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What It's About
Shocked by the cost of "live edge" furniture, a father and son team carve up a new hustle building their own.
Business Model
Product
Skills Required
Woodworking & Marketing
Complexity
Medium
Profit Potential
Medium
Words of Wisdom
When it comes to side hustles and life, John says that it is important to push yourself and grow. “Do something that scares you fairly often. I think the quote is: "do something that scares you EVERY DAY", but we’re coming off of 2020 and I think we all need a break. But seriously, it's important to take calculated risks in life and grow from whatever the outcome is.”
Fun Fact
People have been handcrafting furniture for hundreds of years, dating back to Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. The oldest known chairs date back to 5000 B.C and were used ceremonially in Ancient Egypt.
Notes from Chris
Episode 1478
In the summer of 2019, John Krygiel was getting ready to move into a new apartment. So far so good, but there was one problem. He needed new furniture and was especially set on finding the perfect coffee table. He wanted something rustic, earthy, and asymmetrical. He began searching online, and found the exact type of style that he was envisioning. It was a type of furniture called “live edge.” Essentially, the furniture looks like it was cut right out of a tree. Although John fell in love with the style, he was not a fan of the price tag. It was unbe-leaf-ably expensive! What a shock. But fortunately for him (and for the sake of this story), he wasn’t ready to give up on his dream table just yet. He figured that if he couldn’t afford to buy it, maybe he could make it himself—with the help of his dad, who John describes as a “master woodworker.” From there, Origin Woodworks was born. John already had an old auto shop that he ran a lawn care business through, so he decided to base Origin Woodworks there too. He also spent around one thousand dollars in new tools. John said that he got his first paying customer from tools he learned from Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days. He said that he really tried to take what he learned from the book and imagine it from the perspective of a client. In the first year, John made about $6,000 from his side hustle. At this point, most of his customers have come through word-of-mouth. He notes the great thing about selling furniture is that every piece he makes is a potential “ad” for a new client. In the future, he hopes to get a piece of furniture from Origin Woodworks in every home in Missouri. Until then, he’s enjoying his creative outlet that doubles as a business. Not only that, but he’s found great satisfaction being able to give back. He donates a portion of all profits to One Tree Planet, a nonprofit organization that plants trees around the world wherever they are most needed.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Learn more about John's business and see his projects at Originwoodworks.com.
- HVAC Craftsman Carves Out Woodworking Income: This heating and air company sales rep had all but given up on his childhood love of woodworking. But after a six-year break and a random Instagram post, he found his interest rekindling.
- Cardiologist Carves Out Bearable Sculptures: When a cardiologist discovers a new hobby in carving wooden bears, he gets his bearings and gets paid for it.
- Natural Deodorant That Actually Works Brings In $5,500/Month: A California guitar builder finds a way to put spare materials to good use, earning an extra $2,000/month selling retro clocks and classy guitar stands.
Quote of the Day
"It's important to take calculated risks in life and grow from whatever the outcome is."
—John Krygiel #SideHustleSchool
