Sam Hunt: Cordova Woodworking
“I used to own and operate an online advertising business. And that was kind of fizzling down. I didn’t want to stay in that industry. So, for quite a while, I was looking for something I wanted to do. And yeah, woodworking was a hobby. So that was kind of always in the back of my mind.
But I went to design school. I did two programs, to learn more hard design skills like sketching and drafting, not necessarily more though on the theory side. And then from there, I was like pretty eager to jump into something. So, I got myself a studio to share a woodshop in Vancouver and started making some of my own designs and doing some custom work.
And it started in early 2020.”
– Sam Hunt
Welcome to a brand-new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. Today, your host Steve Larosiliere is joined by Sam Hunt from Cordova Woodworking.
Sam used to own and run an online advertising company, but it was starting to lose steam. He didn’t want to continue working in that field. Sam had been searching for quite some time for anything to do, and woodworking was a passion. So, that was something he thought about often. Sam enrolled in design school and completed two programs to gain more expertise in complex design techniques like drawing and drafting, albeit perhaps not as much in theory. He was eager to dive into something after that. He then acquired a workspace in Vancouver to share with a woodshop and began producing some of his own designs and performing some bespoke work. And in early 2020, everything started.
In this episode, Sam shares what his first year of business was like, how he established his sense of style and aesthetic, and the main core product he sells most of the time.
Listen now and get the whole story!
“Everything’s kind of out there in the open. And that’s what I feel makes minimal furniture special. So as far as it developing, it’s been my interest. There are tons of inspiration on Instagram. And just kind of try to experiment and sketch as much as possible. Come up with new ideas, see what’s ugly, see what might work. And then make designs and prototypes.”
– Sam Hunt
From Planning to Following: A Guide to Building a Successful Business
Our host Steve will talk about building a whole business, starting with having a solid plan and a comprehensive catalog of products or services.
When it comes to building a business, having a clear plan is crucial. This means defining your goals, identifying your target market, and creating a roadmap for achieving success. With a plan in place, you can start to build a catalog of products or services that meet the needs of your audience.
Once you have your plan and catalog in place, it’s time to start building a following. This means reaching out to potential customers and building relationships with them. You can do this through social media, email marketing, and other channels that allow you to connect with your target audience.
“A step beyond that is you can build a whole business where you have the plans, you have a whole catalog, and then you start building a following.
People start sharing their stuff. And if people want a more in depth, like you charge 3000 to spend a couple of days with you, in your space. So that could be its own business right there. And custom is custom, you can charge a lot more.”
– Steve Larosiliere
Want to get in touch with Sam Hunt?
Contact him through:
Website: https://www.cordovawoodworking.com/