We were lucky to catch up with Joey Farese recently and have shared our conversation below.

Joey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the decision of whether to donate a percentage of sales to an organization or cause – we’d love to hear the backstory of how you thought through this.

We are big believers in sustainability. Our original furniture was made from recycled materials, so there was a sense of guilt when expanding into furniture made from good old fashioned wood. Before we made our first sale, we decided that if we were going to sell wood furniture, we were going to make sure we planted more trees than we harvested. As a result, we now plant 1 tree for every item sold!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have a background in e-commerce and outdoor furniture. I like to expand the product line whenever possible so when I discovered a manufacturer making Adirondack furniture out of wood, it seemed like a good fit. I had done poly Adirondack furniture, so I was familliar with the ins and outs of the market. Some people might view going from poly furniture to wood furniture as a step backwards, but it was really more of a step I skipped in the beginning, and doubled back on. I’m most proud of the fact that all the furniture is handmade. We live in a time where the majority of furniture is made in an assembly line over seas, so I think we are doing something important by keeping the art of handmade furniture alive and accessable to the masses.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I originally sold poly furniture and found great success doing that. From the very beginning, a portion of profits were set aside for a future venture. It took years to discover the next venture but when I found a good supplier for quality handmade furniture, I knew it was the right place to reinvest profits.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Great customer service goes a long way in any industry, but especially in online sales. Most times, the customer isn’t able to physically touch the product before they buy it. That’s where good customer service comes in. I always make myself available for emails or phone calls to reassure the customer of quality or answer any questions they may have. Moreover, if there is a manufacturing issue or if something is damaged in transit, handling those issues promptly goes a long way to build a good reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amishamericanpine.com/