Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to David Bach. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi David, thanks for joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I think I can speak on behalf of most small business owners and say that this thought often floats through our minds like a cruise ship, with it’s predictability, stability, and sanitized carnival for the masses. When the daily tasks get overwhelming and you have to be a specialist in 10 areas at once, the daydream of a simple, routine, or even “boring” day can sound enticing. But the happiest I can be as a business owner is when my pirate ship and crew knife through the waters of progress and knock off project after project, commandeering our own path to a hopeful future.

In a more prosaic sense, the everyday dedication that it takes to be a small business owner in 2024, going against the grain of “regular jobs” that are there with the intention to make a small business fail, must be steadfast and oftentimes bolstered with a strong network of other like minded entrepreneurs in order to succeed.

I won’t be trading for a cubicle anytime soon.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Cincinnati Wood Collaborative is a custom furniture, millwork, and cabinetry shop that works directly with residential and commercial clients with the goal of creating better spaces in Cincinnati and surrounding areas. We design solutions for homes, offices, and restaurants that our clients want to better express who they are.

I started CWC in 2015 in my garage with the dream to open a storefront to meet with clients about their custom projects and to sell my own designed furnishings to prospective buyers and to inspire the local makers to develop their styles and contribute to the culture of our our region.

Soon that dream will be opening in the Madisonville area of Cincinnati, where we’ll have a 1,400 sq ft showroom dedicated to these missions. Our showroom at 5918 Madison Rd will feature our own design and have areas where other local makers can display their work and consign to us for potential retail clients.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Currently, our status is leaning on our resilience to open our showroom! The road to opening a retail space in a cold shell leased unit is very long and windy. We’ve had issues with planning, permitting, execution of installed mechanicals, plumbing, electric, and cash flow throughout the journey and we’ve chipped away as much as we can, relying on friends and other business owners for help.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

Yes, we manufacture a lot of our products, but also use area sawmills and their services as much as possible. A lot of times we get large glue up solid wood panels from our mill who has the large scale machinery to do these tasks way quicker and easier. As for the rest, it took a lot of studying, watching videos, and trial and error to see what works, what doesn’t, and what goals we should have as far as tools, facilities, and staffing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cincinnatiwoodcollaborative.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/cincinnatiwoodco
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/cincinnatiwoodcollaborative

Image Credits
All photos by David Bach and CWC