Sawmill Business Podcast

Today we had a great time talking with Loren from Rackensack Kilns! Two years ago, after considering the local market, Rackensack was born to answer the lack of kiln space and abundance of hardwood milling in the area. The business started with a few different avenues, including cabinetry, but ultimately processing wood started to become a main focus. What started from the necessity to get their own wood dried has now evolved into an entire tree to table business. Rackensack Kilns has the ability to process urban lumber into trim, furniture, flooring, and almost any other wood product you can think of. What Drives Your Business? Motivated by a desire to see less waste in the building process and the ability to use these viable wood products instead of seeing them chipped or mulched has been integral to the team. Another part of it is also the unique experience of opening up a tree and creating something entirely new that can’t just be purchased from a furniture store or even a hardware store. After about

Today we’re excited to have Brent and Devin from Texas Urban Sawmill and Refined Elements on the show.  Challenges of Running Two Businesses A big challenge with running the two businesses and only two full time employees has been time and manpower. Specifically bringing on the right people who understand the vision and have a passion for the work being done and not someone just looking for a 9-5 job.    So much goes into the business, from identifying the type of tree and what product it’s going to be good for to know how it needs to be cut, through the actual furniture making itself. Every single day is different and overall it’s an industry with a very steep learning curve.   Brent believes that the biggest reward is being able to see the reactions to the incredible finished pieces they make and then on the sawmill side it’s equally rewarding to be the first person to see what is inside the log. The crew has an intention to publish videos on every new species of tree they work with to share that ma

It has certainly been a long year, but amidst the difficult times there have still been a lot of good times too and successes to be celebrated. For the final Woodpreneur Podcast of the year, we’re looking forward and planning to start 2021 on a high note as we hit the ground running! There has been a lot of growth this year and more than ever we realize how fortunate we are to be in this industry. In this episode we’re focusing on tactical goal setting. Both for business goals and personal goals too. We break down the hurdles that often come up when trying to achieve a goal or resolution and offer some insight and tips on how to set goals that are achievable and measurable.  Our ethical bribe is that if you join our Facebook Group, you will also get the video recording and slides of this Goal Setting Workshop. Our big goal for 2021 is to grow and nurture this community of Woodpreneurs.  This new Woodpreneur Facebook group will be a hub for the community and will feature everything from informative articles

On today's show, Steve sits down to reflect on this last year in a special Christmas Edition of the Woodpreneur Podcast.  We started as the sawmill business podcast, and then we found that sawyers do many different things and grew from there. Last year Steve had the privilege of attending Workbench Con and also traveled to Sweden to interview more woodpreneurs, to say the least, it has been an incredibly transformative time. To celebrate how much the podcast has given him, the incredible people he's gotten to interview, and all you wonderful woodpreneurs listening, Steve will be recapping the top 11 downloaded podcasts from the last year. Website: https://www.dreamacreswood.com/our-team Instagram: @dreamacreswood

Today on the show, we had the incredible privilege of getting to talk with Alexandra Climent, a woodpreneur who specializes in working with some of the densest wood in the world. Alexandra is a self-taught woodworking artist who fell in love with jungle wood's beauty while sourcing it for construction uses. This changed her entire future and career path significantly.  What Drew You To The Urban Wood Industry? Between trips to the jungle to collect and source felled wood for her creative projects and her time back home in New York, Alexandra started creating a unique and beautiful story about her life and brand through Instagram.  The Arrival of the Wood and the Future it Held It took a lot of work and patience for Alexandra to finally have enough wood that it could be shipped to the United States, and she had to deal with a lot of hurdles and red tape to get it there, but finally, the wood arrived. For many woodpreneurs, the wood's story in itself is part of the entire package, and that holds especi

Today on the show, we have the pleasure of speaking with Bernardo Urbina, the owner and founder of Costa Rica Sawmill. Bernardo has been a furniture designer for over ten years. He started his studies at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, focusing on industrial design and furniture design. His journey continued to Italy, where he proceeded to do a master's program in industrial design and architecture. After that, he spent three years in the Philippines before moving home to Costa Rica and opening a furniture shop and design studio. Having worked with extremely high-quality products throughout his journey, Bernardo found he was having difficulty sourcing kiln-dried wood in Costa Rica as the standard is air drying. This demand for high quality, kiln-dried lumber and slabs is what drove Bernardo to start milling and drying his own supplies. From there, he realized there was a market for exotic Costa Rican wood that was being sold for ridiculous prices to woodworkers in the United States. Bernardo knew

Like many starting Woodpreneurs, Bardo from XXL Boomstamtafels in the Netherlands began working with urban lumber as a hobby. Around seven years ago, he and his wife began building a house for themselves from scratch. During that time, he was at a friend's house and saw a live edge table, uncommon in that area. This table made a significant impression on Bardo, and it triggered his journey to find beautiful slabs.  He went around to different wood sellers and inquired about large slabs, and every single place he visited showed him the largest pieces of wood they had, but all of them were cut into straight lumber and didn't even come close to what he was imagining. After a while, Bardo started visiting sawmills directly in an attempt to track down the slabs he needed. At one of these mills, he saw a massive log in the corner, and when he asked them why they hadn't milled it yet, they told him that they didn't have the right saw for the job.  Bardo purchased the log from them and took it home to figure out ho

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! On this episode of the podcast, we’re taking some time to reflect on the last five years in the wood business and discuss this incredible journey. The goal of this podcast has always been to give a voice to the woodpreneur community and the growth we have seen is incredible, thank you to each and every one of you.  We’re so thankful for the amazing guests we have had over the years and everything their stories have shared with us and taught us. Also seeing people who have used this podcast to network and grow their own businesses has been so inspirational. We wanted to take some time to connect with you all and to hear your feedback. If you’ve gotten something out of this podcast, if you’ve been inspired by a story, been helped by some of the advice, or used it to network or grow please let us know and drop your Instagram @ in the comments below. We’ll be reading them on the next podcast, doing a giveaway, and encouraging even more networking! As many of you know I’ve moved to

Featuring a blast from the past, we catch up with Jake Latvala of Ol Loggin Sawmills and discuss the growth and changes he's seen in the past three years in terms of business and mindset. After twenty years with one company, Jake decided to take the leap and follow his woodworking passion. He would never have imagined this is where that passion would lead him. "It's such a scary thing to do, but it turned out the be the best decision I've ever made in my life." Even once he had the equipment, he was still patient, working evenings and weekends on his woodworking, but keeping his day job until he was confident and ready to try his hand at being a full-time woodpreneur.  Since his last time on the podcast in 2018, not only has the vision of the company changed, but his entire mindset has grown and evolved as well. The original bar Jake set for himself was to be making at least as much as he used to make at his 9-5. Now, he has increased his earnings by 300% in the last two years, and grown Ol Loggin into a

On this episode of the Woodpreneur podcast, we have the pleasure of listening to Doc Wright of The Wright Edge Custom Woodwork. Specializing in handcrafted custom woodwork & exotic live-edge tables, Doc has made a name for himself in the high-end custom market in less than 4 years of operation. Doc studied geology at Texas Tech University and immediately began working in the oil industry. He always enjoyed working with his hands and began doing woodworking on the side as a hobby. Approximately three months after that, he was offered a job for $134,000 to build five custom conference tables, each with a different style and made from a different material. At that moment, Doc made the decision to take a risk and jump into woodworking full time. His client was so impressed with the work, they immediately commissioned a sixth table as well. After completing this first project over the course of seven months, Doc explains that he had a panic attack and realized he needed to figure out how to make this new lea

PJ Fetscher is one of the only primary sawyers in southern Florida as well as an educator and custom furniture maker. He's gone from picking up branches that could fit in the back of his truck to running a lumber yard and custom furniture business. Amazingly enough, it all started with a passion for looking at the inside of a tree.  PJ owns The Evolution of Tables and has been in business for nine years. What started as a hobby that got out of control has turned into this incredible multi-faceted company. His journey from hobbyist to professional and the equipment and dedication he started acquiring for woodworking he refers to as "a bit of a sickness, but a fun sickness".  His first investment was a Granberg Alaskan Chainsaw Mill with a 16-inch bar but in hindsight that was really just the kiddie pool of mills for PJ. The next acquisition was an MS 880, the big dog chainsaw and finally a Lucas Mill. This was a big leap, but one PJ says was logical, he got comfortable on the small stuff, and it built confid

On this episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast, we’re talking to wood crafter, Ryan Hawkins of West Coast Boards. West Coast Boards specializes in creating unique cutting boards that are personally made for each customer. Ryan began by being introduced to woodworking at the age of 19 while he was at trade school. The first piece Ryan ever made was a solid oak and maple computer desk. Ryan has been creating different pieces out of wood ranging from farming houses to custom furniture. The idea of creating hand made pieces out of wood became of interest to Ryan after making his first piece and his passion was fueled after he created his first cutting board. Ryan stated: “I believe finding passion and purpose in life is a trial-by-fire process. In life, you must keep trying new things, to find what truly fuels you. To discover your ‘why’. Working intimately with wood for nearly 13 years has provided me the opportunity to try many things and wander down many avenues. It has allowed me to discover my ‘why’.” C

On this episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast, we’re talking to wood worker, Mark Peacock of Deer River Craftsman. Deer River Craftsman focuses on designing, creating and selling custom furniture.  Mark began by first making personal pieces followed by commissioned work for friends and family which lead to him expanding his services to everyone. Mark has been making custom pieces for over 20 years using various materials such as wood, metal, plastic, glass, and leather. It has always been a dream for Mark to become a professional craftsman which is why in 2018 he built his own workspace to build custom pieces and became a professional maker. After accomplishing his dream, Mark strove to elevate his knowledge while giving back to the maker community. Mark accomplished this by joining the “maker community” which features a global network of like minded artists where he can be both teacher and student. The authenticity of being a genuine maker is something that runs through Mark's blood and this authenticity is

On this episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast, we’re talking to former Marine, Aaron Weideman of Weideman Woodworks. At Weideman, they focus on creating and selling live edge countertops, tables, and also the niche style of Shou Sugi Ban furniture.  Aaron began seeing traction in his business once he started posting his work to Instagram. The unique and non-mainstream style of Shou Sugi Ban Furniture combined with Aaron’s natural artistic skill with a camera began pulling followers in and soon he hit 10.k.  A marine with a business finance degree, Aaron wasn’t a woodworker by trade. Because of this, he continuously strives to learn the ins and outs of his passion and is constantly pulling scraps of wood to practice on if he’s asked by a client to create something that he hasn’t done before. This isn’t to say that the work he has already created isn’t incredible and incredibly made. Looking through his feed and hearing the excitement in his voice as he talks about his journey so far, is enough to make one c

On this episode, we're talking with the man who is a CEO, President, Resident Blacksmith, Boss, Slab Purveyor, and any entrepreneurial wood maker title you can think of...Dean Curfman of @oak_hill_iron_wood_showroom! Tune in to hear the story of his incredible journey from Blacksmith to Storefront owner. Contact Dean: IG: @oak_hill_iron_wood_showroom https://oakhilliron.com/ Showroom: Phone: 828.437.9217 showroom@oakhilliron.com Shop: Phone: 828.437.5348Email: info@oakhilliron.com

Dana O'Brien left the security of her government job to pursue what she loves - building outdoor living spaces. From art studios to greenhouses, Dana creates stunning and personalized spaces from reclaimed and salvaged products. She's been featured on @abcnews, @oprah.com, @houzz, and more! Find out how she chased her dreams and used her passion to make it on this episode of the #woodpreneurpodcast. Contact Dana: https://www.instagram.com/aplacetogrow_slo/ https://www.facebook.com/APlacetoGrowRecycledGreenhouses/ https://recycledgreenhouses.com/ .Don't forget to submit your free entry for a chance to win products for your business! Prizes include a small log chainsaw mill from Granberg International, swag from Odie's Oil, and wood hauling tools from LogOX! Go to woodpreneur.com/bluecollarcash for your chance to win.

On this episode we're talking with Ethan Abramson, former stuffed animal maker turned woodworker and influencer. Ethan has gone from taking on any and all jobs just to get by to being featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Knot, Vogue Living, and more. If you're looking to grow your wood business, become an influencer, or just get started, this episode is essential. Ethan shares his advice and lessons learned from past experiences while offering up an incredible perspective on choosing the job you love. Subscribe, tune in, and let us know what you thought of this episode. Contact Ethan: http://ethanabramson.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thebuildwithethan/ Visit us at: www.woodpreneurlife.com

Ken Rusk has spent over 30 Years working In blue collar trades, from his humble beginnings as a ditch-digger to entrepreneur, successful business owner, and perhaps most importantly, a mentor. And now, he’s written a book specifically for #bluecollar hustlers like you.⠀ Blue Collar Cash will show you how it’s possible to avoid student loan debt, credit card strain, and the stress of working multiple jobs at once and instead be not only widely profitable in your chosen Blue Collar job, but also content and happy in that career.⠀ Pick up a copy of Ken’s book today at www.woodpreneur.com/bluecollarcash and get ready to find out how to skip traditional career paths and become financially secure doing the job you WANT to do, not one that you HAVE to do.⠀ You can also win prized during our Blue Collar Woodpreneur contest! Enter to win prizes for your business from wood brands such as Granberg International, @odiesoil, and @bigbluelogox⠀ Stop by woodpreneur.com/bluecollarcash and enter for your chance to win! T

Join us for this limited Woodpreneur Podcast series featuring the ambassadors of iDRY Kiln Systems. We'll dive into the reasons why these wood business owners decided to invest in an iDRY, how they made this financial investment back, and why purchasing an iDRY was one of the best things they ever did for their business.

Joining us this week on the Woodpreneur Podcast is woodworker and sawmill operator, Mitch Purcell of Purcell Lumber & Design in Kingston, ON.  Inspired by posts he saw on Instagram, Mitch built his own fractal burner and began making charcuterie boards. Through this experimentation, Mitch realized his passion for woodworking and began taking commissions for custom work. Shortly thereafter, his parents had a massive Ash tree cut from their yard, which sparked Mitch’s interest in sawmilling. He took on the task of milling the Ash himself after he realized he could buy his own set up for close to the same price as paying someone else to mill it. Mitch began milling salvaged lumber he sourced from the internet or by good old fashioned word of mouth.  Mitch is an engineer by trade and has been extremely resourceful in launching his wood business. Early on, he recognized the advantages of kiln drying his milled lumber; so Mitch researched kilns and built his own mostly from salvaged materials. Mitch reinveste