Why You're NOT Making Money Woodworking | 7 Business Tips
Why You're NOT Making Money Woodworking | 7 Business Tips
These 7 strategies will help you grow your woodworking business and take it to the next level. Find out what mistakes are costing you and how to fix them. These tips are something I wish I would have known early on. These steps are easy to follow and learn. Ryan goes over practical woodworking knowledge from industry professionals and personal experience. I hope you are better off as a woodworking business after this video!
My Favorite CNC Router Bit – https://amzn.to/3cFhFt7
My Favorite Wood Filler / Crack Repair – https://www.starbond.com/?rfsn=5289265.e7c52e5
#1 Not Focusing On A Niche – 1:00
#2 Death by Choices – 3:54
#3 Not Understanding Your Market – 7:27
#4 Not Writing Plans – 9:13
#5 Making What You Think is Cool – 11:01
#6 Focusing on the Wrong Details – 12:17
#7 Saying Yes to Everyone – 15:05
About Cuttin It Close:
Founded in 2020 Cuttin It Close is the educational platform of Drapela Works we look to provide value and insight on various wood related projects and techniques. Through training videos, CNC router techniques, unique projects, and practical applications, we hope to share our knowledge in the woodworking field and CNC routering.
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This is good information and what you are saying is true this has helped me a lot nice one
Good Chanel finally some one on you tube with a real machine, not a joy. I am also own a contract cnc company, its a hustle for sure. Looking at your page do you just make cutting board, and a few other gadgets. Are you a youtuber or a cnc company?
Thank you for this man ! Great tips !
"Nitching Down"???? The word NICHE is pronounced NEESH and it’s French!! Good Grief…
You are talking about woodworking but these rules are easily applicable to so many industries. Thank you so much for speaking about your experiences so clearly and presenting your helpful and much needed ideas. You’re brilliant!🙂
*I am a beginner to woodwork, the main test I have with this bundle **Allmy.Tips** is that I think that its hard to settle on a choice of the plan and outline to use as there are a large portion of them there. Nonetheless, I like the simple stride to step directions laid out there.*
hes from fucking Cali no wonder he does not know what the fuck hes talking about
Great video and advice man! Really appreciate it. I’m subscribing😉
You are my Hero! 😎
I don’t say no, I just quote a price that makes them say no. Then, sometimes, they say yes, and I make a boatload of money.
You nailed it
Niche, it is pronounced Neesh.
I’ve been self employed since 2003 and I can say that you hit a lot of the key points right on the head. Great topic.
Good luck
All good advice. Just wanted to say that the way you communicated it was a near 10/10. Video was just the right length. You spoke clearly. There was no fluff. Just enough info to get across your point.
I would love to hear some more of your strategies and how to properly serve a niche market!
Hey man. I’m currently running a successful cabinet shop and I’m a custom woodworker myself.
To your first point of a niche… Actually there’s nothing wrong with doing weird and disconnected woodworking project, as long as you bill them appropriately and you don’t want employees. You absolutely need a niche if you have employees… Because it takes too much work to train employees in a wide range.
But I personally have made a bunch of money with weird projects when I didn’t have employees… For example- I got hired to rebuild a 1931 Chevy Woody car with a Hercules body style… To my knowledge it’s the last one that exists. How the heck do I price it? Lol. I just told the customer "it will be $100 an hour, and I am not sure how long it will take… Maybe a month of time?" So my estimate is $20k-$30k.
There’s nothing wrong with that if you charge appropriately. The problem is when you start to try get competitive pricing as a one man shop custom woodworker… As a custom woodworker, your prices are simply going to be high and it is difficult to find those customers. But if you can… Then more power to you.
Generally I agree with you that most people should really zero in on a niche. And I agree with your other points.
Great points.
Couldn’t disagree more with your first point. I have about 30-40 products they all ebb and flow. It not hard to be good a few things.
This video was spot on! Appreciate the info 👌🏽
In sales, #2 is called PARALASYS BY ANALYSIS. If the client has too many options, they are unable to decide, so they decide not to choose at all.
You’re not making sense, you’re just talking. You say make a niche, but then contradict yourself.
First video I’ve watched of yours but definitely helped if I can personally stick to it, that’s on me though. Appreciate the insight. Got my subscription.
I’m in the process of selling the same table I’ve made a base for now 3 times, and spent a lot of time looking back at those builds trying to figure out exactly how I built it previously
Needed to hear this so bad. WOW!!..
Great video it made a lot of since.
Great advice, thank you.
I have no clue of your age but you young man have wisdom beyond your years. Thank you for sharing this.
omg. this guy is half my age and nailing it. ugh.
Excellent advice, well said!
The custom world is tricky but it’s fun to have the challenge you just gotta charge a lot.
Do a video on how I made a million dollar making custom cutting boards. 😆🤣😂
I gotta hand it to you… impressive insights here. If you figured all this out on your own then special props to you. If you listened to others and gleaned this wisdom – Way To Go. While there are successful hybrid models where you niche and do custom like do and love it… by far the best advice is to cater to a specific niche. It’s what I always recommend to young bucks getting into the field. Maybe not right away, as some varied experience will help you tremendously but definitely have it as a near term goal.
Good stuff dude.
Cheers
Greg
Great Informative Video, blessing to hear another pro emphasize the factors of this business
It must be hell going bald so young.
I agree,but saying No is kinda hard,lol.Very good points though.
Ryan, I get where you’re coming from and I can see that you’re going to be a great success at what you’re doing. And I also agree with a lot of what you’re saying as far as ways to stay out of trouble when it comes to understanding how best to serve your customer base. I’ve looked at your website and I see the kinds of products that you and your team are turning out and they’re in line with the advice that you’re providing. A lot of woodworkers dream of owning their own shop, upskilling their talents, finding a customer base and having a long term, diverse woodworking career. They and I believe that there’s a bespoke quality to woodworking. When you remove that quality, you’re drifting away from doing woodworking. You’re going to be a success at making money. Woodworking is a craft. Programming a computer is a technological function and not a craft. Where I sit is that you’re making money out modeling with wood and not woodworking. You’re also not just using wood. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with what you’re doing or your advice. I’m just saying that it’s not woodworking. I also thought your prices were about 15% too low.
Yes, the power of no!
You are amazing. Love what you have to say. God bless you. Keep up the great work and thank you.
Thankyou for these tips
Okay
You look completely fine without moving your hands that much, also you can relax your eyes too
learn how to talk and breathe that should be your niche lol
These are very helpful, thank you for sharing your knowledge
Your point #5 in particular bit me in the arse recently. I am an old guy who should know better. I am a late arrival in woodworking, being a retired engineer. I spent some considerable time and material in design, jigs and samples. to make something which I thought was the bee’s knees, but found that I could not sell. Retailers turned my offer down without even asking my price. Instead of equipping myself for production, I would have been wiser to make a small number in a simple way to first test the market. Thank you, good advice.
Thank you , lots of good advice !
1. Not focusing on a niche 0:58
2. Death By Choices 3:55
3. Not Understanding Your Market 7:26
4. Not Writing Down Previous Project Plans or Methods 9:14
5. Making What You Want, Not What the Customer Wants 11:04
6. Focusing on the Wrong Details 12:18
7. Saying Yes to Everyone 15:04
This is good advice
You would think the more products you make would appeal to different people, but not necessarily so.
I’m in South Texas also (New Braunfels). My position was phased out at my work. As a result, I’m taking the plunge to go full time woodworking while I have some cash reserve for a few months. I’d love to pick your brain on some hurdles I’m working to overcome and get rolling. I’ve been focusing on custom poker tables under the name Judge Customs. Especially when it comes to marketing and shipping.
From Jamaica Kingston I am also a manufacturer i would like to give you order
Yeah this was very informative, I was probably going to end up frustrated because I wanted to do too many different types projects. Think I’m going to shrink it to two small products that don’t take long to make and go from there. The other things can be my hobby once business is booming. Thank you.