We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful TiAnna DeGarmo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with TiAnna below.

TiAnna, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear your thoughts about family businesses.

I grew up on jobsite’s in the 80’s running around absorbing the aridness and possibility that is a new home under construction. As the eldest of 4 children, I was the first one to be put to work at the age of 13 working alongside my father and his crew. Our family business was MKT Custom Homes. “MKT” stands for Megan, Katie, and TiAnna, all of the Schacht family kids (established before my brother was born). Growing up in a very small town in rural Illinois I quickly learned the power of word of mouth and how you choose to show up in your community directly impacts the success of our family business. I wasn’t just TiAnna, I was Hans Schacht’s daughter. A pillar of our community respected by most. We had an unspoken expectation to work that much harder at whatever we pursued. I certainly wasn’t given any special treatment on the jobsite’s being the bosses daughter, in fact, I had to work twice as hard to prove that I belonged there. That work ethic has never subsided. Being the only female on site or in the wood shops over the years meant that I couldn’t afford to be just average. My upbringing prepared me well to navigate those waters as an adult.
Truth be told, I never imagined that I would end up pursuing a career in woodworking or construction but I found myself accepting an apprenticeship at 23 at a high end Architectural Millwork company and haven’t stopped making expensive sawdust since!
I am a Mom as well and would like to see our daughter learn some of these skills for her own empowerment but would hope that she pursues whatever her heart desires.

TiAnna, 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 journey in wood began as a little girl. I vividly remember running and playing on my Father’s jobsites as a small child. The sights, smells, and aridness of it melded into my bones at a very early age. On one seemingly random day, Dad handed me my first tool belt, a circular saw, and a list of parts to cut. After a very quick explanation on how to operate the saw I attempted to make my first cut. Firing up the saw was a terrifying and exhilarating feeling all at once. I was 13 years old, and I was hooked! I was fortunate enough to eventually land an apprenticeship where I was trained intensively in the broad field of Architectural Millwork. It was a deluge of opportunity for learning and growing my skill sets creating something from just a drawing or idea. It planted a seed deep inside of me that remained only a whisper for the next 11 years. Along the way I gave birth to my daughter Addison and I realized at that point that if I wanted my baby girl to grow up being whatever her heart desired, I should lead by example. I quit my job shortly after and took every spare moment building a small portfolio and surrounding myself with people on a similar path with a similar fire in their chests.

I created DeGarmo Designs LLC to combine my love of woodworking and home building. I operate a custom shop and provide on-site carpentry services to help you reimagine your home or business.

My furniture and home décor are a creative blend of Asian and Scandinavian Midcentury design. My design focus is catered to small spaces creating pieces that are sculptural yet functional, simple, clean, and useful. My deep appreciation for this medium sources my ability to transform raw natural materials into functional and timeless works of art ranging from fine furniture to decorative home furnishings. I am not in the business of making disposable furniture.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I believe that doing quality work is only half of the process. Excellent customer service is first and foremost. The construction industry more often than not sorely lacks those aspects of customer service that help clients feel trust and confidence that their money and energy are being held with the upmost regard. Transparency and excellent communication are essential, as well as facilitating an environment that honors and respects what the client wants. As the General Contractor, my relationships with the subcontractors are just as important. I am an advocate for not only the client but for the subs I hire as well. Word of mouth doesn’t only come from the clients but also from the partnerships I foster to build a team to het the project done effectively and efficiently.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My entire life I have had to normalize who I am as a woman, and being in a same sex relationship, on every jobsite, every shop, every lumberyard, every hardware store, every conversation following the “what do you do” question. More often than not, I had to prove that I belonged the moment I walked in the door. Not only was I on a mission to prove it, I was going to be the best in the room because of how I was raised. As I navigate middle age now, I don’t feel the need to prove much of anything anymore. I wish I could sit down with my younger self and help her see that she doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone but herself. To enjoy the journey a lot more than I did back then. I’ve been given multiple once in a lifetime projects and didn’t get to enjoy the process because I was constantly chasing perfection because I thought I had to be perfect to be welcomed to the table. That’s just not the truth. Do the work, do what you love, ENJOY EVERY SECOND. The opportunities will inevitably follow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://furniturebydegarmo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/degarmodesignsllc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/furniturebydegarmo/

Image Credits

Professional photos taken by Sarah Peterson
All other pics taken by me (TiAnna DeGarmo)