From Broke to a Woodworking Business: 5 Lessons That Can Change Your Life
There was a time when I was four months behind on my mortgage.
The bank was already warning us that we might lose our house. Bills were piling up. Groceries were stressful. Every dollar mattered. As a husband and a dad, it felt like I was failing my family.
Maybe you’ve felt something like that before. That weight in your chest that never goes away when money is tight.
What changed everything for me was something simple.
Woodworking.
Not a fancy shop. Not expensive tools. Just a borrowed circular saw, a drill, and the decision to start.
In this article I want to share the story of how woodworking helped pull my family out of one of the hardest financial seasons of our lives and the five lessons that helped turn a small side hustle into a real woodworking business.
If you’ve ever thought about making money with woodworking, this might be exactly what you need to hear.
Affiliate Disclaimer
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them at no extra cost to you. It helps keep the tool deals coming, so thanks for your support. Prices are valid at the time of posting but are subject to change at any time.
Watch The Full Youtube Video Here: I Was 4 Months Behind on My Mortgage. Then I Built This.
When Things Hit Rock Bottom
At the time, both my wife and I had full time jobs, but it still wasn’t enough.
Medical bills. House payments. Groceries. Car payments.
Everything stacked up until we were four months behind on our mortgage and staring bankruptcy in the face.
We were doing everything we could to protect our kids from the stress. Keeping them in sports and activities so they could just be kids.
But kids are smart. They knew we were struggling.
And as a dad, that hurt.
I even considered getting a second job just to survive, even though it meant being away from my family even more.
Then one day something unexpected happened.
The Project That Started It All
Before one of my shifts at work, I sat down at my computer and came across a woodworking video.
It was Jay Bates building an outdoor chair set.
He had free plans available, and I remember thinking:
“I think I could build that… and maybe even sell it.”
You can check out the exact chairs that started this journey here:
At that moment I had about $100 in the bank.
Not exactly startup capital.
So I did what a lot of beginners should do.
I borrowed tools.
My dad loaned me a circular saw. My father in law had drills I could use. And I went to the lumber yard and bought some 2x4s.
Total cost was about $40 in materials.
And I built the set.
The First Sale That Changed Everything
When the chairs were finished, I took some pictures outside.
Honestly… they were just sitting in the dirt.
My wife came home and thought I built them for her.
Instead she said something that changed everything:
“You need to stage them.”
So she brought out a rug, added pillows, and helped make them look inviting.
We posted the photos on Facebook.
A few hours later…
$150 sale.
Over $100 profit.
That might not sound like much to some people.
But at that moment it felt life changing.
And it was.
The Woodworking Side Hustle Snowballed
So I built another set.
Sold it.
Built another.
Sold it.
Over and over.
Each time making around $100 profit.
Eventually that allowed me to buy my first tools:
• A drill and impact driver
• A router
• My first big purchase, a DeWalt miter saw
Each new tool helped me build faster and better.
Word of mouth started spreading. People were asking for:
• Dining tables
• Coffee tables
• End tables
• Custom furniture
• Dog kennels
Before long I was reinvesting every dollar back into the shop and growing the business.
That little side hustle eventually helped us:
• Recover financially
• Take our kids on vacation
• Go on dates again
• Build a stable life
All from woodworking.
5 Lessons That Helped Me Start Making Money With Woodworking
If you're thinking about starting a woodworking side hustle, these five lessons made the biggest difference for me.
1. Start With Nothing If You Have To
One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is thinking they need a full shop before starting.
You don’t.
I started with:
• A borrowed circular saw
• A borrowed drill
• Construction lumber from the home center
That’s it.
You can borrow tools from family or friends.
You can also check:
• Facebook Marketplace
• Pawn shops
• Used tool stores
If you want to start woodworking, the most important thing is simple:
Start.
2. Tell People You’re Selling
This might be the most underrated advice in woodworking.
If you want to sell something…
You have to tell people it’s for sale.
Post your projects on:
• Facebook
• Facebook Marketplace
• Instagram
• Local groups
Even your personal page.
If people don’t know you’re selling, they can’t buy.
Word of mouth is powerful too. A lot of my early sales came from people telling friends where they bought their furniture.
3. Manage Your Time Like a Business
If you’re working a full time job and building projects at night, time is precious.
Some things that helped me:
• Keeping the shop organized
• Working early mornings
• Treating days off like workdays
• Scheduling shop time intentionally
Sometimes that meant getting up at 4 AM to sand or finish projects quietly before work.
It’s not always easy, but small time blocks add up.
4. Take Better Product Photos
This is where a lot of beginners miss out.
You don’t need a fancy camera.
Your smartphone is more than good enough.
Focus on:
• Natural lighting
• Clean backgrounds
• Staging your product
If you’re selling planters, put plants in them.
If it’s furniture, stage it like it belongs in someone’s home.
Good photos can dramatically increase your sales.
5. Price Your Work for Profit
One of the biggest struggles for new woodworkers is pricing.
Here’s a simple formula you can start with:
Materials + Labor + Profit Margin
Example:
Materials: $40
Labor: 4 hours × $30 = $120
Total cost = $160
Add a 40% profit margin:
Final price = $224
This ensures you’re actually making money and not just working for free.
And trust me…
You want profit built in.
Because mistakes happen.
I once dropped a sink for a vanity I was building and broke it. The only reason that project didn’t lose money was because I had profit built into the price.
Want to Learn the Full System?
After years of trial and error, I turned everything I learned into a full training program called Saw Startups.
Inside you’ll learn:
• How to find products that actually sell
• How to price your work correctly
• How to sell locally and online
• How to build a brand around your woodworking
Plus you'll join a community of 500+ woodworkers growing their businesses together.
You can check it out here:
👉 https://skool.com/saw-startups
You can try it free for 7 days and see if it’s a good fit.
A Resource That Helped Me Along the Way
One book that had a big impact on my mindset and faith journey during this time was:
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
It’s a powerful reminder about faith, persistence, and believing that bigger things are possible.
Final Thoughts: Just Start
If there’s one thing I want you to remember from this story, it’s this:
Start.
Start with borrowed tools.
Start with pine lumber.
Start with a simple project.
Because that first sale changes everything.
Once you realize someone will actually pay for something you built…
Your whole mindset shifts.
And if it worked once, it can work again.
Success leaves clues.
Build it.
Tell people.
Sell it.
Repeat.
And before you know it, woodworking might just change your life too.
If you enjoyed this story, be sure to check out more woodworking tips, tool reviews, and beginner guides here on the blog.
