We were lucky to catch up with Elias Jimerson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Elias , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
Deciding to quit my full-time, salaried job to pursue being a self-employed, small business owner has to be the greatest risk I have taken so far in my lifetime. It has always baffled me that a strong majority of people say “50% of all new businesses fail within the first 5 years” and then use that as an excuse to never try. I personally was unable to let that stop me. It didn’t make sense. If 50% fail then that means 50% succeed. If the odds are exactly the same then why choose to lean to the side of failure? January 2024 I decided to risk it, put faith in myself, and choose the path of success. I am still within my first year of business but so far all the stats are looking great. Ive added more risk by investing in my business with new equipment upgrades and so far the risk has been way worth it. It is mid September 2024 as I write this and I am still 100% self employed and I continue to bring my company to new heights every day. Keep an eye out for my success story in 2029, 5 years from now.
Elias , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Elias and I am 35 years old. I spent my teen years in high school focusing on JROTC and preparing to join the military when I graduated. In May 2007 I graduated and two weeks later I was at MCRD San Diego for US Marine Corps bootcamp. Then, 1 month later, I was medically discharged and back at home wondering what on earth I was going to do with the rest of my life. It was my plan to be a career soldier and now I’m just a civilian again. It was really hard to accept that for awhile and I spent most my twenties just bouncing around jobs and being a young, silly kid, you know how it is. I began learning and experiencing things in life that were all new. New ways of thinking, of living, of being. I tried to start many companies over the years from recording studios to yard maintenance. I held over 20 full-time jobs through many different industries and sectors. And as time went on I still didn’t know what I wanted to do. All I knew is that I hated working for other people and corporations. It just was not for me. After I went to college and received an AAS in Business I decided to move out of El Paso and I came to Austin. It is here that I really began to grow up and come into my potential. I bounced around a few jobs and after working for an Event AV company for a few years, I decided I wanted more for myself and my future. Things were good but there was just something lacking. So I decided to start planning to make a move for myself. I bought a van and rebuilt it so that I could work and live out of it and then I got my first LLC which is Treeish Things LLC. I invested in myself and am actively working to shape my own destiny. I did my first wood burn sometime around 2017 and never really did it again until 2021. At that point I was just doing little commission pieces for people I knew. Sometime around 2022 I had my first experience selling at a market and made less than $100 but my eyes were open to the possibilities. Now I am fully self sustained with wood burning and laser cutting/engraving. It is definitely a lot of work being a single-member, small business. There are many aspects to making it all work but I wouldn’t change my life for anything. Its a great feeling meeting a new customer, hearing their ideas, and using my talents to bring it to life. I plan to continue to grow Treeish Things to eventually be a 100% green energy company and use 100% sustainable materials. 5 year plans include starting another market for local artists, opening a store front, expanding the wood shop, and branching into bigger laser projects and custom furniture.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I am the youngest of three kids. My mom raised us all as a single parent and she did quite a wonderful job doing it. In 2022 the oldest of us three, my sister, passed away from a rare issue in the blood vessels of her brain. My sister was so smart and driven. She had 2 masters degrees and was on track to get herself a Doctorate. She was, in my opinion, the most successful of us and between the three of us, she always had the plan for taking care of my mother when she gets older. My big brother is successful and very talented too but he has a bunch of kids and has his own family to tend to. So when my sister passed away I suddenly felt the responsibility to help my mother out more. I knew I wouldn’t be much help on the path I was currently taking. Then, in March 2024 my father passed away. When he did, my brother and I were left with many expenses to handle and honestly I wasnt much help in that case either. So I got more serious about life and made a plan for success. The well being of my family is the brightest, most intense fire that burns within me and it is the reason why I know I will succeed.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is being able to bring peoples ideas to life. There is nothing better than working a project from start to finish. From just being thoughts at first, then words, then an image, then an actual physical item and knowing that item will last for a long time and bring joy into the world. Sometimes I’ll have an item for over a year before it sells and then someone comes a long, sees it and just has to have it because it is perfect for them. Experiencing that just gives a fresh perspective on life and makes me appreciate the small things more.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.treeishtings.com
- Instagram: @treeishthingsllc
- Facebook: @treeishthingsllc
Image Credits
Elias J.