This is to inspire; not to brag.

Yesterday I took in 500 bft of mahogany and 1000 bft of yellow birch for the hotel restoration project we are very involved in, on top of the 1000 bft we already had in. It was one of those moments that I realized how far I have come. I remember when I bought my first mahogany, and I was so proud of my three carefully picked boards. I was beside myself. I still appreciate every board as much as those first few.

Many times people have asked here about going pro, and a lot of people said to keep it a hobby or else you will hate it. HOGWASH!!! Do what you love, and you’ll love your job every day. Since I built the shop and went full time, I have yet to have a day that I didn’t get up excited to go to work. There were days I knew I had a lot on me, and had stress about something needing to get done, but it was a different stress, because I was in control, and I knew what needed to be done, and I liked doing it. It was more of a sense of urgency than stress. When I had a corporate job, it was daily stress, and I never felt like I was in control.

There was a lot to invest, and a lot of time without pay as I built the business and reinvested profits into growth, but I am so glad I made the move.

I am sharing for anyone thinking about making woodworking a full-time thing. Just do it. Don’t let the nay-sayers bring you down.

Oh, and the mahogany is for a very large bar, and the birch is for doors, millwork, and furniture for the hotel. More is yet to come, as we have added a contract for a gift shop, another bar, and more doors. We really need a forklift, but the drivers have so far been very cool and patient with us hand unloading all this.

https://youtu.be/1G-Kqm2yV14?si=WG801fOfaV1SUX6b