5 Reasons You should NOT start a woodworking business!!

Here are 5 reasons why you should not start a woodworking business. These are struggles I had to personally face, so this is more of a heads up type video. Free plans on my website!
Check out my website:
www.burnstockdesign.com

[@gaylewilliams7353]

Thank you for your wise advice! I'm a 70 year old woman who is loving woodworking in my retirement. I started woodturning about 8 years ago making pens. I began selling them at the local farmers market and still do that today. I expanded my woodworking to American flags, cutting boards and other small items. I am content with my Saturday morning farmers market to sell a small amount of items. I do not want it to become a job so I can still enjoy it. So I do not need to worry about "making a living" with my woodworking. I love making new things and if I sell them, it's great. If not, it's fine. Keep making your videos. I enjoy them very much! 😍

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy the content! I haven't tried farmer or craft markets yet, it seems like it'd be fun!

[@myhoneyshandmade1077]

Wood-turning is so much fun. I love making things on my lathe

[@SandWoodWithMe]

I am at the point where I spend all day working a 9-5 and all evenings and weekends batching out products as fast as I can. The things I struggle with are estimated time and how much to charge. When it's a hobby, hours don't count and generally, the more hours the more fun. In a business with deadlines and waiting customers, things change a lot. Everything you said is pot on and anyone considering a woodworking business should take them as fact because they are. Thanks for sharing your journey, knowledge and advice. Keep putting out this excellent content please!

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Great comment and thanks for the support! It shifts quickly from having a great hobby to having a second or third job.

[@xrmongoose]

I can relate to much of what you said. I can still enjoy it while I'm building for customers UNTIL I get behind schedule. Then I become stressed. I have also struggled with accepting custom orders because of self doubt. I have turned projects down and I have also pushed through and surprised myself. From time to time I've struggled with pricing, typically when it's a new item for me and it has generally been undercharging.i Iove the content! Always funny, always real, always clean and wholesome.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks! Lots of factors happen all at once that suck the joy out of the hobby. I'd encourage you to take on the challenging custom orders. I did that from the start and it's what opened the door to high end clients that are far easier to work with and far more reasonable and understanding.

[@quincyh9745]

Thanks for the honesty about your experience going from a hobby to a business.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

My pleasure!

[@JayBergCustoms]

I still feel like a winner :) As for starting a woodworking business....I just let mine grow naturally over a couple of years. I'm not full time, and I have a 'real' job still. At 54, my goal really is to build this thing to a point where, when I retire, I'm making decent money. There was a point in time (beginning of 2022) that I realized I needed to get legit because of the amount of money I had coming in and the $$$ I was spending on tools and shop improvements.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Your work is excellent! Looking forward to meeting you and touring your shop!

[@rickpouley2857]

Amen! I like your reasons... All true for sure. The worst thing that I have done going into the woodworking business is listening to everyone on KZbin telling me what tools that I need to buy. Little did I know starting out, that I do not need to have all of these tools etc. to start my shop and to make quality products. I still have a few tools that I have yet to use on my shop to make something, and I started my business in 2021.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Well said! That's sort of why I haven't done a video like that. It seems prohibitive to most beginners and they may never get started because they haven't gotten everything on the list. That certainly was the case for me for a little while.

[@thegrayjedi5202]

For me I enjoy creating special items to sell, but I don’t want to do it full time or even as a “real business”. I think I’ll keep it as a side hustle and “under the table” so to speak. Thanks for the advice and making this video for us brother!

[@burnstockwoodworking]

That's an excellent way to do it, I think you'll have more satisfaction keeping it like that. Thanks for commenting!

[@richardniemann5854]

recently got started myself making a few little things like floating wine bottle holders and some red cedar plant potters, only sold a few so far, but I've covered my materials costs at least :)

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Awesome!

[@tomstone2322]

Absolutely agree, I enjoy my time in my shop and want to keep it as a side hustle

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Exactly!

[@ShaunGud]

Same!!

[@jayfabe2591]

The sun rises after the sun set. Still a amatuer woodworker who wants to transition into a business. I truly love woodworking and it helps me feel connected to my dad. He took his life when I was 24 I am now 31. After I down spiraled and found myself locked up and angry at life. I truly want to find value in the things I do not just money wise but internally.. my dad always talked about when he retired he wanted to make furniture as a woodworker in his garage. Well I've always loved building and figuring out how things fit together so my wife and I have a house and she said I could have the detached garage for whatever I wanted. I decided to turn it into a woodshop. I'm still a novice but I've made some things that have made people smile and I've made some things I have looked at after completion and had a sense of purpose when seeing the end result. It means a lot to me to keep my dad's dream alive and to challenge myself and also make things people like. God bless you. God is always good.

[@justinbanks2380]

That first point is such a good one for people to consider before starting a business, regardless of the actual activity/hobby. Doesn't just apply to woodworking

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Yep. I have a habit of being decent at something and immediately figuring out how to turn it into a business or monetize it. It's ok to an extent but it can stunt growth in other areas that could be way more successful if you focus on one thing.

[@justinbanks2380]

@@burnstockwoodworking oh, that is so true. I have trouble too just picking one thing to focus on and go all in on. Too many interests and things I want to try, lol

[@joelesko3267]

Awesome video bruddah! Keep it up man! Burnstock will be forever one of my favorites and love that you’re dedicating more time to the channel! Well done buddy! You’re well on your way to the top! Still patiently waiting for an “about me” video!

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks Joe! And yea, I still owe ya an about video. Thanks for the patience!

[@brandonmooney3989]

Watched a lot of your videos and this was the most informative one. I like all your videos but this is the one that made me subscribe because I found myself nodding a couple of times while watching. Good job brother!

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks! Glad ya find value in it!

[@ZacchaeusVal]

Hey man! I've been watching for almost a year, and wanted to say I absolutely love the content. I love your new content especially because it's helping me build up the courage to start my own business.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Awesome! So glad it helps and that you like it. You're really going to benefit from the upcoming content I plan on rolling out in July / August so, stay tuned!

[@ZacchaeusVal]

@@burnstockwoodworking I’m excited.

[@roquemusic]

Great advice! A couple of the things I'm struggling with at the moment aside from having enough time, is storage and space to woodwork. I don't have a garage at the moment, which forces me to make time to take out the tools I need and put them away before the day ends. There's little to no space left to store usable scraps, so I'm forced to leave some outside under shade and covered with a tarp. At the moment I'm considering this a hobby with hopes that in time I can make it a business. Thanks for the inspiration and the entertaining content! Cheers.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@chrismckenzie820]

Appreciate the advice. Very informative video. I'm a very novice woodworker and this is still a hobby for me.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

So glad ya like it!

[@MCsCreations]

Thanks for all the tips, dude! 😊 Looking forward to the series of videos! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks! You too!

[@myhoneyshandmade1077]

Great information. As a person who went full time woodworking 1 year ago, this video covers a lot of my daily concerns.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Spoken from a far better craftsman than I! Thanks for commenting!

[@myhoneyshandmade1077]

@@burnstockwoodworking Appreciate you!

[@wesleylangston8286]

$10's of dollars!?! Yusssssss!!!

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Glad someone chuckled on that one lol

[@chrisdye5916]

Thanks man for the information just saw your videos on the table it looks really great me and my dad loved woodworking together he past last year so it hard to do projects by myself but i keep building things because that's what he would wanted me to keep on just did a electrical panel door and doing bird houses for my sister now.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Glad ya like it! My condolences on your loss, keep plugging away in the shop!

[@joehanika]

Great video! I love the real talk. I am a hobbyist. I know my skill level is there, but I hold a ton of doubt at the same time. Once I get some home projects done, I am going to work toward turning it into more of a hobby.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks, glad ya like it! I'm gonna work on doing some more videos like this. I struggle with doubt on every project and every video so I'm with ya on that one! Just gotta push it outta your mind and do it anyway.

[@marilynl4321]

I appreciate the info. 🤗

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks!!

[@kingdommindedsurvivalist8580]

Thank you for the info on the reality of starting a business out of this. I am very new, I've learned a lot from your videos thank you.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks for commenting! Glad ya like it

[@ronberneking5847]

Your information is very helpful. I enjoy your craziness. Life is way to serious. Have fun. I'm retired 68 years old don't want to be. But will see where this woodworking thing takes me.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks, glad ya like the content!

[@SciStuff]

I feel what you are layin down man. I've also had hobbies that I turned into companies and then lost the call of the hobby. Good advice al'round. Thank you.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@kevinr1704]

Thanks for sharing this! I think a lot of people jump into a business without really thinking about all aspects. It will be different from just a hobby. Some people get burned out and give up before they become successful. I'd love to win the laser engraver. Good luck, everyone!

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Glad ya like it!

[@MR-si1eq]

Ok. If your gonna give that laser. I'll take one for the team. 😂😂😅 I sent a comment back when you presented it. Very nice. I'm looking into it. Just afraid of it. Not knowing how to use it. Also you you hit the nail on the head about starting this biz. I don't just love woodworking. I have a deep passion for it. I always said to people that if i had to do this as a biz I was afraid that i would begin to regret it. Like you. Furniture is my gig. Both building & repairing. I really am thinking how a laser will help personalize it. I already have a name and design for my burn. Love your channel. Hope I win. 😉 😊

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks! Adding a cheap laser to my shop drastically increased my revenue. Over the course of a year and a half it brought in around 10-13k. Not bad for a $500 investment.

[@kailetaylor021]

I'm in the camp of not enough experience yet. Friends and family said I should make stuff to sell but I am not up to a standard that is good enough for me. I made myself a challenge to make 100 items before I consider starting something very small. Also, to try me hand at more production work I will probably make a number of items for a non profit that they can sell.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Great method and idea! Get some reps in and improvement is inevitable!

[@michaelwillson6847]

Well double burnstockwoodwork thos week yaaassss am here for that. Cant wait here what's coming. Interesting video. 1 thing ive struggled with and still do is pricing. I have been pricing my work at less than should be to get nane ouy there. Ps im up for winning sommit. Speak soon 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Pricing has a learning curve for sure. Thanks as always!

[@justinbanks2380]

You say it might not just be the time 'right now' and I hear 'right meow' from Super Troopers, 😂 'did you just say meow?' 'do I look like a cat to you? All nimbly bimbly?' 😂😂

[@burnstockwoodworking]

😆😆😆

[@maxrensel6829]

I understand the business/hobby issue. I did it with working on cars. Also doing it to woodworking. I have 4 orders of engraved planter boxes im just struggling to find the time to make them.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Yea, it's a constant struggle and quickly becomes another job if you're not careful. Good luck getting them knocked out! I've spent many a midnight working in my shop so I know the feeling

[@justinbanks2380]

Wait, can we not be in the group that will excited and helped by future project AND enjoy watching you talking abd bumbling? 😮😅 In all seriousness, can't wait to see what you have planned!

[@burnstockwoodworking]

😆😆 pick a side!

[@justinbanks2380]

@@burnstockwoodworking *in a little kids voice* But I don't waaaaanna!!! 🤣

[@rockytrh]

The whole "Don't make your hobby your job" thing cannot be overstated. Not just for woodworking. I used to do a lot of software development as a hobby when I was a youngish lad. Some game dev, some work on open source projects, some projects just for me. That quickly dried up when I became a professional software engineer. I do software dev all day long, I don't want to do it off hours.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Yep! I've turned many things I enjoy into some type of monetization and have regretted it almost every time. It's a discipline (for me at least) to be able to enjoy doing something and ignore the thoughts / planning of ways to monetize that particular thing.

[@kevindawson3901]

I want it back into it again so used to build on the houses and stuff but I can't follow directions on these videos I just can't do it

[@justinbanks2380]

I love you keep the bloopers of you trying to explain the movement in the video, most would just cut it out and end up with a sterile video without personality

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Thanks!

[@Griffinwoodworks]

Jealousy is a downfall in business unless it’s channeled correctly. Take the most jealousy inducing tool, the infamous festool domino for example. Folks hate on it I suspect because the can’t afford it and see folks using it and think they’re showing off. Turn that jealousy into a goal. One of my goals is to be able to justify buying a domino. Seasonal items and other side hustle type things is what I do currently, but my goal is furniture making, which is where the domino comes in. I’ve got to get my skill to that level and marketing my name to a level in my area that is synonymous with quality. I may very well be the next prodigy like burnstock, blacktail or four eyes, but I can’t just put a walnut river table on the market with a $10,000 price tag and be taken seriously. Build your reputation, by channeling that jealousy into ambition. Successful people don’t get jealous, they get better because they see things like that as attainable goals. Like you said, change your mindset.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Great comment! Jealousy kills ambition.

[@utoobuser206]

I feel ya ..used to love driving and got my CDL and ran that hard for 20yrs , now i just want to sit in the backseat

[@ab-cn7ki]

I say limiting the material you work with due to price, I struggled thinking how can I pay $90 for a board and make money, People will only pay for pine. It really is a trap that you put yourself in. It goes along with the whole NOT IN MY AREA mindset. Yes every product may not be a hit in your area but you would be surprised how many items you think won't do well turn out to be your biggest sellers. Same thing with pricing items. I use to always think it has to be pine people won't pay for exotics or hardwoods and now I rarely every touch pine as customers don't really care for it now that they can get better products for only a little bit more.

[@fiveduckstudio]

🤣🤣🤣🤣Amen. I work way more now, then when it was a hobby. Well I got to go back in the shop now and get back to work. 😭

[@CultureWatcher5000]

My current strategy is to keep my day job until I've worked up a good product catalogue that will solidly get me through a year, and getting debt and savings handled along the way. I will then attempt to keep my mass production items seperate from my passion projects when i go full time. We'll see how it works out.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Solid plan!

[@GokouZWAR]

So I don’t do woodworking as an escape, in fact I don’t do it at all but I’m wanting to do it. I’d like to do it as a business and since it’s not my escape or hobby does that negate #1? I’ve ran a business before (unsuccessfully) where I did things that ARE my hobby and even if you’re not specifically in woodworking #1 applies to whatever your hobby is and changing it from hobby to business. For me I like to work with laser cutters and engravers and I like building things. I built a pegboard stand for my wife and it was “ok”…(on the second try). I’ve built my computer desk and it’s pretty much garbage compared to what I COULD have done if I really thought about it and had the proper tools. The second side of things while you say “every joe has a table saw” lol I don’t. I have a mitre saw,a circular saw, and a hammer. I don’t even have nails or nail gun (tho my son does have an air compressor for me to use for a nail gun if I had one) the purchase of tools is basically going to be required so it’s like I don’t even know if I have the BASICS to even do work working. I feel like I do but I know I need s good sander, a planar… I mean the laser engraver allows me to buy stuff from like the dollar store and engrave on that, but going into ACTUAL woodworking building tables and furniture just is something I want to be able to do. Flipping old furniture and turning trash to treasure, that kind of stuff appeals to me. But is it “business level”… not yet but I like making money too so I guess I see $$ when it comes to good furnishings and I want to be able to provide that and maybe even build that kind of stuff for myself from the profits. I know my thoughts are all over the place but what kind of advise do you have for someone like me?

[@burnstockwoodworking]

My advice is Stay tuned to my channel. I'm about to do a series that focuses entirely on starting out as a complete beginner. You'll get great value out of it, I anticipate I'll start it in August sometime.

[@mrMacGoover]

You make way more working with steel in a iron works or fabrication bussiness.

[@andyboy148]

Shitty customers might be a turn off. Competition and seeing other makers build stuff and selling it dirt cheap

[@burnstockwoodworking]

Yea, people, especially cheap people, are hard to work with. I have a shop minimum cost to weed out most of them.

[@justinbanks2380]

😂 such a great intro! 'Ha gotcha' and 'I have 10s of dollars' 😅 (That last one is all too relatable!)

[@burnstockwoodworking]

😂😂 glad ya like it!

[@ariseosleeper9819]

Maybe you’ve addressed this, and sorry if you have, I just didn’t catch it if you did in other videos. I love Jesus, and I believe that you said in older videos that you were a Pastor. I was wondering if that is the “job” you gave up in order to go into KZbin Videos and Woodworking full time? No judging either way, really like your videos so was only curious. Thanks

[@burnstockwoodworking]

I am a pastor and nope, didn't give that up. I have a regular full time job, a custom furniture business, KZbin, and pastor. I shut down the custom furniture side of my business to switch to KZbin.

[@ariseosleeper9819]

@@burnstockwoodworking Awesome glad to hear that! Keep up the good work, and may HE BLESS THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS, and videos!😉

[@BPFLY417]

What percentage is your KZbin channel apart of your woodworking business?

[@burnstockwoodworking]

0% up until last month. KZbin has been an expense since starting the channel and is just now making money. I've stopped taking custom orders for woodworking in order to focus on the YT channel.

[@BPFLY417]

@@burnstockwoodworking Just don’t stop building and showing us beginners better techniques to improve on. Your videos are very helpful and informative.

[@christianrobinson4526]

Ortur laser? Pick me! Pick me!

[@burnstockwoodworking]

😆😆

[@awlthatwoodcrafts8911]

You could have stopped at number one. People think that because they enjoy what they're doing AND they can make money off of it, that the next logical step is making it a business. There are exceptions of course. Some people are real go-getters and can make anything happen. The rest of us however, will experience reason #1 at some point. It's the same thing with creating a successful KZbin channel. It looks cool. It looks like fun. The reality is, there's a lot of WORK that goes into it. That's when reason #1 smacks you in the face. I just turned 64. I've only been woodworking for about 5 years. I've settled in to making "smalls" (as @matthewpeech calls them) and started an Etsy shop last month. I've also done some pop-up markets, with some success. I'm content at letting this take time to grow. I want to enjoy what I'm doing while not letting it get overwhelming. When I retire in a couple of years, I want this to still be enjoyable while also supplementing my income. It is because of reason #1, that I don't want to really make this a business. If for legal/tax reasons it has to be, so be it. Bottom line is, I want this to stay enjoyable for myself.

[@burnstockwoodworking]

It's a fun hobby but a tough job! KZbin is a bear! For my own mental health I try to do a project once a month in my shop that is not recorded or even posted on FB. Throw some headphones on, listen to audible, and make music on the table saw. That's a good Saturday!