Today’s guest is a great example of a Woodpreneur with a dream that he’s made a reality. Ryan Penner of the Veteran owned, RST Timberworks!
Ryan started out using an Alaskan Chainsaw Mill as a side hobby while he was still working full-time at his day job and was also Active Duty Military. Always wanting to start his own business, Ryan knew that once this hobby started generating traction and profits, it was the business idea he’d been waiting for.
The Setup…
- Originally involved more in the tree-service side of things, Ryan left tree work when he purchased a bandsaw and turned his attention towards woodwork and sawmilling
- RST mills and sells Walnut, White Oak, and other hardwoods that he gets from tree removal contacts in the area
- Ryan is currently air drying but is in the process of building his own solar kiln
- The woodshop provides custom live edge woodworking and has produced products such as bar tops for local breweries, custom desks for offices, and river tables for customers. Recently, Ryan has been experimenting more with Ecopoxy and Black Diamond Pigments
Making The Choice To Go Full- Time…
- There came a point where there was simply not enough hours in the week for Ryan to continue growing the business while working a day job. He’s missed out on Black Walnut logs because he couldn’t leave work to pick them up, or he’d be commissioned for a sawmill job that would turn into a 3 month long gig because of his time contractions.
- After several heart-to-hearts with his very supportive wife, they decided to take the leap and Ryan left his day job. Since then, he’s been able to take on more work and pursue his passion while the business continues to grow steadily!
Contact Ryan and RST Timberworks
- https://www.rsttimberworks.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/rsttimberworks
- https://www.facebook.com/rsttimberworks
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 wasn’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 tree house 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.
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.
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.”
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