the start, but lets just say that epoxy cleanups are hard when they are in your shop...and Jack learned that they are even harder in a client's home, a very high end client's home. I can’t say anymore because honestly,...

From studying Penguins in Patagonia to becoming a fine furniture maker, not many people follow the career path Jack has. But a unique perspective on the industry and a client centric work ethic has allowed him to grow his passion into a sustainable business. And his commitment to understanding and sticking to his brand has let him drive his company forward while still maintaining his core identity. So Follow along as we talk about working in a small shop, teaching your clients to trust you,...

This episode is with Kelly and Cromwell Schupp, owners of the furniture company Rail & Stile If you want to hear the full story behind how Rail & Stile got started, check out the show archives - episode 127  Shipping furniture is always a nightmare, and even though Kelly and Cromwell put so much effort into building their company, they have still struggled with shipping just like everyone else. This is a story of how even though they hired a big time shipper, got the insurance, and...

Working out of a 20,000 sqft space, with 8 employees, growing steadily year over year, and debuting a brand new furniture collection - You could look at Kelly and Cromwell and say they are living the dream. But that dream didn’t come easily, and even though their growth was fast, it was because they had already put in the work to make the growth possible. So It didn’t matter if they were thrown into a good or difficult situation, they were set to come out stronger on the other side. Follow...

This episode is with Scott Grove, owner of the furniture company Green Grove Design If you want to hear the full story behind how Green Grove Design got started, check out the show archives - episode 125  A burnt down building, no insurance, 75k in lost materials, and more. I think we can all agree that this was not the best experience for Scott. But did this project break him, or did he rise to the occasion and keep going? Learn more at buildingafurniturebrand.com

For 45 years Scott has been building. The countless furniture pieces made, sculptures crafted, books written, courses taught, has given him a view on the industry that few can claim. He has worked with world renowned designers, giant companies, museums and galleries, and along the way has made his own road and his own name in the industry. Looking back to where he has been and forward to where he is going, Scott shares his thoughts on what he has seen during his storied career.  Follow along...

This episode is with Erling Hope, owner of the furniture company Erling Hope If you want to hear the full story behind how Erling Hope got started, check out the show archives - episode 123 Being sued by a client at the end of a project is one of the worst outcomes that can happen when running a business. But as Erling found out, getting sued right at the start of a project is a pretty terrible situation as well. This episode talks about what Erling learned from that experience and what he...

40 years in this industry and Erling still cherishes learning more. He looks on his knowledge as an ever evolving thing, always collaborating and trying new ideas and materials and solutions to problems. But even with that heart for exploration two things always stay true for him, his dedication to design and quality. His commitment to both of those principles will not waver, no matter the piece he finds himself working on. Follow along as we talk about scaling without employees,...

This episode is with Corey Tighe owner of the furniture company CT woodwork If you want to hear the full story behind how CT woodwork got started - Check out the show archives - episode 121 It’s not always the big things you need to watch out for, the little details can get you too. This is something Corey learned all too well, when a missed inch made the difference between a completed and installed project and starting over from scratch. Learn more at buildingafurniturebrand.com 

When Corey says he has been in this industry his whole life, he means it. By learning every part of the business - from family, from school, and on the job, he has seen all sides of what the world of furniture offers. And he has taken that knowledge to help build his own successful company along the way. Having a strong background in woodworking has also let him expanded his business reach by teaching classes and offering other services to the public in his shop. Allowing him to diversify his...

This episode is with Paddy Collins of P Cakes Productions. If you want to hear the full story behind how P Cakes Productions got started - Check out the show archives - episode 119 In the 27+ years Paddy has been building he has had his fair share of tough clients. And even though the story he is about to tell isn’t exactly furniture building, the takeaways from it can be applied to furniture builders, contractors, and really anyone who is working with clients in any business. This is a story...

The humbleness that Paddy talks about his career with, should not overshadow what he has accomplished. Because with almost 30 years of custom projects under his belt and a TV resume of impressive shows he’s been a part of, he definitely has advice to share. Paddy is also a great example of letting your actions speak for you. Letting your skills, and customer service, and reliability be your calling card. Because even with the TV credits, and famous names in his phone, and spotlights on his...

This episode is with TJ Turner, owner of the furniture company Carl Jackson Designs If you want to hear the full story behind how Carl Jackson Designs got started - Check out the show archives - episode 117 Sometimes clients know best, and sometimes…they don’t. TJ had an experience with a client that no matter what he did they just kept fighting him every step of the way. An experience I am sure many custom furniture makers can relate to. This episode is about a TV cabinet that TJ wishes he...

TJ clearly got into this industry because of his love for the Artistic side of furniture making. And his company took of quickly because of the passion he puts into every piece. But along the way, by leaning into the community of furniture makers around him. he also learned the business side of the industry as well. And by putting both those pieces together, he has turned his once dream of having a furniture company into a full fledged reality.  So Follow along as we talk about fighting...