We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Garrett recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amanda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?
I’m not sure he would want to be called a hero. He would think that Title would be more suited for the Military, Mother Theresa or Jesus himself; infact I know he would say He was just doing his job: being a Dad. But, I’d call him my Hero any day of the week.
My Dad taught me patience, persistence, the value of hard work, honesty and integrity. He taught me that my mind control so much more than a singular circumstance. That falling down is ok– its how you get back up.
As I kid I watched him build things instead of buy them. Repurpose things that had no longer served him. I watched him look at a situation and see what could change to make it better, more effecitive- and then brainstorm and execute. Patience, problem solving, outside the box thinking.
My sister and I fought like cats and dogs when we were younger… but we had to share a room. My Dad took (4) 4×8 sheets of wood and some 2x4s and built a standing wall that he put straight down the middle of our room. It spanned from on wall to just about 30″ from the opposite wall and had about a 16″ grap from the ceiling- just leaving a doorway. We painted it the same color as our bedroom and we would move it to different locations when we wanted to rearrange. My sister and I probably only had 3′ of room between our beds and our respective walls, but it was our own space- and it solved so many problems.
When we needed a foldable table for camping: he built it. A trailer to haul supplies: he built it. A placehouse in the back yard: he built it. When we needed more space as a family- he built an addition on our house. When my Mom and Him were ready to downsize, he remolded my Moms childhood home- taking it down to the studs and foundation and then rebuilding. As he got older he recruited help, as needed- but the heart of the idea, the plans, the execution- it came from him.
Many decades ago he worked on a Navajo Reservation, as a Principal I believe- and he made beautiful jewelery out of turquoise and silver- cuffs, rings, berets, bolo ties. And many decades later he would find stones while out walking in the desert and he would polish them up and make jewelry out of them- earings, necklaces. He saw beauty in the most unlikely places.
He was also a recovering alcoholic. He spent the first few decades of his adult life seeking solice in the bottle… and the rest of his life recovering… and helping others to recover. He believed in the power of the mind. No one can make you feel or act any way- that choice is yours. You mess up? Own up to it and move on. Then show grace when some one else does. React calmly… because why not? If you must be stern, be controlled. Laugh. Let kids be kids.
When my own sons got too big for the house we were living in- I emptied the room they were in and we used tape on the floor to draw a blueprint for 3 loft beds that I would build them. I took their input of what they would like and over the next 6 months, without ever having built a loft bed before, I built 3. Oh, I built 5 actually, but the first 2 were horrible. And then I built stairs that doubled as their dressers, and I fashioned closet rods under each of the beds, made a shelf for their books between the joist and built in hatches that opened with piano hinges (and I didnt know they were called that- I had to call and ask my Dad).
How did I get into woodworking? As a kid I was forever stealing my Dads tools. He let me use saws, dremels, and drills (probably when he should have, lol… I was young!) I would make my friends little blocks that I burnt designs into, step stools (that were really just 4 2x4s and a board, nailed together… horribly… but they worked). I didnt necesarily do things correctly all the time- but he raised me to believe that I could do anything- it was just a matter of figuring it out.
Woodworking… creativity… it fell by the wayside for many years through ife, loss, jobs, school, marriage, kids… In my late twenties, I started to revisit my creativity and project by project it gained a foothold in my life. I slowly realized that creativity wasnt a thing I did here and there… it was who I was. I am a creative person. Creativity isnt just about being able to create though. You have to have space for patience, hard work, integrity… you have to believe in your ability to bring something from your mind, to reality. You have to problem solve, you will fall down, it will be hard, you have to be stronger than your doubts… you have to persist. Trial and error. And find the joy in it.. because mindset is everything.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I think the most honest way that I can explain how I got to this place in my life, beyond the fact that I have creative parents, and creative siblings- which meant I grew up around creativity… is that, like many people, life took some shots at me, and through all the good things that naturally happen as you age– friendships, kinships, jobs, travel, marriages, children… ect ect… eventually I was a 20 something year old, sitting in therapy, trying to process life. I struggled with anxiety, depression…. I had some health ailments that started to prevent me from doing what I had always done… and really forced to me find some new ways to calm my mind and busy my hands. I fell into pinterest. The idea that you could make anything with a trip to the craft store and a tutorial on a screen. Initially it was like food– salad in a jar, a random chicken dish, a fruit smootie… but really I dont love to cook. So then it was arts and crafts.. which was great because my sons were between 4-8 at the time. But even that didnt quite hit the spot. And then I found wood art… transfering photos/designs to wood. I trekked to Hobby Lobby and got gel medium, mod podge, blank wooden plaques, brushes and rollers and computer paper. There were parts that stuck out… that I loved… but in my mind I just knew I could make it better. Instead of finding designs I could transfer.. I learned how to make my own. Instead of using the gel medium and the mod podge the way that the tutorials said– I tried it in my own ways. I started to cut my own wood- it opened up the possibilities of what I could make… how big, how many, ect. Within 6 months I started to make things for other people… and they even wanted to pay me. Before I knew it it was the holiday season. People I didnt even know were reaching out to me because they had seen or been gifted something I had made and they wanted me to make something else. At the time I was a working full time, I was gone from my house for 12 hours a day, and I had 3 young sons and a Husband… and that was just at home. I also came from a large family and we always had something going on. So I would show up at work with projects I would do on my breaks or lunch… Id show up to family functions with a basket of stuff I needed to get done… it was non stop. But I loved it. And people would ask me “Amanda.. how do you even do it all?” and I say “Oh you know… I just use my 25th hour…” And so that how I got my shop name “Hour25”.
I have mastered and transformed MY craft. Honestly, when I started out… no one was doing what I was doing. Atleast not the way that I was doing it. I didnt follow anyones guidelines to get to where I am. I started out looking for guidelines… but ultimatley I just blazed my own trial… and I am so glad I did. Because now there are more people who do what I do… but I am proud that I worked from square 1 to where I currently am, through trial and error. I feel like I know so much more and am much better equipped to problem solve because my processes are my own and I know where each steps can branch out and what it needs from there.
I love that customers can just come to me with an idea… or sometimes not even an idea- just a problem… and then I get to come up with ideas and present solutions to the problem.
Need a gift for someone who has everything? Tell me about them… tell me what they love and then wether or not that love is physically depicted in their space already… do they have a favorite saying, a favorite person, a favorite memory that maybe we can create a design, and put it on wood, and they can display it.
Do you own a business and need a logo, a menu, some vinyl decals, ect….. I love being able to provide that at an affordable price to other small business owners.
Do you have a problem with your space? Send me a picture… lets design a storage solution that fits your space and your needs. Like a friend who moved into a new house and had no type of storage in her laundry room so we built (removable) shelving to hold her detergents and light bulbs and all the other miscellanous stuff that goes in a laundry room. Or a friend who was having an addition built in her house and wanted to build a bathroom vanity but didnt know how herself and so you got to spend a weekend building a beautiful vanity together. Or a family member who had a closet that needed to organize sooo much stuff but only had a shelf and rod.. and you got to literally design an empty box and make it functional with multiple shelves, rods and drawers.
Wether it is designs, decor or builds, I love looking at a space, being told how they wish it could function- and being able to bring that functionality in with something that I created with my own hands.
We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.
I want to talk about ecommerce because where I dont feel like Im killing it all the time- I do feel like I have learned a thing or two that is relevant to the core of small business. Not to take away from people who are making significant revenue… but more geared toward the people who are just starting out, or still trying to find their footing, or people who are content with being content. Its all about finding what works for you.
I learned a long time ago that I dont want to have to hustle 24/7. I DID put in my time of hustling 24/7 and although my business and my pocket book flourished- there were many aspects of my life that suffered. So finding that middle ground of contentment- where you are paying the bills but not neglecting other important areas- was my goal. Its not to say that you cant dream big and reach for those goals- just to say that a smaller looking dream to one person- doesnt mean its not huge to another.
That said, I started an etsy shop within 6 months of finding my woodworking passion. I also obviously sold in person as well as have tried my hand at my own website 2 or 3 times, as well as shopify and facebook marketplace, ect. Etsy has fees. They charge you a listing fee, a transaction fee, processing fees and if you utilize their marketing then you also have those fees. Websites like shopify may only charge you a flat fee/month… but you have to look at your ability to drive your own sales at that point. So for me, I never was quite good enough as driving my own sales, to make paying for a website worth it. And yes, etsy charges fees out the wazoo… but if you are just starting, or not super knowledgable about SEO, then you have to ask yourself if the revenue you will make on a single items sold on etsy, is worth the small cost you pay in fees and potential repeat customers. For me, the answer is yes. Because life happens. And especially if you are someone juggling many hats, like I am, and if you dont have any additional experience in website design or if youre not particulary tech savy… then really you are going to end up paying MORE than what youd pay in etsy fees- to either pay someone else to do it for you- or spend too much of your own valuable time in figuring it all out.
I’m not saying Etsy is the forever answer… I’m just saying that if you take a look at your fiances, just make sure your not paying for things that arent working for you- just to keep up with the jones’, For me, I had to remember my why- and be content there for a while. Knowing growth happens outside of your comfort zone- but also knowing that your comfort zone is okay for some seasons. For me, I know, for a fact, that I can grow bigger in this current moment. I have looked into selling on amazon, at markets, ect… but my current season in life is about being a present wife and Mom… family member and friend. So I take on less and give more… and for now that works perfect. In a few short years Ill be an empty nester and possibly then Ill branch into other platforms… but for now etsy is perfect for me. I can easily set product highs to where I dont get slammed with too many orders at one time, I can easily upload or update listings, I have a working SEO at my finger tips that I dont have to break my brain to maintain. It wont work for everyone… but Im not everyone, and it works for me,
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
I definitely found a hobby, that turned into a side hustle… that I was fortunate enough to turn into a career.
At the time of my sidehustle really taking shape- my Husband and I both had full time jobs. As my sidehustle took off I was maintaining my fulltime job, as well as raising 3 boys and everything that came along with that. Our days often started before 5am, with everyone being out of the house before 6 am, dropping kids off for school or daycare, working and then picking everyone up and getting back home by 5pm. Most nights were like clockwork for dinner, baths, homework, prepping for the next day, ect. When I started my sidehustle I would be working on an order while the meat browned for dinner or while my kids were shuffling through the shower…. Id work on designs on the morning car rides to work or fidget with my website (that never took off) while at kids sporting events/school functions. It was chaotic, and exhausting… but also exciting.
Eventually I realized that the math could add up… if we decided that we could alter our lifestyle… make some changes that equated to financial sacrifices… ie costly family trips, jamba juice, weekly pizza… I mean really… they were small changes… but if we were willing to put more value on our time together as a family, I could infact quit my job and have my side hustle be simply be a supplement to keep up thriving. After many conversations, my Husband I agreed that I could make the jump. I spent the next couple of months while I still had a steady paycheck- setting myself up- I bought a large format printer, I bought a bigger saw, a brad nail gun, an orbital sander and many other miscellanous things that I was convinced I needed (that are probably packed in some box still). I am blessed beyond measure that my Husband saw my need to be able to put more in as a Mom and as a wife (and daughter and grandaughter and aunt…) I mean there were many aspects of my life that I felt were lacking because of the requirement for me to have always needed to be a full time financial contributor and never having the option to be a fulltime homemaker. And not only am I blessed that he saw that need and met the requirements to allow it to happen… but also that he supported me when my desire to be a full time homemaker- only looking to supplement some income with a sidehustle…. quickly turned to my becoming a small business owner who hustled more on her little shop… more hours, more sacrifices, more late nights and all nighters than I ever did with a full time corporate job AND a side hustle.
Yes, initially, the freedom of quiting my job did allow me to invest more in those areas of my life that I felt were lacking…. but my sidehustle snowballed and the whole “homemaker” thing went out the window. I couldnt do it all, even though I tried. Eventually I had to really asses what was important and what I just thought was going to be important. A spick and span house? Never going to happen. Home made 6 course meals every night of the week? Pipedreams. The laundry still piled up, the cupboards were never quite stocked timely… I was not built to be a fulltime homemaker. But I was able to show up for my kids and for my family in ways that made them feel loved and valued… even if it meant I was coming in tow with a baskets of orders I needed to finish. I got to take my kids to school every morning and pick them up every evening, I took them to doctors and feild trips and made my neices and nephews sporting events and band performances… I was able to spend more time with my parents and my Grandma… and as the years progressed… I learned to slow down with my shop. I learned to say no to orders that didnt suite me. I learned to say yes to orders that scared me! I learned to put dinner together with my family, over a deadline that wouldnt make or break anything. I learned to give myself grace. I learned to put value back into time with my family, into my mental and physical health… and after I few years of 24/7 hustle… I found balance. I set boundaries with my work… when I would communicate with clients, when I would strategically work on social media, when I would physically work on orders.. I opted for longer completion times, I learned to value my time, as much as I valued the end product.
What did that give me? I feel that I have a pretty solid clientele as well as an ever growing community of potential clients. I have used my profits to continually reinvest in my business. I have grown my knowledge, abilities, portforlio… resources, connections, brand. I built something that can sustain, that I can rely on both to financially provide for my family, as well as provide personal growth and healing. Creativity brought life back into me… and it has been what was gotten me through some of my darkest days where life has been taken away,
The freedom that having turned my side hustle into a small business, brought me, is priceless. Its allowed me the space to slow down and watch my children grow, connect meaninfully with my husband, Build better relationships with people- family, friends, strangers, customers.
It allowed me to be present in my own life. From every day moments, creating memories to the most important of times. It allowed me to be by my Dads side when he took his last breath. Its allowed me the time and space to process grief since his death.
He has been gone for almost 3 years now. I have become even more intentional with my time since his passing. Even more patient, more persistent… did you know you could be patient and persistent at the same time? You can… because you control your emotions- your reactions, your responses. At the core my business is about utlizing my gifts/talents to better MY LIFE through being able to provide a product/service to others. But if I am not benefiting, emotionally and mentally, as well as financially… I am failing at what I set out to achieve. I dont want to make millions… I want to have balance in my life, and for my business to bring value to the table.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.etsy.com/shop/Hour25
- Instagram: @ShopHour25