Will Sampson talks about the reluctance of so many woodworkers to get out of the shop to learn and network. His guests are Mark Smith, a longtime woodworking educator and workforce advocate who is about to retire from teaching, and Adam Macholz, who is on tap to replace him at Reed-Custer High School in Illinois.
This episode of the Woodworking Network podcast was sponsored by FDMC magazine. FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Woodworking Network is a home for professional woodworkers, presenting technology, supplies, education, inspiration, and community, from small business entrepreneurs to corporate managers at large automated plants.
You can find all of our podcasts at WoodworkingNetwork.com/podcasts and in popular podcast channels. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Thanks again to today’s sponsor, FDMC. If you have a comment or topic you’d like us to explore, contact me at will.sampson@woodworkingnetwork.com. And we would really appreciate it if you fill out the survey at woodworking network.com/podcast-survey. Thanks for listening.
Intro music courtesy of Anthony Monson.
Intro:
Welcome to this episode of the Woodworking Network Podcast. Join us as we explore the business of woodworking big and small and what it takes to succeed. I’m Will Sampson.
Today’s episode is sponsored by FDMC magazine. My guests are Mark Smith, a longtime woodworking educator and workforce advocate who is about to retire from teaching, and Adam Macholz, who is on tap to replace him at Reed-Custer High School in Illinois. But first I want to talk about:
Get out to grow
There’s something odd about a lot of woodworkers. They just won’t leave their shops. It’s like they are glued to the shop floor, or the doors are locked and bolted against their escape.
What I’m talking about is a seemingly endemic resistance to expanding horizons beyond the confines of their business. I’m talking about not attending trade shows or conferences. I’m talking about not joining trade organizations or even local chambers of commerce or social and charitable organizations. I’m talking about not networking with other shop owners or even non-competing business leaders. I’m talking about failing to forge connections with schools and educators to develop sources of new employees.
And when confronted with these missed opportunities, the response is typically something like, “Oh, we’re too busy to leave the shop to do any of that.”
Too busy to learn something new. Too busy to explore new ways of doing things. Too busy to find skilled workers. Too busy to make more money in less time. Too busy to grow.
If you are in this situation, you are really just chasing your tail.
None of us can know everything. None of us can find all the solutions to all of our problems entirely within our existing sphere. None of us can grow without change. Behold the lowly turtle: He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.
I know it’s hard to leave your comfort zone, but the reality is that zone is really not that comfortable. It’s uplifting and energizing to meet new people and discover things you never would have learned if you hadn’t ventured outside. And let’s face it: Some of what you learn comes from people politely holding up a mirror to show you what you really look like. Sometimes you need to hear somebody tell you, “That’s just stupid!”
I closed one of the first businesses I started because I couldn’t delegate and couldn’t figure out how to grow without doing so. Was that a bad decision? I don’t know, but it set me on a different path, and I never looked back.
The biggest enemy of business success is continuing to do things the way you have always done them for no good reason. Maybe your product mix is wrong. Maybe you need to rethink processes and production methods. Maybe you need to update systems and equipment. But you won’t know whether any of that needs attention unless you step outside and see things from a different perspective.
Yes, it can take time, energy, and fortitude to reach out, but the potential rewards are phenomenal. Not only can you grow your business, but also you might get your life back.
There’s a whole big world waiting for you outside your shop.
Before we get to our interview with Mark Smith and Adam Macholz, let’s pause for a word from our sponsor.
FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Now, let’s talk with Mark and Adam.