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Mike Jones: Mike Jones Made It “Around 2019, I just kind of started building stuff for myself as a hobby and just didn't realize how much I enjoyed it now that it wasn't like, just demanded or just forced upon me. Just having the opportunity to build things that I wanted to build versus what my dad had ever tasked me with for that particular day. So basically, I started building stuff for myself and posting it online, and originally, I started like selling a lot of my stuff on Facebook, kind of just to fund my habit.” -Mike Jones Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere is joined by Mike Jones, the founder of Mike Jones Made It. Having a mom who's into real estate and a do-it-yourselfer dad, Mike grew up always helping his dad renovate things, like her mom's daycare and some of their rental properties. Mike began creating stuff for himself as a hobby in 2019 and later realized how much he enjoyed it because he was doing it for himself now rather than because his dad required or pushed him to when he was younger. As he started constructing things for himself, he thought of posting his creations online and selling them on Facebook to support his hobby. In this episode, Mike recalls his office career as a Tax-Exempt Bond Finance at an Affordable Housing Finance before becoming a full-time Woodpreneur and the things that led him to leave his job and focus solely on his wood business. He also shares how having entrepreneurial roots inspired him to follow in their footsteps. Listen now and get the whole story! Read More

Mike McGarry: Urban Lumber MB “So, I mean, it took a lot of lobbying and a lot of convincing to eventually get to the point where I could run a pilot project, basically just to convince the city that this is a feasible option. So, I borrowed as much money as I possibly could. I think I had, at the time, I think I had 50K to try and pull together a full sawmill facility. And I found a nice landlord that gave me a building to rent for cheap. Founded a used forklift, found an old sawmill that I rebuilt into an electric sawmill, bought an edger, and it just started milling. Just really figuring it out as I went every step of the way. The mechanical side especially was the first challenge.”   -Mike McGarry   Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere is joined by Mike McGarry, the Co-Founder of Urban Lumber MB. Mike has been at the urban lumber game since about 2018. In Winnipeg, they were losing a ton of trees in their urban canopy, primarily due to Dutch Elm Disease and Emerald Ash Borer. Because of this, Mike decided, "Hey, I've seen other companies pull this off in other locations (recycle trees); why can't we do this here in Winnipeg?" However, there was a lot of red tape at the time, mainly because three levels of government were saying, "There is no way that we can allow you to run a sawmill using these trees." In this episode, Mike recounts how much lobbying and persuasion it took him to get to the point where he could launch a pilot project and persuade the city that his proposal was viable. And how he borrowed as much money and got scammed in the way just to try and pull together an entire sawmill facility. It's time to hear the complete story now! Read More

Steve Larosiliere: Solo Episode “When I first started, I didn't really care about downloads, and I still kind of don't care about downloads. I care more about providing really great stories and insights and lessons for the Woodpreneur Community. And so, I would say that I probably took last year the most seriously that I ever have with the podcast. I did my best to find good guests. And I know that a lot of you find a lot of value in the consulting sessions that I provide for folks.” -Steve Larosiliere Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today's guest is none other than Steve Larosiliere himself! Hear him as he recaps 2022, discusses his goals for 2023, and shares a handful list of trends and other stuff that Woodpreneurs should know this 2023. For the Woodpreneur Community, Steve started the podcast to share inspiring stories, insightful thoughts, and life lessons. Before he knew it, 20,000 people were already listening to the podcast without him ever glancing at the statistics. As a result, Steve diligently searched for quality guests and treated the show seriously. His efforts were well-spent, as many listeners found a lot of value in the consulting sessions he provided for folks. In this episode, Steve discusses his love of helping people with their businesses and the reason behind the company's rebranding (Acres of Timber). Also, watch out as he talks about launching a brand-new podcast specifically just for builders with an old guest Yelitza Mora and don’t miss the most awaited marketing tips for this year 2023! It's time to hear the complete story now! Read More

Landon Knopf: LK Custom Woodworking “I started in high school doing construction. That was kind of everything. But I got a lot of really good basics down doing that. My parents built a cabin down in Southern Missouri. Kind of like where it all started, they built a cabin. I was in college at the time. Me and my dad decided that we were going to finish the entire interior of the cabin ourselves. And with that, I was able to accumulate all these tools, because it was kind of my idea.” -Landon Knopf Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere is joined by Landon Knopf, the owner of LK Custom Woodworking. Landon's humble beginnings began when he worked in construction throughout high school when he first acquired all the fundamentals. When he turned college, his father decided they would complete the interior of the cabin they had built in Southern Missouri all by themselves. And so, Landon was able to gather all the equipment required for woodworking. In this episode, Landon discusses his intentions to construct a home for himself, how good it is to have your brand in people's homes, and his love of making custom furniture like coffee tables and dressers.  Early exposure to carpentry and woodworking led Landon to decide that he wanted to work for himself and establish a woodworking company rather than for a company. He longs for the ability to choose his path and to carry out his work wherever and whenever he pleases. Now is the time to hear the entire story! Read More

Jon Heyesen: Arbor Wood Co. “Arbor Wood Co. We're Minnesota based. We produce thermally modified wood, siding, decking dimensional lumber, millwork, and all that stuff. We have been around for a decade, 10 years exactly. And the Arbor Wood story really starts from an intersection of a love of building materials, a love of specifically, sustainably produced building materials, design, and an intersection, a connection with the academic world.” -Jon Heyesen Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere is joined by Jon Heyesen, the CEO of Arbor Wood Co. Jon's journey began at the point where his passion for design, his connection to academia, and his love of building materials—more specifically, building materials produced sustainably—met. Because of where they are, the natural resources they have, and their incredibly strong natural resources research section, they have a rather active partnership with the University of Minnesota. As a result, relevant research people who want to take good care of the natural resources they have, such as freshwater, forests, a variety of soils, and varied terrains, are collaborating with them. In this episode, Jon discusses the benefits of thermal modification and the science behind it, his well-known product line of thermally modified wood furniture, and how steam stabilizes the wood to prevent warping. He also discusses how Thermally Modified Wood targets less environmentally friendly alternatives. It's time to hear the full story now! Read More

Mike Hoy: Rocky Mountain Wood Slabs “Rocky Mountain Wood Slabs, how it became was, it started back when I was a little kid just being interested in working with my hands, being interested in building things. At 12 years of age, my mom's ex-husband had a welder and he taught me how to weld. And then I just really took off from there. I got into construction. I worked with one home builder and he was awesome. Because I told him my goal was, I wanted to do built-ins, I wanted to do cabinetry, I wanted to build furniture.” -Mike Hoy Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Here with us today, together with your host Steve Larosiliere is Mike Hoy, owner of Rocky Mountain Wood Slabs & Handmade Bespoke Furnishings. Mike's humble beginnings began when he was just a young child who enjoyed crafting things using his hands. With time, Mike got into construction while building himself some capital, and now, as he gains a lot of experience, his focus is to do more built-ins and build more furniture. In this episode, Mike shares how he understood that every piece of wood has a tale to tell, and it is the artist's job to make that narrative come to life. Mike believes his mission is to fulfill the goal of each tree being cut down. His most excellent satisfaction comes from infusing new life into the wood and revealing its hidden beauty. It's his passion, not just work or leisure. Now is the time to hear the whole story! Read More

Craig DeCicco: DeCicco Woodshop "I've been sort of building furniture or building things for most of my life. I was in the Marine Corps, my first time living in a house, and I was just building some crappy furniture for myself. And then slowly started building slightly better furniture for myself. And then, a few years passed, and some friends started asking me if I could build some furniture for them. A couple more years go by that and I'm just, "Does anybody else wants any furniture?" -Craig DeCicco Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Craig DeCicco, the proprietor of the custom furniture firm, ‘DeCicco Woodshop,’ is here today with your host Steve Larosiliere. When Craig and his family purchased their home, he began working on some modest furniture pieces. Friends and relatives began to notice and inquire whether he might construct something for them. Over the ensuing few years, Craig started creating a proper workshop and developing his talents. Every now and then, he would accept requests for custom furniture. Eventually, when those orders got more regular, he launched his firm as a side gig first before becoming a full-time endeavor. In this episode, Craig shares how his side hustle developed, the reasons he began to reevaluate his full-time position, and his plans for his business which started as a hobby but is now a full-fledged custom furniture business. Listen now to hear the complete story! Read More

Layane Maximiliano: Unique Wood Furniture “Max started flipping houses, so that’s how he started his tools collection. And I was working as a designer in a high-end cabinetry company for kitchens and bass. I loved it. I loved the designing process and customizing. But then, after a few years, we decided to come back to Texas. We’d missed it. So, we came back, and Max opened a home remodeling company here. So, with interior design love, I just wanted to decorate my house. So that’s how we basically started.”  – Layane Maximiliano   Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. With your host Steve Larosiliere today is Layane Maximiliano, an Interior Designer and founder of Unique Wood Furniture, together with her husband, Max. Layane and her other half Max are both immigrants from Brazil who are now residing in Texas for 13 long years! Layane did something worthwhile while waiting for the approval of their green card; she completed her Interior Design degree – which in turn will be the gateway to this well-established furniture company. In this episode, Layane discusses how their first project was actually an accident that ended up being a huge blessing in disguise, their risk-taking experiences moving from Brazil to California to Florida to Texas, and the challenges of being an expatriate in a foreign country where the language serves as the primary barrier. “No man is an island.” We rely on one another to survive and get through this thing called life. This saying rings true for the power couple, Layane and Max. Layane shares how they complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses and how it helped grow their business. To hear the entire story, listen right now! Read More

Nathan Zirkel: A to Z Man Construction “I used to be a fireman and I got started, I built my house, or I remodeled our house that we live in currently. And that kind of just started everything and then I was doing it on my days off. And eventually, I got hurt here about three years ago and had to step away from the fire department. And so, this went into full-time. It was always full-time, but it went into even more full-time.”  – Nathan Zirkel Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast! Nathan Zirkel, owner of A to Z-Man Construction LLC, is here today with your host Steve Larosiliere. Nathan was a fireman before starting his own company. Remodeling their very own humble abode during his days off was his first project. When his full-time job as a firefighter hit a rough patch, he eventually became a round-the-clock Woodpreneur. In this episode, Nathan talks about the challenge of growing his business for those people whose not into the “technical” side of it. How his wife is a significant help to his company (as the saying goes, “behind every great man is a great woman,” and we couldn’t agree more!), and the power of word of mouth, the most effective form of traditional marketing. Change is the only thing constant in this world, and Nathan’s clients served as living proof, from “we want to remodel our bathroom, show us once done” to being very focused and hands-on “this is what we want and how we want it done.” Now is the time to listen and hear the whole story! Read More

“As I graduated high school I was like, “this is it! I love this career!” I was fortunate to work on some great projects and decided to pursue custom home building, which, definitely at the time, seems a lot easier than it is until you undertake that task. And then you got to realize, “Okay, well, one thing’s, having the entrepreneur mindset and going out on your own and maybe having a skill set in your expertise but running a business is another thing.” Unfortunately, those are two completely different things.”    - Brad Leavitt   Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast! Brad Leavitt, President, and Founder of AFT Construction, a business that provides custom home-building services, is here today with your host Steve Larosiliere. Brad began building in 2005 and worked for a company for six years before deciding to go into business for himself. Brad describes how he got started during the recession and met Dave Clark, his business partner and mentor. Check out our Blog for More

Nathan Nowak: Wyco Wood Co.   “It’s probably been about five years ago now. With the idea of just taking trees that had no other purpose and turning them in into something other than firewood. Never really thought it would materialize into more than that. But as time went on, we learned how much we really enjoy, opening up a log and seeing what’s inside of it.”   Nathan Nowak   Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere is joined by Nathan Nowak, the co-founder of WYCO Wood Co. Company. Nathan started the company with the idea of taking trees and turning them into firewood. With time, they ventured into milling dimensional lumber after realizing it could be turned into a business. In this episode, Nathan shares the most rewarding parts of starting and running a woodworking business, his vision, and some of the challenges he faces. Being employed as a firefighter and running the company can be a huge task, but he shares how he balances his work time and still runs the business. Since it is a business that only relies on providing services to clients, they share some of the investment plans that could see the company generate more from developing products and not just their services. Listen now and get the whole story! Read More

Welcome to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today your host Steve Larosiliere sits down with Nate Matlack, owner of Matlack Fine Woodworking. Nate’s beginnings in woodworking started with a pocket knife given to him by his father to carve things and keep him out of trouble.    Despite that humble beginning, Nate continued to carve things whenever he got bored, and in high school he took an intro class to furniture making, and things progressed from there. From discussions about starting young, getting his first commission, and much more, you won’t want to miss this episode. Check it out!

Walt Primrose: Primrose Woodworks  “I decided to move back to Rhode Island.   I saw more opportunities for the type of work I wanted to do. You know, just bigger and better things  out here. Rhode Island is pretty affluent. I don't fall into that category, but it's a place where they value the work I wanted to do. I figured I needed to be in a place like this to flourish in that line of work.”  ∙ Walt Primrose  Welcome to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere sits  down with Walt Primrose, the owner of Primrose Woodworks. The transition from working with his father-in-law as a contractor to becoming an independent craftsman wasn't easy at first—it took a lot of time and effort for Walt to get his business off the ground. But now, nine years later, it seems like all that hard work paid off; Primrose Woodworks is still going strong!  “I would literally drive around and find job sites that were houses being built. I'm 10 minutes from the ocean here, and along the shoreline, there’s one giant monstrosity house after the next, they're all over the place with constant building going on. Read More

Welcome to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere sits down with Jeremy Howard, President of Nyle Systems. In this episode we discuss everything from meeting customers' specific needs, the importance of having a niche for growing and scaling, and how to operate a top-tier business model. With all that and more, you won’t want to miss it! Read More

Welcome to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere sits down with Jeff Krug and Rob Barone of Greene Street Joinery. Jeff and Rob’s shop is a custom design and build focused shop located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Between discussing moving into being a full-time wood business quickly, developing sustainable ecological practices, and finding the right customer base, there is a lot to get into with this episode. Check out the full episode, and don’t forget to take a look at Greene Street Joinery at their socials below! Website: https://www.greenestreetjoinery.com Instagram: @greene_st_joinery https://www.woodpreneurlife.com/jeff-krug-rob-barone-greene-street-joinery

Welcome to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today your host Steve Larosiliere sits down on his own to provide an update on how things have been going since the last solo episode of the podcast! Between Woodpreneur Podcast origins, travel stories, and plans to make your fourth quarter a profitable one, you won’t want to miss this episode. Check it out!

Tom Fox: TruCut   Welcome to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today your host Steve Larosiliere sits down with Tom Fox, owner of TruCut Mills and Fox Forestry LLC. This is Tom's second appearance on the Woodpreneur Podcast, and a lot has changed since his last visit. You won't want to miss this one. Check it out!   Instagram: @trucutmills Instagram: @foxforestryllc

“We are the only ones in the world doing it. We follow you on Instagram and I listen to your podcast from time to time and it just gives me a little bit of inspiration. So reaching out to you was just a matter of time when we had our act together. Hemp wood is a derivative of several different technologies that have come up through the years, which started with skriver in the 1970s in Australia.“ Greg Wilson Welcome to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere sits down with Greg Wilson, who is the founder of HempWood. Greg designed materials from various fibers derived from the controversial hemp wood to promote sustainable building. To those who are not familiar, hemp is related to and often lumped together with cannabis. Check out this episode where Greg talks about the background story of his creation, HempWood, and its parent company, Fibonacci. https://www.woodpreneur.com/greg-wilson-hempwood

Welcome to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere sits down with Cagen Chaney of Coach's Custom Woodworking. Cagan is one of the recent members of a particularly impressive club, which is woodworkers who have gone full time as Woodpreneurs! Focusing on high-end tables and dining sets and progressing from a long waitlist of custom orders you won’t want to miss this episode.

Justin & Olga: Cowtown Wood Co. "Justin needed to be to become the master sawyer, and I needed to be a hardcore woodworking networker, and a social media expert, basically. Adding a whole other thing was just going to bog us down."  Olga Welcome back to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today your host Steve Larosiliere sits down with Olga and Justin from Cowtown Wood Co. Justin and Olga are part of the newer wave of Woodpreneurs, as they started their business two and a half years ago doing small woodworking projects. Around that point they started listening to the podcast, which inspired the pair to invest in their own sawmill! “It's almost kind of like you start to become more serious. We got the sawmill and right off the bat, I'm gonna have to just get on this thing and just tear stuff up for a while. I'm gonna have to mess some stuff up, I'm gonna have to figure out what I'm doing.  I don't come from a long line of sawyers or anything like that. I'm completely new. So that's what I did for the first month. I was still working full time and in my spare time, I would just grab whatever I could and just put it on the mill and just see how it runs. Like ‘Okay, this is kind of how this pushes vs this pushes.’ After that, after I felt more experienced with it, we decided to start taking on customers and stuff like that. It was almost instantly that we went from hobbyist to me quitting my job. The week of us going live with it, it was appointment after appointment after appointment. It was also overwhelming. Honestly, I wasn't ready for the full swing to happen that fast. But it was intentional, it was all planned. I mean, we put everything in place to make it happen that way.” Justin Read More