Cedrik Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Hi Marc, In the sitting bench part 1 video, you talked about your beginnings in woodworking and how it can be hard to make a living out of it. I, for myself, just started my business, and i'd like to know what you did to kick off your business and be able to have a shop full of those beautyfull (but expensive) toys, and make a decent income from woodworking. Thank you very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodwhisperer Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 I started a podcast and stopped building furniture for clients. And no that's not a joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodwhisperer Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 Realizing that might sound a little snarky without more explanation, here's more detail. I basically did the best I could to survive as a business, having to get a job at one point just to make ends meet. I then saw a position open at a refinishing shop and decided that I would work there part time, while building my furniture the other half of the week. This worked out pretty well for a while and I even started to take on larger commercial projects with the guy that owned the refinishing shop. So between my own refinishing jobs, my time at the refinishing shop, collaborations, and my own commissions, i was at least making some money. But the pace was grueling and I honestly don't know how long I would have been able to keep that up. I started the Wood Whisperer as a bit of an experiment and you can see how that went. I now only work for an occasional client and my business is 100% online. Well, except for teaching engagements. This is why I am no in the habit of giving business advice. I didn't necessarily succeed. I survived for a couple of years but that is not what I consider "success". I certainly didn't have it all figured out when I decided to go a different route so I don't feel entitled to dish out too much advice. But I am always happy to share my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedrik Posted July 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 Thanks for the reply. Always interesting to know a bit more where you came from! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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