Public Profile for wtgg

1073 rt 45

8563646471

http://www.yardleisure.com

manufacture outdoor furnishings, your design or ours, from pinic tables to outhouse bars.

picnic tables

Inspired by a life long passion for woodworking, and a more recent desire to hang-up the work shoes. I thought this would be a great retirement business, although with my ethic it will probably get to big to soon to retire at.

I have this "serial" customer a wonderful soul just a bit quirky, she stopped one rainy day to inquire about an octagon table (a prototype I hated and refused to make for anyone, it is just to heavy to move from where it is), I explained the deal and offered to show her a prototype on my deck that was also octagon but broke down into 3 pieces so average strength humans could move it. well my deck has wayyy too much furniture on it (experiments, and prototypes in development) she saw a sun louger my wife and I built one morning for my wife, she had to have one so we struck a deal and off she went, a couple days later she calls and orders a octagon table. Upon delivering the lounger she remembered a odd end table we made for my wife she had to have one. delivering both tables she asked for a outhouse style building made with old barn lumber (I told her if I came across old barn lumber I'd call her), as I pulled in my driveway on the way home a friend (contractor) called and asked if I wanted any old barn lumber as he had been contracted to take one down (it's like the movie "the secret"), so I made a outhouse potting shed with a side that folds down into a bench and a door that allows tool storage from old barn wood and some new stuff for structure. with that she has now ordered a firewood box for her outdoor fireplace also made from old barn wood. it's almost winter so I expect she is done for this year, can't wait until spring to see what she wants (gotta love this stuff).

put an ad on craigslist for the same octagon table, I get an email from a woman and send her to my website, she replies for now she wants to know if I make picnic tables for kids, I say I haven't yet but I am sure if you give me a day or two I'll send you a picture. so I build her table send the picture she's excited about it and I deliver it. while I'm there she's looking for a custom shed for the yard, I explain that is in the plan but not until next summer. I get an email later that night asking to call her husband, I do we chat and strike a deal I'm helping him build a shed. since it is his project (i'm helping and guiding) he has other help, one was a guy getting ready to put an addition on his house, you guessed it he wants me to help him do his addition, I have not accepted the job and probably will pass it along to a contractor friend of mine because the timing (I hope I will to busy making furniture). the irony of this story is a couple years ago I could have and should have started a business helping people build thier own homes (I've built several) even had a bank that does construction loans pushing me to do it. I opted to not do that thinking the housing market was going to crash soon and I didn't want to get caught under it, turns out appearently a downturn pushes people to do it themselves, go figure.

Desk???? 12" compound miter saw

in the shop with at least quarterly trips to key west

business communities like jumpup

seeing the grand kids graduate college (just found out, one is in the oven as I sit here).

To get where I'd feel good enough to go full time I need to have multiple outlets selling products (wholesale). Ideally if I can line up 100 outlets in the northeast I am set. While 10 hotspots would probably be enough

Jury is still out, about to start a targeted marketing campaign through cold calls, and direct mail. Then explore other avenues like home shows and such. although the big shows are booked two years ahead.