We were lucky to catch up with Ruti Wajnberg recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ruti, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
If I could go back in time, would I have started my creative career sooner? It’s a question I’ve thought about before, especially on the days when running my upholstery business, Find The Thread, feels like a dream I should have pursued long ago. But looking back, I believe I started at exactly the right time.
For years, I worked in tech—first as a software developer, then as a product manager, and eventually as an engineering manager. I liked the work, but something always felt missing. I’ve always been drawn to color, texture, and hands-on creativity, but growing up as a first-generation American with a practical, hard-working immigrant family, I never considered an artistic career a viable option. Stability was the goal, and I built my career accordingly.
I started Find The Thread in my late 30s, after leaving a fast-paced job and taking time to reflect on what I really wanted. By then, I had two young kids and years of experience balancing strategy, problem-solving, and leadership. I approached upholstery the way I approached product development—deeply focused on craft, with an eye toward process and customer experience. Had I started earlier, I wouldn’t have had the same business acumen, nor the confidence to carve out a space that truly reflected my style. I might have played it safer, hesitated to embrace the bold patterns and colors I love, or struggled more with the logistics of running a business.
At the same time, I wonder what it would have been like to skip the corporate world entirely and build this life sooner. Maybe I would have had more years to develop my craft, to hone my aesthetic, to establish myself in the design world. But I also know that my time in tech gave me skills I use every day—planning complex projects, managing clients, and staying adaptable when things don’t go as planned.
So, would I change the timing? No. Find The Thread exists because of everything that came before it. I started when I was ready, when I had the experience, drive, and perspective to make it work. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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?
Hi, I’m Ruti, the founder of Find The Thread Upholstery. I specialize in reupholstering well-loved furniture with bold, colorful, and high-quality fabrics—breathing new life into pieces that hold sentimental value or just need a fresh start. My business is about more than just recovering chairs; it’s about transformation, sustainability, and celebrating craftsmanship in a way that makes furniture feel like art.
My path to upholstery wasn’t traditional. Before this, I spent years in tech as a software developer, product manager, and engineering leader. I’ve always been drawn to hands-on creativity, and I wanted to build something that combined artistry with problem-solving. Upholstery felt like the perfect fit—it’s technical, tactile, and full of creative possibility.
I help clients reimagine their furniture, whether it’s a family heirloom that needs restoration, a vintage find that deserves a second life, or a custom cushion for a tricky window seat. One thing that sets me apart is my love for vibrant textiles and pattern matching. I don’t just cover furniture—I thoughtfully design each piece, making sure patterns align beautifully and the fabric choice suits both style and function (including kid-proof durability!).
Beyond custom upholstery, I also teach upholstery workshops, empowering others to get hands-on with the craft. There’s something special about seeing someone bring their own vision to life, and I love sharing that experience.
I’m most proud of how Find The Thread has grown into a business that reflects my values—creativity, quality, and a commitment to reusing and restoring rather than discarding. If you’re looking to transform a beloved piece, I’d love to work with you.
📧 [email protected]
📷 Follow along for upholstery transformations & class updates: @findthethread
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the idea that a career is a straight line. For years, I built my identity around working in tech—climbing the ladder, managing teams, and solving complex problems in a digital space. When I felt the pull toward a more hands-on, creative career, I hesitated. Would it be a waste of all the experience I’d gained? Would people take me seriously? It took time, but I had to unlearn the belief that switching paths meant starting over. In reality, my background gave me an edge—problem-solving, project management, and an eye for systems all help me run a successful upholstery business. Now, I see career shifts not as detours but as evolution, and I trust that every skill I’ve learned along the way has a place in what I do now.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
At the heart of Find The Thread Upholstery is a mission to bring new life to well-loved furniture. I believe that objects hold stories—whether it’s a grandmother’s chair passed down through generations or a flea market find that just needs the right fabric to shine. My goal is to help people reconnect with their spaces by transforming these pieces into something beautiful, personal, and built to last. In a world that often encourages disposability, I want to show that restoration is not just practical but deeply meaningful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://findthethread.com
- Instagram: findthethread
- Yelp: Find The Thread Upholstery
Image Credits
i have all the rights