How My Woodworking Booth Made $30,000 at The Biggest Craft Market in America

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In this video I take you on a tour of both my booths at one of the biggest craft markets in America, the Houston Nutcracker Market. We'll be breaking down the numbers for my woodworking booth to see if selling at event like this is really worth it, and all the effort that goes into making an event like this profitable. How My Woodworking Booth Made $30,000 at The Biggest Craft Market in America.
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About Cutting It Close:
Our goal is to help aspiring craftsmen do what they love for a living! We hope to share our knowledge in the woodworking field and CNC routering through training videos, CNC router techniques, unique projects, and practical applications.
#woodworkingprojects #woodworking #craftmarket

[@Waciglass]

The issue with returning to a venue year on year. I have folk come up and say they bought something last year or the year before. You have to vary products, create new designs to appeal to those customers and new ones. Love your breakdown of costs involved. Everyone forgets the event doesn't end until you unload your stock back to base 😀

[@jonhatton4354]

Great video! I just did the big Christmas show in Little Rock. Only 3 days and about 10k people, but my 10x20 was only $700. Ended up profiting a little over $2,000 and made great connections. Will def do it again next year with some minor changes.

[@cutting-it-close]

Nice work!

[@sirguy6678]

Excellent video! Great analysis and breakdown- definitely encouraging! Thanks!!

[@bradobrien6336]

One issue I’ve had with Christmas markets in the past is that is overlaps with a period of increased online sales. So although I get a lot of sales at the Christmas market, it’s a lot of work and I’m always left wondering if I could have achieved similar performance a lot easier just by pushing my online presence during that period. This is an even bigger issue if you have limited stock, because if you hustle to sell something at the market, you can’t also passively sell that item online

[@kitchensnsync]

That's a good show. Unbelievable how much expenses and work to get 6K. Everybody's got a different reason for what makes it worth it and it's probably more than just the money, but I know going to these shows is physically and mentally exhausting. The amount of revenue generated vs what's leftover at the end of the day, I'm not sure it's worth it. Like I say, exposure is probably the greater benefit, also the fact that you can create some content for a KZbin following. I've been pouring over these kind of videos just to see if there's something else as a career option, but I think I'm in the right seat. The expenses to make the product, the electrical bill to run the CNC machines and pumps there's definitely a pretty big cost to that. I really like what you're doing! I love the energy and the tenacity, the risk taking, the drive, all of that. Thank you.

[@moh9545]

Excellent breakdown, thank you. Really interesting to see the numbers and how it works out. Typo on your board 2x8=16 not 18 Did you get any future sales leads / contacts from the show..?

[@stevecorry2118]

Hey again, great video and very helpful. Now from an old retired English teacher, the word ain't eggcetera, it is "etcetera". Now say that 10 times and commit it to memory. OK I'm happy now.

[@ChristmasHGTV]

So many display ideas! Loving the walls. Any tips on how to hang the shelves? I really need the upgrade. Thx for sharing.

[@notmyacount781]

Thank you for the information you have your stuff together from what I can see and you are following your dream thank you for the insight

[@cutting-it-close]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@jothammcmillan8854]

Great and super informational video! I really appreciate the numbers and the reality check that they often provide. I'm still trying to figure out my own niche in the woodworking world so getting some insight into a moneymaking woodworking enterprise is incredibly useful. I follow a lot of youtube/instagram woodworkers but the majority of them seem to make a living through sponsorships or do it as a side hustle which is not useful to me from a business perspective.

[@cutting-it-close]

You are so welcome!

[@akivaweil5066]

Wish I saw this video earlier. Thanks for all the great content as always.

[@cutting-it-close]

Thanks for watching!

[@magicworldbyjorg]

,a cool video keep up the great content.. Thank you……

[@FoodForestBrad]

Curious which of your piggy banks sold the best? Love the idea!

[@dian3145]

Great insight into the full costs of the show! Does your cogs include the labor cost for production? (Like those shorts) Thanks for sharing, look forward to the upcoming changes.

[@cutting-it-close]

Thanks for watching all of the video, really appreciate it, it’s crazy over here in the shop and I have less time to shoot, working day 30 straight currently. I love it

[@scobob]

I really appreciate how you've taken the time to guide people through the pitfalls of the woodworking industry and developing a business in general. Outside of the woodworking, can you focus a bit on how you've invested outside of your business? You are obviously doing well and diversifying your investments with ventures such as the Frio. Could you tell your audience what other hedges you've developed once you have found success? Retirement, succession, and disaster plans? Business, employee, disability insurance and worker's comp. Maybe something like personal and corporate investments? Are you an LLC or a B Corp. I know a bit of a ramble but just some ideas to take your audience along with you for this great ride that you're on. Keep it up!

[@cutting-it-close]

Thank you so much for the comment, I do need to touch on that more. But as far as a quick response goes, I wish I look at that those things more objectively. To be honest, currently I am treading water keeping my head above trying to not get pulled away with the current and trusting the man upstairs the whole way. LLC all the way and I have more long term plans as hedges, what we are doing currently is just step 2 of the plan. Need a few more good years to accelerate the rest of the plan!

[@scobob]

@@cutting-it-close Good to hear. Keep up the good work and keep your eye on the prize. I'm enjoying the vicarious ride and drawing inspiration.

[@jamesholder5613]

Subscribed! Entertaining and very informative - makes me want to dream bigger than I have been!

[@cutting-it-close]

I hope it helps! Thank you for the sub. Do you have any other questions I can see if I can help with?

[@jamesholder5613]

@@cutting-it-close I kinda feel like I’m in the “I don’t know what I don’t know” place, if that makes sense. I started woodworking a couple years ago, but it’s only in my spare time, so it feels like things move at a glacial pace. I love how creative you are and I like the idea of coming up with my unique product, but I’m struggling in that department!

[@cutting-it-close]

I recommend picking a theme or industry you want to design the product for and focus on that. I don’t try to make every wood product out there, I only try to make what’s in my niche.

[@Macgyver00]

Great video! Ive always wanted to work the nutcracker market.

[@cutting-it-close]

Want to help with the booth next year?

[@Macgyver00]

@@cutting-it-close Hey Thanks for the reply. That sounds great! I would love the opportunity to help yall out at the next one. I live close by in Sugarland so getting there would be no issue.

[@orderofthesplinterheads]

Excellent info! Thanks

[@cutting-it-close]

Glad it was helpful!

[@RobSandstromDesigns]

Good video thanks for sharing your experience.

[@cutting-it-close]

Thanks for watching!

[@HR41Plan]

Thank for sharing your expérience, it is very interesting. 1

[@cutting-it-close]

Thanks for watching!

[@chrispendegraft5191]

How do you package and store everything for the wahoo game?

[@cutting-it-close]

In a little felt drawstring bag!

[@onjofilms]

Most people won't do this because it involves something many people don't have, and that is ambition.

[@barbblack7825]

2x8 is 16. Also, what were the costs involved to create the products before (time, parts, equipment)? It doesn't seem worth that kind of stress..…. in my opinion. Your products are great though. I wish you great, continued success.

[@cleverbox-artworks]

Off topic but could you let me know approximately how many hours you get from your mill bits? I'm trying to fugure out if they last 10 hours, 100 hours, 1000 hours? Thx

[@cutting-it-close]

It really depends on what I am cutting, my bits for plastics, I can get 3 months out of 8 hours a day. Some of my bits for Oak, I only get 16-24 hours of use, I have some 1/4 buts that I change daily because of how much cutting they are doing. We go through around 30-50K in bits annually here.

[@hammerholz]

I think it would be great if you build a network for woodworkers, to would all pay big to join, Greetings from Germany!

[@cutting-it-close]

What would you like to have on there?

[@MartinMMeiss-mj6li]

"Excedra" = "Et cetera" But seriously, an informative and inspiring video.

[@richardpogue4959]

Dang and I thought making $600 for a weekend show was pretty decent

[@travdad76]

“Exedra”😂 what about travel costs and employee costs beyond the hourly like workers comp etc.😉

[@godbluffvdgg]

Nice to be near a lot of people with money...Way easier ways to make money, that's for sure...One bad hiccup and the profit gets eaten...It's a shame they rip you off for the 11 points...You're already paying for the booth, never heard of something like that...11 points on sales of goods is STEEP!

[@cutting-it-close]

Seems like a lot but is very worth it!

[@godbluffvdgg]

@@cutting-it-close If you're happy, that's all that matters; I was looking at it as a Remodeling contractor for over 30 years; and my age...:)...You young people have the energy...Just unloading all that stuff, I'd need a nap...:)

[@-_-John-_-]

Unless you're paying your employees minimum wage, $20 per hour is unrealistic. My people cost me around $50 an hour between actually hourly payroll, unemployment insurance, liability insurance, health insurance, holiday pay, vacation pay, payroll taxes, payroll costs and other bullshit costs the government says you have to pay.

[@cutting-it-close]

From my experience it is 30% over the hourly rate if you figure in Taxes, 941 cost, etc, if you have benefits then just keep tacking on all of the costs.

[@-_-John-_-]

@@cutting-it-close Unfortunately for me, in my market, a general laborer who's only experience is smoking shit from a pipe gets $20 an hour. If he has a cordless screwdriver (with or without a battery), he gets $25 an hour. If he has a cordless screwdriver with a battery and only smokes "stuff" after work, well... that's gonna make you crew leader! 😂 I wish my additional costs were only 30%. God bless Texas!

[@cutting-it-close]

@@-_-John-_- What state are you in? That's wild!

[@-_-John-_-]

@@cutting-it-close Nashville. A lot of fast food places pay $15-18 an hour to start. A ton of maintenance and HVAC companies start out at $25 an hour with basic knowledge requirements. I know a guy that owns a trash valet service company. His employees literally pick up trash from apartments and put it in the properties dumpsters. He pays $20 an hour. My high school age kid gets $15 an hour as a hostess. It ridiculous here.

[@cutting-it-close]

@@-_-John-_- That is crazy and I love Nashville, not going to move my business there anymore haha