Justin Kerkhove-Brandt joined the Banking Barns team two years ago and has taken the business from a small garage shop to a company with two storefront locations. Banking Barns was named when its founders who would salvage reclaimed barn wood realized they were “banking” on selling the wood they removed.
Since then, Banking Barns has moved away from solely producing items with a reclaimed aesthetic and now also produces epoxy designs.
The Setup…
- With two storefronts and one shop, Banking Barns sells everything, including custom cabinets, tables, countertops, conference tables, bedroom furniture, mantles, etc.
- They also sell Barnwood and lumber and currently source their lumber from two local mills that they work with. One of these mills also owns a kiln and dries all of Justin’s lumber. Talk about keeping it local!
Making The Choice To Go Full- Time…
- Going to college for graphic design, Justin has experience in marketing and has used these skills when he joined the team. Banking Barns is extremely active on Instagram, Facebook, within 9 different Facebook groups, and more recently, they’ve joined TikTok.
- Banking Barns has positioned themselves as a community leader by moderating 9 different groups on Facebook. From epoxy to woodworking groups, Justin is able to offer advice and product suggestions within these groups. By doing this, he’s created a loyal and trusting following that continues to come back for advice, tips, and tricks.
Contact Justin and Banking Barns
- https://bankingbarns.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/bankingbarns/
- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3rG4ehqPmDHieXarKJdWqA
- On TikTok and Instagram @justinwoodworking
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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Want more?
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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?
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