Steve Larosiliere: Acres of Timber

 

Welcome back to a brand new episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast. I’m your host, Steve and today I’m actually recording live from my basement. For those that follow, I was living in Michigan for almost a year, while my house was under construction in Chicago. Now we’re moved back in, and we just came back from Thanksgiving break. 

 

While I was in Michigan, I was on a tear. I was making so many charcuterie boards that I actually made money while I was on Thanksgiving vacation, I’ll tell you how I did that. Then on my second to last day I was talking to my wife and I realized that we have a sander here in Chicago. Combine that with a shop vac, some tools my father-in-law gave me, and some Cyber Monday sales, and lo and behold I’m turning my basement into a shop.

 

I feel like I’ve won the lottery honestly. I’ve been doing Woodpreneur and Acres of Timber for five years now, and in that time I’ve helped a lot of people and a lot of businesses out as a marketer. But with Purpose Wood Co. I got a taste of making and I made $5,000 in three months completely part time using the skills that I teach every single one of you every week.

 

After moving back from Michigan I thought I would have to give that up and retire from making stuff, but then it dawned on me. I can make my own shop in my basement, and keep it going! I feel so blessed and lucky because, you know, I’ve gotten a lot of people throughout the years who’ve said, “Oh, thank you for what you do, you know, for the wood industry, woodworkers and sawyers.” And I’m like, “Thank you!” Seriously, thank you for listening to podcasts, watching YouTube and working with me. I just feel so grateful

 

 

 

 

Mastermind Launch

 

If you don’t know, the other thing that’s happened is I’ve launched a mastermind. If you don’t know what a mastermind is, it’s a small group of people that help you succeed who all have your best interests at heart. I did like a mentorship program back in March with about 10 people there. Two people ended up going full time from that and a bunch of people just kept growing their businesses. It was a great community of Woodpreneurs. 

 

If you’re on the mailing list you have gotten an email from me that says, “Hey, I’m doing something special.” And I got a bunch of people to sign up. Basically two times a month, you’ll hop on a group call. You’ll have access to me and my marketing team to answer any questions that you have. You’ll work with me one on one to come up with a marketing plan and we’re going to build out your marketing system using our software. 

 

If you’re interested, send me an email steve@acresoftimber.com and I’ll send you this thing because we’re just starting this mastermind. I thought about the best way for me to really make an impact on people. It is to give you as much of me and my team as possible and I’d love to help you if you’re ready. If you’re ready to go I’m gonna start doing some workshops. Starting next year, in January 2022. 

 

 

 

 

Steve’s Advice Corner

 

Last thing. It’s the end of the year. When it comes to the end of the year stuff, if you’ve been busting your butt all year it can be easy to want to take your foot off the gas. I felt like this. I was working really hard this year. I had a really great year for me financially, and my business grew, the podcast grew, all my clients grew. 

 

I mean, if you didn’t make money during the pandemic in terms of woodworking, you just had wrong information. I hate it if it comes off wrong but you have the wrong information, you are implementing the wrong things because everybody that was listening and implementing the right things had record breaking years. 

 

Everybody was at home, it was a pandemic, all my clients were busy all year. This is the part where I know, it’s December, and everybody wants a chance to chill, but you need to stay busy. You might be thinking, “I can’t take on more work, I’m so overwhelmed,” but you can’t take your foot off the gas, even in December. 

 

Sell every last charcuterie board and every last table. This is the time for you to go all out and sell everything, put more content out there, put more testimonials out there. Reach out to your top 10 customers, and send them a gift and let them know you’re selling right up to December 31st. Obviously take time off for Christmas or whatever, but between now and then just sell sell sell.

 

Because, hey, as long as IKEA is selling furniture, you have a business out there. Because IKEA keeps getting bigger, and all these big furniture brands keep getting bigger. That’s more validation that people need your stuff.