Hobbyist turned part-time business.

My name is Matt. I’m happily married to a beautiful woman named Emily. We have two kids under 10, but before I had a family I started doing some hobby woodworking to make some things for the house, the way most hobbyists start. I made coffee and end tables, then a wine hutch, until someone reached out to me after seeing my work on Facebook. I had no idea that saying “yes” to her request to build a butcher block kitchen island would turn into a business. I made her island using many of the tools I acquired from my father who was a hobby woodworker as well.

I had a radial arm saw, jobsite chop saw, some palm sanders, and a handful of small tools. Once I built the island and posted it on Facebook I had others reach out. So many small businesses begin the same way, but I had no idea on how to run a business or what to charge.

I spent tons of hours on YouTube and various websites to learn techniques and how to run my business. Over the years I quickly found my target audience which was built-ins for local homes. I thoroughly enjoyed doing built-in projects, helping people realize their vision for something special in their home to fill those awkward voids and provide a functional space.

After years of doing built-ins I found myself doing doing kitchen cabinets for a previous client who had flooded after Hurricane Harvey. This project made me realize I was not adequately equipped for such a large project out of my two car garage and time commitments given it was my part-time venture. After completing that project, which was more rushed than I wanted, I opted to step away from woodworking all together. The six month backlog of projects subsided and I boxed up the tools to focus on family. My time in the shop had become somewhat of a barrier in my marriage, a toll I would not pass on to anyone. If you’re a hobby woodworker and thinking of jumping in full time, I would caution you to keep your focus on what is important - family!

The itch for woodworking hadn’t gone completely away and I maintained a small trickle of business by doing laser engraved cutting boards and small projects. Over the last year I’ve picked business back up and have maintained a steady client base doing smaller projects. My promise to my family was if I had to go to a home to measure then I would talk to my wife first before committing to any large project. If I take on a large project going forward, I cannot be under strict deadlines because I need to lay down the saws on the weekends from time to time so I can take some family trips and keep things fun. I’ve learned no matter how enjoyable woodworking is for me that family time should be more fun.

Christmas 2020 has kept me incredibly busy with a variety of projects: cutting and charcuterie boards, signs, boxes, stocking tags, and other projects. In January I’m looking forward to doing some more home projects, including some cabinetry for the home office. Cabinetry is something I enjoy very much, and I am planning on incorporating some pieces that will be cut out on my new Stepcraft CNC.

My portfolio will quickly expand with the addition of the woodworking CNC that was recently added, and I’ll be able to offer lower prices on many of my projects due to repeatability. Keep an eye on the website and my Instagram page for more projects and offerings in the new year. Thanks for reading my story! I appreciate your support of my small business.

~ Matt