People said I would burnout...

Get 10% off your first month of therapy with my sponsor BetterHelp: betterhelp.com/krisdevo
What a journey this has been!
It hasn't been easy, but that's okay. I am stronger for it now, and there definitely was a silver lining to this.
My production methods have changed for the better. More on that in another video.
This was a hard video to film and produce. I have been sitting on this footage for 1.5 years now. This is about the struggles because they damn sure are real. I hit a bottom of sorts, most of that is left off-camera. Pretty hard to film when things get super hard.
The ending is raw, probably won't help my KZbin algorithm, but hopefully, it will help some of you who watch this.
Social media can be so fake sometimes, just in a way that those watching only see the upside to everyone's life. I struggle like most people. Life is hard. Still trying to figure out this thing we live and breathe every day.
As much as my products cost, my overhead eats most everything. These sponsored ads have been a blessing for me.
I hope to change things up a bit soon and get back to some outdoor activities that I love.
Hopefully you guys and gals would like to see some of those adventures as well.
Cheers,
Kris
The 2 videos filmed during this time:
• Alaskan Forged Chef Kn...
• Had An Idea With Scraps
Social Media / business sponsorship inquiries - [e-mail]
Next run of Chaotic blocks will soon be available here:
Products available on my website: www.krisdevo.com
Contact Kris DeVo: www.krisdevo.com/contact
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DeVo's WoodCraft
11471 Business BLVD, Unit 773503
Eagle River, AK 99577
USA
Join my Patreon for all the "behind the scenes".
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Starting 11/15/2023 I will be uploading behind the scenes to Patreon. A Vlog of sorts of my woodworking and Alaska life.
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Disclaimer:
Please do not attempt to do anything you see in these videos unless you are 100% comfortable with using these tools. .

[@ditryn]

As a return customer I can honestly say, "you might find cheaper but you won't find better"

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @ditryn! Love hearing this!

[@korpakukac]

There is something beautiful in watching an artist get teary-eyed while proudly holding their finished pieces.

[@KrisDeVo]

🙏🙏🙏

[@Jinxid77]

I was having the same thought... So much work, and then finally the beaming smile from the result.

[@t3dwork]

Thank you for recognizing your burnout, and being comfortable enough to share it. Love all the videos, no need to apologize to me ever for taking your time on a project Kris, it has done you well.

[@KrisDeVo]

Was a hard share for sure. Hope it helps someone else too. Cheers

[@iamthinksnow]

@@KrisDeVo Depression and burnout affect everyone. Asking for help can only make you stronger. Thank you, Kris, for sharing your journey.

[@joegutierrez4197]

You do beautifully awesome work! Hang on to those you love and those that love you!! Blessings!!!

[@michaeldevoe9235]

Great operation that is quality and consistency in process driven; getting back into woodworking as it is therapeutic, but can see easily where you were. Was on a similar path a couple years back, so huzzah to what you shared and where you are now! After watching your work, I need to get my shopsabre cranked up and working!

[@Jonathan_Grider]

Kris, I too own my own woodworking business, and have landed a LARGE project building 165+/- Queen size platform bed frames. I have delivered 26, in 2 years, working nights and weekends. And yes, the burn out is real. Thank you for sharing your story, and the struggles we all face. I am too proud most of the time to say that I’m feeling burnt out, or that I don’t want to do the things. But I pull through, and get shit done, because it won’t unless we strap in and do it. Love you man!!!! Best wishes!!!

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you for sharing @Jonathan_Grider! 165 bed frames sounds like some serious work! Best wishes!!

[@smicksmookety]

I've watched your chaotic videos 100 times and I still don't understand how it's done.

[@KrisDeVo]

Will have to work on trying to explain things better, cheers.

[@brianpeterson8908]

Depression sucks, it runs in my family and I've fought it since teenage years. Take some of the pressures off of you, bring in an employee or two. It will decrease the chance of burnout, allow you to do other things like selling slabs and help you expand into other items. I know it's not a question we as entrepreneurs like to face, we think we can do everything, but what happens if you get sick or worse? Love your work, always looking forward to new videos. Take care.

[@KrisDeVo]

Man that must be hard, wishing the best for you. I have had a couple part time guys in the past. That is a lot of work and added stress. Maybe one day I will give it a go again when things are a bit more dialed in.

[@lindewoodworking]

Those are all great ideas! Even just having someone cleanup and empty dust collectors and restock glue etc.

[@lindewoodworking]

@@KrisDeVo my brother had good luck with kids after school to just do some cleanup and some of the back hurting things as he got older. He was a landscaper/gardener.

[@liquidrockaquatics3900]

@@KrisDeVoI would imagine there are some local aspiring woodworkers that are teenagers that would be interested in learning and absorbing information if you are willing to teach them

[@dgoddard]

As someone who deals with ADHD (causes me to put too many irons into the fire) as well as severe depression (causes me to not be able to grab any handles of those irons), I get it. It's tough. And sometimes it's too tough and I'll burnout and sit for a week and sometimes weeks at a time at the house not doing anything and getting behind. Glad you're in a better place and I hope you can stay there.

[@KrisDeVo]

I feel this @dgoddard. I too have those same roadblocks. ADHD can also work for you and be amazing but like you say. It is a constant battle. I wish the best for you. Cheers

[@fixinanddoinstuff2134]

Much RESPECT Kris. That giggling at the end is sweeter after the depths. Thank you

[@KrisDeVo]

Happy to hear you liked that part too @fixinanddoinstuff2134

[@johnritchie3889]

Man, those are some cool boards. Your work is awesome. Thank you for talking about the struggles we all face. You’re a role model for me, and I’m 65 this year. Cheers!

[@KrisDeVo]

Were all in this together brother, thank you for the kind words. I wish the best for you John.

[@StephenNetherton]

Man. Well said!! I hope you’re doing well.

[@cinm9565]

I have been watching you since the beginning. You are a true artist. God bless❤

[@KrisDeVo]

Appreciate you sticking around since the beginning @cinm9565!

[@jkurbanski6475]

I truly appreciate all you put into your craft. Absolutely amazing !😎

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you so much 😀

[@Taylorisafarmeryo]

By far my favorite channel and maker. I get so excited when I see a new video out. Makes my day every time.

[@KrisDeVo]

That means so much to me, thank you @Taylorisafarmeryo!

[@lindewoodworking]

Hey Kris…So glad you prioritized yourself and took the time to do what you needed to bring yourself back from the burnout! Life can be a hard road and it takes courage to stop and seek support to heal. Mad respect 🫡. Great to see you building. Hoping you have found a truck or you will find one. I love seeing your fishing and boating adventures. Peace to you and the fam.

[@KrisDeVo]

Really appreciate @lindewoodworking. It is hard, and harder to share. Others sharing has helped.... Hope to bring back some Alaska adventures soon! Cheers

[@jozsefizsak]

Glad things are better for you, Chris. We all struggle at times and the important thing to remember is that as long as our mistakes are not fatal ones, we can keep making new ones until we find a workable solution to our problems. We are social beings which means we can seek out the expertise of others when we need help with anything at all. About your work, I have to say that your designs are simply spellbinding and inspired. The splendid workmanship is the icing on the cake. Your stuff is in the ratified category of things to give as a gift to convey the greatest possible affection. As others have said, you absolutely are a true artist.

[@KrisDeVo]

Very well said, and thank you for the kind words.

[@roberlucas]

Greetings from northern Spain! What an awesome artisan! Beautiful work man, and I can tell it makes you proud when you're showing the finished blocks. Un trabajo precioso, un abrazo!

[@KrisDeVo]

It sure does, thank you @roberlucas

[@GlennMartinPhotography]

Glad to see you have been getting the help you need, mental health os so important. Take care, Kris.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @GlennMartinPhotography

[@fourpressmedia2674]

You are incredibly talented; a master craftsman in his element. Balance is important, take care of yourself so you can take care of that beautiful family. Thank you for sharing your vulnerability and humility. You are an inspiration to the rest of us. Much love from Texas.

[@KrisDeVo]

Much love @fourpressmedia2674

[@paulkelly1702]

The amount of effort -time and effort - you put into your boards is amazing. I don't know HOW you do it, but you do. Best thoughts to you.

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @paulkelly1702

[@ArtbyJoshuaBradley]

I can honestly say that the video hits home for me. I had a big show that I worked on last year came with the most nice pieces I had ever made. Went to the show and had several days of rain and sales were fair but not as expected and came back burnt out. I need to get back to the lathe. Thanks again for sharing. Love the videos, much respect.

[@philrader2016]

Kris, First I wanted to say thanks. You are an inspiration to a lot of people I can honestly say I've been in awe of your talents. I've met a lot of people in my 34 year career with 24 of those years as a business owner. The people who Ive met who I consider successful are not the ones with fancy homes and cars its the ones who are honest with themselves and are not afraid to ask for help when they need it. Let you love of family keep you grounded. Make yourself one of your clients and treat yourself just like you treat your clients.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @philrader2016

[@maccer16]

Thanks for sharing your story. It is not an easy thing to speak about. Your products are some of the best I have seen. I am fortunate enough to own a couple of your boards and I hope you stay in the game.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @maccer16! Really appreciate all the support🙏

[@tdg911]

Another viewer since the beginning and your creations never gets old my brother. Your craftsmanship and passion is exceptional. Thank you for sharing with us. When you post a new video it seems everything else around me stops for 20-30 minutes until I finish watching it. Then its back to the grind. Much love

[@KrisDeVo]

Much love @tdg911, thank you.

[@Tom_Monahan]

Great video. Glad to see you are doing better. Beautiful work!

[@ghraptor30]

Love the videos. Great content...love the time-lapse. Like you said keep on truckin.

[@davids8493]

Again, absolutely stunning! Thank you sir. 👍👍

[@richardkelleher1711]

I am so happy you reached out for help. So many people ignore or deny the fact that mental health is health, just like heart health or lung health. Some how mental health is demonized. Glad you overcame the societal stigma. Please keep up with your beautiful work and stay healthy for yourself and your beautiful family. Thanks for sharing.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @richardkelleher1711

[@Bobby-lr2nw]

Your artwork is indescribably beautiful. Any price for your work doesn't do it justice. You are great and thank you for sharing with us. Keep taking care of yourself!

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you very much!

[@murtoz5628]

Thank you for keeping it real and addressing this difficult topic - and of course for the gorgeous things you make!

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @murtoz5628

[@Glass1mr]

Great content and amazing message. As always thank you for sharing your journey with us.

[@johnbuerger6579]

Wow! You have really accomplished a ton in a short amount of time. I watched one of your early videos when you were just starting up. Nice job every step of the way. The end product looks really nice. From one Alaskan woodworker to another -thumbs up!

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you John!

[@tobiaswambsgan5373]

Gosh, those Blocks are really beautiful. ❤ I hope you are getting better soon! Please take care...

[@danieldalcorso3474]

Wow! Everything about you, your products, your work ethic, your dedication to your family, honest sharing about your mental health challenges. You are one fine human being! Thank you for this amazing video. And my God, those are the most beautiful cutting boards I have ever seen. I make some pretty ones myself, but you are on an entirely different level. You have touched my heart!

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you for the kind words @danieldalcorso3474!

[@ericheberling8066]

Always a joy to watch your videos! As someone else who struggles with mental health I want to say thank you for bringing this issue up to everyone. Glad to hear that you are doing well. I look forward to the day that I can purchase one of your beautiful cutting boards.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @ericheberling8066, thank you for sharing, I wish the best for you!

[@alanleitschuh993]

Thank you for letting everyone see your accomplishments and also your trials. It is important to show the individuals out there that are struggling. that they are not alone. We need to see the bad, good and everything in-between of what goes into these functional works of art, to have an appreciation of the work, hours, labor, skill, sacrifice, tools. caution/safety needed, coordination, and anything else left out. I've been through struggles in my life. What you said about the ups and downs and determination of seeing it thru is the answer. In my opinion just taking it day by day or hour by hour or minute by minute or even breath by breath, is worth it in the end, if you can endure it, and you can! I'm talking 34 years military service and 24 years of fire service here, so take it for what it's worth. I have started my own woodworking shop here in Florida and need to concentrate on it more to get it up and running and with all that I have seen and witnessed, I know I'll see it thru...I just need hope! If you look deep enough into your sole, you can always find that hope!

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you for sharing @alanleitschuh993 Best of luck to you with the new woodworking shop!

[@MrBez007]

Well done. Truly inspiring.

[@helgavoorneveld1530]

I was kinda worried when I didn't see a video come out for a while but you having burnout makes total sense.... When I realised how much work you have done over the past few years and how much has changed in your life I is actually a miracle you only got the burnout recently. You are not a machine and no human could have done what you have done without suffering from exhaustion in some way. Is it me or did you loose weight as well? I hope it is due to some healthier eating habits and not due to stress. Needless to say that these boards are again you evolving to a higher level with them. They are so beautiful I could watch that all day. I am very glad to see you doing your art again and happy you have seen the need for help and gotten it. The best way forward is working less, plenty of fresh air, water and healthy food and exercise to keep you from burning out again. Good luck with your recovery and hope you can find the balance needed between your family your art and yourself 😍🤩🥰

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @helgavoorneveld1530 I was wondering if someone would notice. Yes, I was working on my weight before my burnout and that extra 25lbs jumped back on fast! Appreciate the kind words!

[@franka5416]

Excellent video Kris - on so many levels. As always, thanks for sharing.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you Frank!

[@Omar-rb9jb]

Great to see you Kris. God bless you and your beautiful family. Pace yourself my brother.

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated Omar

[@johnwebb7882]

I got into doing European mounts with deer and other animals. There was a gal that did European mounts that I loved to watch and learn from. She hit rock bottom and had major burnout like you did. After a long struggle for her she made one last video of where she had been and her long road to recovery. She needed to get back to what mattered the most to her. That was her last video. I was in tears listening to her story. I sure miss her videos and sharing her journey, but I pray that she is doing well. I guess my point here is you have to take care of yourself first and foremost. Take care!!

[@thetreyway]

Great video, takes a strong person to put yourself out there, thank you for that. I know your video will not only be fantastic for people to view to learn how much effort goes into this type of work, but you will help many other people that have some of the same struggles.

[@KrisDeVo]

This one was a hard one to put out there for sure. Hopefully it can help a few people.

[@martinskanders2460]

Thank you man, you inspire new things. Thank you for not giving up on difficulties. God bless🙂🤝

[@KrisDeVo]

I appreciate that🙏

[@scrappyoakswoodcraft]

You are an inspiration to myself and many others working out of our garages. You are appreciated!

[@pjl4562]

Fantastic video and so glad you shared your story…thank you…

[@kevinhowarth7651]

Great video glad you come out the other side keep going life does get better

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @kevinhowarth7651!

[@MrTolcher]

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kris.

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @MrTolcher

[@piratiniwood547]

Awesome video... Thanks for sharing all... Live instead of being lived, love you man

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @piratiniwood547

[@GregsGarage]

Kris - That was a monumental amount of work. I'm sure there were a number of other items moving through your shop at the same time. Your ability to see things to the finish line is amazing along with your dedication to the craftsmanship. The knife combination takes your cutting boards to a completely different level... I hope you're able to step away and spend some time with your beautiful family.

[@davebaker1325]

Always love your videos, Kris. Inspirational in more ways than one. I know I've said it on past videos, but your journey had helped me start my own side business of making/selling cutting boards, snack trays, etc. So I always look forward to any content you put out. Thanks for sharing. And those chaotic fade boards are amazingly beautiful.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @davebaker1325

[@joelleffler9828]

Those are absolutely beautiful! It’s insane the amount of work that goes into making them!

[@jimbryant2157]

The amount of work is massive, but the outcome is amazing!

[@jcmakesit]

Very Nice Work Kris, Take Care !!!!!!!!

[@KrisDeVo]

Thanks 👍

[@YuriiYurkiv-pm8nj]

I am inspired by such stories. Whatever you do, it is important to love what you do. You can never stop. Thanks for the video, I wish you luck in this work🙌🏻

[@KrisDeVo]

I appreciate you @YuriiYurkiv-pm8nj, thank you.

[@johnp.9725]

Beautiful work from a beautiful person. I struggled all last year as well with some personal things, not to mention my mother’s worsening Parkinson’s disease that finally took her from us last November. Having a creative outlet helps, but counseling got me through it. Good luck to you, and thank you for sharing your creative passions with the world. You help make the world a better place by showing what inspiration and hard work can build. Best to you and your family.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you for sharing @johnp.9725 Best to you and your family as well.

[@coolabahwoodworking]

Amazing real raw! Appreciate this! Thank you

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @coolabahwoodworking!

[@jlivewell]

Stunning craftsmanship! Congratulations!

[@HarryVonhoene]

Your work is beautiful! As a woodworker myself YOU are amazing! I hope to one day own one of your pieces.

[@jasperkemp9025]

Hi Chris, your videos are awe-some! Means we are in awe, and then some... Strength is there when one is aware of one's situation and accepts it/works on it; weakness is ignoring it. Thanks for popping up on my YT, and all the best from Hamburg👊

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated 👊

[@Jeff_369]

Thank you for sharing brother!

[@user-wp5qy6mg6t]

Amen brother, what you do is an art , those are some of the most beautiful boards that I have ever seen. It's amazing how you can get caught up in the moment and think that you have got the bull by the horns but in your case maybe a moose lol. I would love to come to your shop and see what you can do and learn from you. I'm 63 years old and have a small shop in my garage. I've made a few boards but nothing to the extent that you have. I think it would be a privilege to come and see your work and maybe help you make a couple boards.

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @user-wp5qy6mg6t

[@bjarterksund107]

Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work, love your woodwork. Take care! 🇳🇴😊👍

[@KrisDeVo]

Thanks, will do!

[@rorybarrett1917]

Amazing work as always. Good for you for recognizing you needed help with your mental health and taking care of yourself

[@ADHDbuilt]

I feel you. Was in a pretty similar position with my own business working from home. Money doesn't come in if I'm not working, pre-orders have people who've spent money and are waiting, getting impatient, and I don't like to keep them waiting, so I push myself to get that batch done, and the next needs to be started asap. All that time I was never really making the sort of money I should with the hours going into what I was doing, so taking a break would hurt. It's a vicious cycle. I felt sad when I saw your family leave to visit family without you. I've gotten a different job, and my business from home is more of a side gig now. But the work/life balance is so much better, I sell out of what I make pretty quickly which helps the pocket much more (and no advertising costs either). It hurt to step back from something I put so much work and effort into, but you don't get back that time with family.

[@KrisDeVo]

Man this hits home, thank you for sharing. Pre-order dept can be so brutal at times as well as our ADHD. Cheers

[@ADHDbuilt]

@@KrisDeVo ADHD with the repetative jobs can get hard, spending the entire day doing a single job would get very boring. Worse when I have so many other projects I'd want to do, but never have the time because I was spending all the time making knives, and then have to choose between family and a project that'd been rattling around in my head, and then that project never gets out. I wanted to get the business to a point where I could hire people to step back, and focus on other things, but the profits/consistancy was never there. On the ADHD side, getting diagnosised and on the meds really does help with the long term planning and priorities.

[@thenewnewforester]

Thanks for being brave enough to stand up and say you needed help, your words will help many others I am sure. I went through a dark period a few years ago, I always thought that my close friends would be the ones to notice and get me out of it, as that is how we have been brought up. But they didn't notice and I was too stubborn/weak/ashamed/unwilling (call it what you will) to ask for help. I was lucky that I had the support of my wonderful wife but many don't have that luxury. Thank you for your motivation through the years, watching what you have achieved has been truly inspirational. Good luck.

[@KrisDeVo]

Glad to hear you pulled out of it. Sure is hard to talk about sometimes. Cheers

[@Rushopium]

Accept what life gives you , just look around you’re blessed with a beautiful family and a great tallent ! God bless you and your loved ones ! Enjoy the ride !

[@Jako-fh8zg]

Hope you are not burnt out now - brilliant episode, those boards are just amazing. The colours when they were put in the oil - 😍😍😍😍 respect, Jako 👍🙏

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you Jako🙏

[@johncollins500]

Chris, your work is Majestic!!! Love it

[@josekunhardt]

What a beautiful settup, great work too.

[@maxdisbrow977]

Wow, those are gorgeous! Those are some of the nicest boards I have ever seen. Nice work. Thanks for sharing.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @maxdisbrow977!

[@michaelgormel7223]

Wow! Amazing work Chris

[@mikealbrecht3990]

Absolutely beautiful. Words fail me.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you

[@MaxBrenneman]

Great job! You make amazing videos, super fun to watch! Thanks for being open and sharing struggles, its truly helpful for everyone! Love you man!

[@T_B]

I needed to see this. Thank you. 💪🏻

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you🙏

[@dowensjr]

Love your work brother! Hang in there and focus on the beautiful family you have.

[@woodsandwater644]

Amazing work

[@ramonlopez4894]

You have a blessed family to keeps you moving forward, keep going I was too at the bottom of the Clift my kids where my strength to climb up many years ago and now I'm blessed with 5 beautiful grandkids. God Bless You 🙏.

[@jackheritage2222]

Thank You for sharing your feelings! " Needed That"

[@kellyvanwormer7566]

It's a long drive but I'd work for scraps 😊 You do amazing work! Enjoy this season of life, it goes way too fast!

[@SixEightWoodworks]

Love ‘em all, but really appreciate all the layers in this one brother!

[@KrisDeVo]

Means a lot to me brother! Your a good dude and I appreciate you.

[@timdoyon1964]

Great workmanship! I’ve never seen anyone take so much care finishing a cutting board.. they are beautiful! Kudos from a fellow woodworker! I have liked and subscribed! ☮️♥️

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you for the kind words and sub!

[@ericschantz4198]

Kris, Watching you make these amazingly beautiful works of art. The amount of craftsmanship and integrity you have to make these and take the care to make them perfect. Thank you for your willingness to build such a wonderful product to hand down to generations.

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @ericschantz4198!

[@dappy848]

Very special work. I always remind myself or the saying " the grass is always greener where it's watered". Take the time to enjoy the fantastic talent you have.

[@danspickard8141]

Kris - Amazing work, brother. The video was outstanding and the boards and knifes are beautiful. My wife is from Anchorage and we have a lot of family still in AK; many are amazing craftspeople similar to you. There must something about the stunning, rugged and overwhelming surroundings and frontier feel of the place that feeds this spirit in folks like you and drives them to do what they do. Many years ago, I spent the better part of a week shoveling snow off of my mother-in-laws roof on Jupiter drive in February, I would clear it day only to wake up to even more accumulation the next! Made a Colorado guy like me slack jawed to see that much snow fall in such a short amount of time. BTW, beautiful shop too.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you Dan! You would have liked the record snowfall we had this year. Was impressive and brutal.

[@peterdnreynolds777]

Brilliant video, beautiful and amazing creations, hope all is ok now, take care

[@KrisDeVo]

All is well now, thank you @peterdnreynolds777!

[@sureshot311]

Man oh man. Firstly. Thank you for not shying away from mental health. The burnout is real. I've felt it in many projects and realized it was external forces affecting my shop time. Therapy has been amazing and to not bottle these things inside. Thank you for that aspect. AND, thank you for taking us on this board journey. They are amazing. Your attention to detail shows. That end product is top of the line beautiful work. Thank you for all you included in this video.

[@justaguyandhisshed]

I would wait a year for mine. I would never complain. Your work is built on pride, hard work and dedication. You the man. Keep doing your thing. Shoutout to baby girl for knowing her favorite machine 😂

[@UAL012]

Kris, your boards are a serious inspiration and I'm glad to see you're doing ok. I've made several boards myself for an upcoming sale. Hopefully they're successful. In addition, I shared your webpage with my family and we all think the same thing: Absolutely GORGEOUS.

[@bluelickleather]

Much respect to you for continuing on your journey and fighting the good fight. Thank you for speaking up about the struggle.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @bluelickleather

[@ndpesicgroup]

Incredible work !!!

[@davidlane42]

Kris, I am also an owner and founder in our small business. After 13 years of doing everything in my department on my own I faced significant burnout (and depression) as well. I had no idea that is what I was experiencing and like many people just powered though for years until coming to a crossroad. I was very lucky to have a mentor that helped me through it. After trying many hobbies I eventually landed on woodworking and woodturning. For the last 10 years it has been a life saver for me for de-stressing and de-compressing. It has always been hard for me to talk about this and try to explain the depth of burnout I had and how it was affecting every aspect of my life. To see others, like you, share the issues they're facing is inspiring for me to do the same. I want to personally thank you for the videos you do, it is everything I strive to be as a woodworker, business owner, and husband. p.s. I received the order for a knife with chaos handle made by you and it is exquisite. Thank you.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you for sharing David. Sorry to hear about your burnout and glad to hear it sounds like you are doing better. Happy to hear you like the knife, thank you.

[@williamclarke3426]

I can relate, but your videos inspire me to continue to my goal of my start up getting cutting boards out as good of quality as urs are!

[@erikgunther9398]

Awesome that you address the issue, I had similar but due to medical issue. Awesome that you feel better and take care!

[@jefftokaji6460]

Hey Kris, thanks for sharing another great video. Your boards are exceptional. Looking forward to the day I can place an order. Keep doing what you are doing. God bless you brother.

[@KrisDeVo]

Thank you @jefftokaji6460!

[@ansgarbavendiek8350]

It takes a lot of courage and strength. Thank you for talking about it so openly... BTW, You can't put a price on good friends!

[@KrisDeVo]

Absolutely!

[@alaskankare]

thank you for sharing. it takes bravery and courage to reveal you had dark times. these last four years I feel have bern the worse.

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @alaskankare

[@Dta1996]

Well done. You don't struggle alone. Many are with you, many before, many now, many to follow. We are here. Never forget that. Yes, it was MTM where I first saw the Chaotic board being made! He showed the way for many of us. Keep the faith, stay the course, reach out when needed.

[@matthysjherbst8250]

From Mozambique 🇲🇿 my family and I salute you for your honesty and quality of work. If you ever watch your own video, the giggle of your child will remind you why you work yourself to the ground. I admire your honesty.

[@KrisDeVo]

I appreciate the kind words @matthysjherbst8250

[@theabsolutetruth2024]

Finally! Glad you're back!

[@KrisDeVo]

I am! Thanks @theabsolutetruth2024!

[@gaetancrepeault9333]

GORGEOUS WORK 😍

[@KrisDeVo]

Thanks 🔥

[@chaseplace772]

Kris, thank you for all you do, and thanks for sharing the fact that there are low points. I have heard about people who become successful, but then hit the wall. When you are finally able to do what you want, and as much as you want, it can be really hard to put limits on yourself before you run the tank dry. Photography was that way with me, and I got close to burnout as well. Now I try to take it in small doses, trying to keep monitoring my passion level, and creativity. I would hate to see you lose your love for woodworking, and the magic that you create. I sincerely hope you connect with your "bliss" every day, you deserve the best. You have helped me, and inspired so many, and I appreciate you generously sharing some of your secrets.

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @chaseplace772

[@philiphowie5301]

It's never nice to watch someone go through such a rough time, but thanks for sharing so openly. The pride on your face as you show off the finished board at the 22-23 minute mark is why your work (and your videos!) is of such a high standard. It's not for me or anyone else to say whether the results are worth the pain, but it's great to see you've reached a product you can be justifiably proud of.

[@KrisDeVo]

Much appreciated @philiphowie5301