February 2021 - www.woodhappiness.com

Many woodworkers who started the carpentry activity for hobby and as an "escape" from their daily routine , have this question and when we talk about professions and money , "things" are always serious . But what happens if during your amateur woodworking creations , the thought of being a professional carpenter , enters your brain ? Can you do it ? Yes , woodworking is a profitable profession you can relay your future on it , but how profitable it can be , it depends on you and your willingness to become a good professional carpenter . The woodworking business is a business which will always be "alive" and people will always need the knowledge and skills of a professional woodworker . The woodworker's "touch" , experience , instict , ability to adjust to "million" of different woodworking circumstances , aesthetic approaches , artistic approaches , arcitectural approaches , are timeless properties . So if you have doubts about the job and business you want to follow and you love the woodworking truly the answer is 100% yes , the woodworking business is profitable . The modern way of our industrial time has created many machines , which can do many nice wood projects , but not the projects a human can do . The modern wood machinery and CNC , can cut-shape-connect and finish a woodworking project , as a wooden chair , a table , a wood veneer , a church's template , with 100% accuracy but with zero % human's heart . Machines will Never duplicate , human's Heart and Soul . No machine can "copy" the human's spirit , brain , soull , heart and personality . Yes , the artificial intelligence(AI) is coming fast , but : The machines do , what we tell them to do . The machines no matter how "smart" you'll think they can be , they only can do what we tell them that they can do . A machine will never create something motivated by its heart and soul , as the humans do every day . Yes they have abilities , they have advanced software , they can mimic very nice the humans , they can count posibilites , they can count mathematics ( which the woodworker needs ) , but they are only machines . They don't have soul , spirit , heart , personality , they aren't humans and they'll never be . The perfect imperfection of the human hand will always be irrepleacable . Many hypercar manufacturers have robotic arms and equipment to paint their elite cars , but Bentley has humans to paint their 500.000$ cars . Why ? They've decided that the imperfections the humans do , looks perfect , when the car is finished . The same applies to the woodworking area . Yes , the machines can cut perfectly a wooden board , but the human hand can shape wood and create art . Mona Lisa cannot be made by machines . What is the Best way to make woodworking , profitable ? If you are already "inside" to this astonishing hobby , you've made "half the road" . Why ? Because this means that you love it and the only "thing" that is missing is the tranformation from a hobby to a full time living job . You should start slowly but certainly steady and then proceed to be 100% full professional in the woodworking area . While you're acting carpenrty as a hobby , you gained valuable experience , you made your first projects and maybe you've sold some of your furniture . Now you should escalate and spend some money to create a fully equipped carpentry place to begin your professional career . Not much money , but you should spend some for sure . Spending some money ( $1000 around ) , to buy all the basic woodworking hand tools you'll need in the beginning and spending some more to get your first wood supplies . As you earn more money , you can equip more your carpentry . Your first wood jobs should be easy , not very difficult and when you have more confidence , you can do more complex projects . These first wood plans of yours will be the ones , that they'll create the first impressions for you , so give your best . Try to be the Best and the rest will Follow . My personal opinion , not only for the woodworking hobby but in general is that , if you decide to act in some area and you are 100% certain , you must try to be the best "version" of yourself . If you want to do anything in life and this something means much for you , give whatever you have to be the best . Be a good woodworker and the money will follow your reputation . Can I make a Living as a woodworker ? Yes you can make a living as a woodworker for sure , if you are willing to be 100% serious concerning your profession . Constructions and woodworking projects( bigger or smaller )are made every single day . Wood problems which needs solutions in the people's houses will always be around . Wood damages will always be around also . People with money comfort , needed more than the average wood projects , will always exist . If you are good in what you are doing with your wood , the money will follow your abilities . What woodworking professional , Mindset should i have ? 1) Don't try to get "easy" profit , messing with your clients and not telling them the whole truth and only the truth . 2) Try to evolute continuously as a professional in order to be always "in the edge of your time" , 3) Always search for good wood supplies and you use computers and technology , to make impressive and unique woodworking projects for your clients . 4) Deliver to your clients , their wood orders in the time you've agreed , in the place you've agreed and with the exact money you've agreed , without "secret" charges and "secret" excuses , 5) You should agree without "second thoughts" and "buts" to fix the possible mistakes you've made by any reason , in your wood plans , so your clients won't feel that you are doing them a "favor" . 6) Be willing to make small adjustments to your wood orders without charge your clients any fee , to show them your respect for their support . 7) Tell always the truth to your clients , even if this means that you may lose some of them , in order to show them respect , be reliable and create good reputation . 8) Have a clean enough carpentry place , your clients are feeling nice and "warm" inside your carpentry place and they can always find you having many phone numbers to call you . 9) Don't see your clients only as "wallets" but as your long term friends . You should always handle your temper and never have nerves , when things will go worse than you expected . 10) Have the exact appropriate prices for the wood plans you'll sell stating respect to your clients , you can make a living as a woodworker . 11) Erase from your brain , the words : " cheat , lies , half lies , half truths , inappropriate behavior to your clients , slyness " and maybe some more , you can make a living as a woodworker . 12) Try to combine your professionalism with the willingness to evolute and explore new horizons , concerning the woodworking projects you'll make , so you can seperate from the others and be the best "version" of you . 13) Balance between efficiency and art and create "fresh" and radical wood creations . You can make a lot of money in here . Many people want their wooden furniture to be different than you can find in the stores and if you manage to fill this "gap" , you can make a living for sure as woodworker . Another important issue in here is that , when you start to create very nice and impressive wood plans and your client's satisfaction go sky high , you'll start to gain fame . Good fame and prestige . Good fame and prestige , means more clients and more clients means , better bank account . Don't fall in the so "common trap" , of neglecting your products quality when you'll start to earn "big" money . If you become arrogant and you start neglecting the basic principles of yours , you should know that your "failure's clock" will "start the counting" . Be humble and keep woodworking .