2023 February | Furniture DIY

Angel City Woodshop has grown to an average revenue of ,000 a month making custom woodworking projects at their workshop in downtown Los Angeles. We’ll learn how founder Paul Moorhead built such a profitable woodworking business in this episode.

This video has been sponsored by Tailor Brands. Get your LLC with Tailor Brands: https://tailorbrands.go2cloud.org/SH8w
For a limited time, you can also get 20% off Tailor Brands plans using the code upflip20 https://tailorbrands.go2cloud.org/SH96

Paul didn’t set out to make furniture. Like many, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He’d always been drawn to working with his hands, and he soon found a new way to be creative: making furniture. After starting off with woodworking projects for friends and family, he established his shop and hasn’t looked back.

Of course, starting a business is never easy. Paul lived in his wood working studio for two years while he built his business, sometimes working all-nighters and 100-hour weeks to finish projects. We’ll find out how Paul kept himself going through those busy times and how that effort has paid off in the form of revenue growth and success.

Today, Paul has a team of craftsmen in his shop, and they take on projects that don’t just require artistic vision but also engineering, 3D modeling, and other advanced skills. We’ll find out how Paul built and trained his team to ensure consistent quality across his woodworking projects. He’ll also share the systems and tools they use to design and build the unique custom furniture their customers come to them for.

If you’re looking for more advice about how to start a woodworking shop, check out our past interviews:

How Blacktail Studio Rakes in K/Month Doing This! ►

How to Start a K/Month Woodworking Business ►

Resources
https://www.angelcitywoodshop.com/ – Learn more about Angel City Woodshop on their website
https://www.upflip.com/podcast – Hear more interviews with business owners on the UpFlip podcast
https://www.upflip.com/blog/how-to-start-a-woodworking-business – Step-by-step guide on starting a woodworking business

Timestamps:
00:00 – START
00:38 – Intro to Paul and Angel City Woodshop
01:13 – Story behind the shop
02:03 – Cost to start
04:02 – #1 factor in his success
05:22 – Skills you need to succeed
06:37 – Low points as a business owner
08:41 – How to attract customers with little marketing
09:56 – Hardest part of starting a woodshop
11:20 – Tailor Brands Sponsor
12:36 – Attracting early customers
13:54 – Profitability and consistency of revenue
14:51 – Online presence
15:56 – Tools and equipment
17:08 – Workflow management systems and tools
18:46 – Fan blitz
20:42 – Commercial vs. residential
22:14 – Walkthrough of key equipment
24:19 – Day-to-day as an owner
26:02 – Hiring and training team members
26:58 – Profit margins and costs per project
28:01 – Good month vs. bad month
28:52 – What to look for in employees
29:57 – Deciding what wood to use
31:21 – How to delegate tasks
32:19 – Why woodshops fail