How to Stay Ahead in the Wood Business
Hey, Steve Larosiliere here from Woodpreneur Life. Today, I’m going to talk about how to stay ahead of the curve in the wood business. This question comes about because it’s really important to know what the people want, who the people are, what the trends are, and what the market conditions look like. I’m going to give you three quick ways for you to stay ahead in the wood business.
Networking Through Socials
Number one is network network network. All of the leaders, the people with large followings on social media, the industry people, the manufacturers, you should be following them on social media.
Many times influencers are privy to what’s happening in terms of products or services because they work with the brands. These brands reach out to them because they have influence, and often if you follow the right influencer, they help shape where the industry or the market or the brand or the categories is going.
Photo Credit: @arrowhead_enterprises_inc_
Pay Attention to the Right Information
The next thing you need to do is consume the right information. Pay attention to the Woodpreneur Podcasts and other business podcasts like How I Built This. Get onto different podcasts networks and listen to top podcasts, top business podcasts and follow them. Also pay attention to business magazines, information about the economy, your city, your town, etc.
Pay attention to all of those types because what’s going on outside of the industry could potentially indicate if the economy’s going down or into a recession, then that may affect housing prices, which may affect lumber prices. These are the types of things that you need to pay attention to.
The Value of In-Person Events
Lastly, you need to show up and invest in in-person conferences when they are available again. When they are safe to go back, you should go to in-person shows like the International Woodworking Fair or Workbench Con. There’s a ton of them; just search for different conferences, different trade shows, and events.
If you can show up to like one, two, or three, you’ll not just get a sense of where the industry is headed. You’ll be able to network more, and you’ll be able to meet like-minded people, maybe even get some business out of it.
Keep these three areas firmly in mind:
- Follow influencers and brands.
- Listen to podcasts and read different magazines and trade journals locally and nationally.
- Show up to different trade shows.