We recently connected with Brian Hill and have shared our conversation below.

Brian, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.

Starting Brian Hill Woodworks has surely been the most risky decision I’ve made. At the time I had a family with two children, maybe $15K in the bank, and only a few woodworking tools. I had no guarantee that I would be able to provide for my family and no guarantee that my business would be successful to any degree. I made the decision to leave my comfortable management position at my job in order to pursue a more fulfilling life and it was absolutely terrifying. I won’t lie, there were many times that I doubted my ability to run a business and provide, before and after starting BHWoodworks, but I was determined to make it work no matter what. It has been a struggle and I often work 10-12 hour days, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Brian, 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 woodworking journey began at Timpview High School where I took my first course. It was a wood turning class and I took it on a whim because I needed to fill a fine arts credit. Little did I know my life was about to be changed. I instantly fell in love with every aspect of woodworking. I had found my calling in life and, for the first time in my life, I actually loved going to school.

After completing high school, I continued on to UVU and received an AAS in Cabinetry and Architectural Woodworking and then a BAS in Technology Management. This continued education enhanced my skills and love for woodworking and prepared me for starting my own fine woodworking business. In May of 2019 I took the plunge, quit my job as Production Manager at a local furniture manufacturing business, and began building. I finally achieved the dream I had had since I was a teenager and I couldn’t feel more blessed to have the life I have right now.

The majority of projects I take are fine furniture and home décor pieces. I work with solid woods, domestic and exotic, and create a wide variety of furniture pieces that beautify the home. I have built dining tables, night stands, wall clocks, barndoors, interior shelving, and many more. One of the most important factors in my builds are whether or not the final product is beautiful. I spend a good deal of time on each project hand selecting woods to ensure the final product is both beautiful and functional.

I also run an online store through Etsy where I sell smaller home décor items. This has been a great outlet that has allowed me to explore new methods of woodworking and find new niche markets to offer products to. A unique woodworking art style I love doing is wood inlay. I like to think of it as painting a picture with wood. I even offer this customizable option with many of the products I sell that truly sets them apart from the competition. Wood inlay is a technique that I have been honing over the last 10 years and it is certainly one of my woodworking passions.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Seeing my clients’ reactions is by far the most satisfying part of any build. I dedicate hours, dozens of hours sometimes, into each project and to finally see their faces or hear their reactions when they see their new piece of furniture brings me great joy. I think many woodworkers suffer from it but there’s a nagging voice in my head that always tells me the final product isn’t good enough and that the customer won’t like it, maybe even hate it. So when those fears are abated it is a tremendous relief.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Starting out my business was a challenge. I had relatively few local clients which resulted in a need to build an online presence/store. My biggest challenge – I had no products to sell. I discovered early on that product design and creation can be tough. And even more than that, trying to figure out what people want to buy is also a challenge. I created many unique and beautiful products that simply wouldn’t sell. It’s a heartbreaking moment when you realize that this idea that you have been working on for so long, and finally have a finished product for, is something that nobody wants to buy. But these moments drove me to innovate, explore new niche markets, and design new products that would eventually be successful. Pivoting in business is hard, annoying, and sometimes sad, but as you build on the experience you’ve gained you excel even farther.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.brianhillwoodworks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianhillwoodworks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianhillwoodworks
• Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrianHillWoodworks