Joining us for our 100th episode we have an extra special guest and the VERY FIRST person and maker that we ever interviewed on the Woodpreneur Podcast, Treg Sherman of Urbn Timber!
The Woodpreneur Podcast (Formerly the Sawmill Business Podcast) started three years ago and we’re curious, what difference have these past three years made for Urbn Timber?
Treg says they’ve,
- Gone from a 1200 sqft. space to a 12,000 sqft. Shop
- Opened a showroom
- Opened a metal shop
- Bought a kiln and are now able to dry about 6,000 to 8,000 board feet at a time.
Treg credits their increased drying time, various equipment updates, a high level of attentive and passionate customer service, and the company’s unique ownership setup for the boom that the business has gone through.
Their unique partnership is set up like this – Urbn Timber is run by three different owners, all with different strengths. This partnership not only gives them the ability to step back and focus solely on what they’re individually good at, but it also provides a built-in support group where they’re able to bounce ideas off of each other.
- Treg Sherman runs marketing and client management
- Tyler Hillyard designs and creates fine furniture
- Tyler Sirak handles the financials
Time To Mix Up Our Typical Interview Process…
In homage to our 100th episode, we decided to spin our normal interview process on its head and we’ve asked Treg to take the host seat and interview our usual podcast host and the CEO of Acres of Timber, Steve Larosiliere.
Who is Steve Larosiliere?
Steve is a father, husband, marketer, non-profit founder, and entrepreneur. A New York native, Steve now lives in Chicago where he runs Acres of Timber and a non-profit that specializes in the mentorship of children through board sports.
Solving problems, one niche at a time.
A problem solver at heart, Steve loves going into niche communities, seeing what their pain points are, and helping them grow their hobbies and passions into established and profitable businesses.
Steve “fell into” the Woodpreneur niche after he met his wife and she took him home to meet her family for the first time. The first day he was there, her father (Aaron Cross of Crosscut Lumber) woke him up and asked him, “Do you want to cut down a tree?”
It turned out that her grandfather had started and owned a tree farm on their 200-acre property. He used the same trees that he planted to build fine furniture and after passing away four years ago, his furniture continues to live on as his legacy. Now, his son and Steve’s father-in-law, Aaron Cross continue to care for and re-purpose these trees through his business, Crosscut Lumber.
What exactly is a Woodpreneur?
So, why the term “woodpreneur”? When Steve first started Acres of Timber three years ago, the wood community and industry weren’t what it is now.
Slab dealers, wood designers, and more specifically at the time – sawmill users, didn’t have a community or a brand and were going largely unnoticed by potential customers who would look instead to the Home Depot and Lowe’s of this world for their products. Steve sought to change that by creating the Sawmill Business Instagram account and the #sawmillbusiness hashtag as a way to share the products and creations that these innovative makers were producing. It didn’t take long for the account to grow to over 136,000 followers and with a hashtag that has been used over 35,000 times, the Sawmill Business community grew and grew quickly!
As the Sawmill Business following grew, Steve began to notice that this community didn’t just include sawmill owners. Furniture designers, woodworkers, arborists, tree climbers, chainsaw users, slab sellers, and even treehouse makers became an integral part of the Sawmill Business family as well. It was at this point that Steve knew the business needed a new name that would truly encompass all that the wood community represents. Hence, @acresoftimber and the term “Woodprener” was born.@p.roduct
@milled_by_wikstrom
With the maker movement now in full swing, there are more podcasts, content creators, (like Anne of All Trades) YouTubers, and makers, (such as Matt Cremona) that are putting a spotlight on sawmill users, furniture makers, and other wood related niches. Not only has the wood community turned into a “maker movement” it’s also filled with people who now view the work that they do as a profitable business and not just a hobby. A perception that was lacking without a community behind it.
@dylanmccunn
A “Woodpreneur” Is A…
- Sawmill User
- Wood Business Owner
- Furniture Designer
- Hardwood Flooring Professional
- Woodworker
- Slab Dealer
- Kiln User
- Welder
- Content Creator
- Maker
And an overall innovative, brave, and creative entrepreneur in the wood industry!
“Woodpreneurs care about building their business as much as they care about the quality of the products they make, create, and sell. They don’t just want a job, they want a company. They invest in this company with blood, sweat, and tears and love every minute of it.”
@rustic_designs_by_rich
Steve’s Biggest Successes So Far?
- Launching the Woodpreneur Bootcamp Course that many have credited as the propulsion that got them to break six figures in their wood business.
- Partnering with Jennifer Alger of Far West Forest and Urban Salvaged and Reclaimed Woods to host the Urban Lumber Summit in 2018. 100 registrants from the United States and Canada attended this event and it was a fun and informative event!
- Building relationships with makers, innovators, and business owners in the wood industry.
- Getting the hashtag, #sawmillbusiness to beat out the use of the hashtag #woodmizer!
Steve’s Advice For Makers Looking To Grow Their Wood Business.
- Don’t put all of your eggs into the social media basket.
- Build a database! It’s vital to have a way to capture the information of the people who like what you’re doing.
- Don’t think about yearly salaries, think about monthly income.
- Get a website and make it look amazing. A professional website is EXTREMELY important.
- Take online courses and find mentors and makers that are what you’d like to be.
- BRAND YOURSELF. People perceive you as the person and company that you put out there for them to see. Perception is everything.
- Make a financial, business, and marketing plan. Something Steve calls the “Freedom Roadmap”.
Listen to the full interview Here
Oh, did you think we forgot??
We told you we were dropping some big news on this 100th episode…
The VIRTUAL and FREE Woodpreneur Summit 2019 is coming August 14th, 15th, and 16th!!
With guests such as EcoPoxy, iDry Systems, Nyle, Hudson Forest Equipment, Sam Sherrill, Jennifer Alger, Diamondback Toolbelts, Vintage Axe Works and MANY more you won’t want to miss this summit!
Completely free to attend and virtual, so register HERE and get your sweatpants and notebook ready!
http://woodpreneursummit.com
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Want more??
Join our private Facebook Group and get access to our FREE marketing hacks course for Woodpreneurs! ?CLICK HERE TO JOIN
Listen to more episodes of the Woodpreneur Podcast at ?https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/sawmill-business
Read our Free Instagram Report:? “Tools for how to turn leads into sales, grow your following, and easily create engaging content.”
Are you ready to scale your woodworking, flooring, or tree service business?
Click? HERE to schedule your strategy session with Steve Larosiliere, host of the Woodpreneur Podcast and CEO of Acres of Timber
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