There's a difference between knowing how to build cabinets… and knowing how to build a business.

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In this episode, I sit down with Elliot and Greg from Chapel Cabinetry to talk about what actually moves a trades business forward.

They started doing volume work. Competing on price. Staying busy. Then 2008 hit and relying on one client nearly took them out.

Follow Chapel Cabinetry: https://chapelcabinetry.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@Chapel.Cabinetry/videos

https://www.instagram.com/chapel.cabinetry/

We talk about what changed:

• Why being "the cheap guy" has a ceiling

• Planning for custom work instead of guessing

• Hiring and training young guys the right way

• Using tech without losing craftsmanship

• Why understanding your numbers matters

• Competing with your standards — not your competition

Growth doesn't feel comfortable. It feels risky.

But if you want better clients, better margins, and something sustainable you have to build it intentionally.

Don't build your business alone... Join The Workbench Society: https://the-workbench-society.circle.so/checkout/the-workbench-society

In this episode of The Craft & Business Podcast, Eric sits down with Aaron Moore of Moore's Refinishing to unpack what it actually takes to build a long-lasting, craft-based business—without shortcuts, hype, or outside funding.

Aaron shares his journey from sweeping floors in a piano refinishing shop to buying his first business at 23, sleeping on a shop floor in his twenties, navigating unpaid taxes, a repossessed truck, and eventually building a stable, respected operation that's lasted over 16 years.

The conversation goes deep into the realities most tradespeople don't talk about: cash flow, pricing fear, imposter syndrome, business structure, hiring mistakes, insurance gaps, and the hard-earned lessons that only come from staying in the game long enough.

This episode also explores how a near-fatal heart attack forced Aaron to rethink sustainability, legacy, and knowledge transfer—ultimately leading to documented processes, education, and a new digital arm of his business focused on helping other craftsmen collapse time and avoid costly mistakes.

This is a candid, practical conversation for anyone building a business with their hands and wondering how to make it last.

https://www.instagram.com/moores_refinishing/

https://www.mooresrefinishing.com/

Aaron's Communities: Revive & Refine https: https://www.skool.com/furniturenetwork/about?ref=36ba1ffbbc0b499790dc8c2e2543e978

Moore's Furniture Network: https://www.skool.com/furniturenetwork/about?ref=36ba1ffbbc0b499790dc8c2e2543e978

My Links: How to get clients & customers for FREE! https://youtu.be/V5V0Kgvpoe0

Check out the after show in the membership community... Support the Podcast & Join the Community: https://the-workbench-society.circle.so/checkout/the-workbench-society

Topics Covered:

-Getting started in the trades without college or capital

-Buying a business young and earning customer trust -Overcoming imposter syndrome as a young craftsman

-Pricing fear and learning to quote profitably

-Cash flow versus profit (and why businesses really fail)

-Early mistakes with taxes, insurance, and legal structure

-Why more employees didn't equal more profit

-The hidden cost of being the bottleneck in your own shop

-Lessons from a heart attack that changed everything

-Turning lived experience into systems, SOPs, and education

-Using content and relationships instead of paid ads

-Building a business that survives—and serves—long term

How to get clients & customers for FREE! https://youtu.be/V5V0Kgvpoe0

Support the Podcast & Join the Community: https://the-workbench-society.circle.so/checkout/the-workbench-society

In this in-person episode of The Craft & Business Podcast, host Eric Sirois sits down with Hammer & Bell to talk about building a high end woodworking business specializing in custom staircases and architectural millwork.

Hammer & Bell share how they found a profitable niche in the high-end stair market, why they say "no" to certain jobs (even a $100,000 door package), and what it really takes to run a sustainable carpentry business without burning out. If you're a woodworker, carpenter, stair builder, trim carpenter, cabinetmaker, millwork shop owner, or a tradesperson trying to turn your skills into a real company, this conversation covers the craft, the operations, and the business decisions that matter. https://www.instagram.com/hammerandbell

https://www.hammerandbelldesign-build.com

https://www.instagram.com/competentwoodworks

https://www.competentwoodworks.com

How to get clients & customers for FREE! https://youtu.be/V5V0Kgvpoe0

Support the Podcast & Join the Community: https://the-workbench-society.circle.so/checkout/the-workbench-society

You'll hear how they approach:

-Custom stairs / staircase design and why high-end stair work is hard to find (and in high demand)

-Turning down work that doesn't fit your shop, tooling, or workflow (doors vs stairs, production realities)

-Business growth with "measured growth" instead of over expanding (too much space, too many employees, too fast)

-Pricing, bidding, and fear based decisions (underbidding, overworking, cash flow pressure)

-Craftsmanship vs perfectionism (mistakes, rework, quality control, and staying human)

-Smart outsourcing: what to outsource in a woodworking shop (treads, panels, veneers) vs what to keep handmade

-Building systems so the business doesn't "live in your head" (repeatable processes, training, delegation)

-Why having a construction lawyer, strong contracts, draw schedules, insurance, and an accountant is a competitive advantage

-The power of partnership in business (complementary strengths, decision-making, and shop rhythm)

Hammer & Bell also discuss mentorship, industry relationships, and what it looks like to scale a specialty trade shop while protecting your quality of life and your standards.

Subscribe for more conversations with builders, makers, woodworkers, and tradespeople who make a full-time living through craftsmanship.

Support the Podcast & Join the Community: https://the-workbench-society.circle.so/checkout/the-workbench-society