Corporate to Carpenter

Hi, I’m Jerry Rodman—thanks for visiting our website!

I started this company because my wife said, “The printer is ugly. Can you do something about it?”

At the time, I worked at Hewlett-Packard, the printer's maker. Convincing the higher-ups to redesign it seemed hopeless. So, I decided to build her a cabinet instead.

Since Jerry isn’t too photogenic, we use his wife, Tamara, for marketing.

There were a few small problems:

I didn’t have a shop.
I can’t draw.
I had never built a cabinet before. People call me an artist, but I have a degree in Economics and spent 20 years at Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, and AWS. So, I’m no Picasso. Years later, someone bought one of our clocks and placed it next to a real Picasso. That was surreal.

There I was, wildly gesturing to explain my idea. My wife looked... concerned. I grabbed a piece of paper and sketched it out (remember, I can’t draw).

Finally, I looked her in the eye and said, “You’re going to love it. Trust me.” If you were one of my early customers, you likely heard me say, "You're going to love it and if you don't, you don't have to pay". Surprisingly, it worked, and yes, I got paid.

What started as a solution to my wife’s printer problem turned into my passion. I found two other people just as excited about building amazing things. Every day, I sketch new designs, hoping others think they’re as cool as I do.

I'm writing this on a Saturday afternoon, hoping you will visit our showroom to see the love we put into every piece.

Oh, and yes—you might be wondering about that cabinet.

You’ll have to come see it. 😉 Here’s a picture.

I’ve always felt miscast in the corporate world. You know those movies where the good guy should be the villain? That’s how I felt. I felt disconnected from the products because of the scale. I promised myself my company would be different.

First, I focused on client experience. It sounds flashy, but hear me out. When I was a boy, my mother measured my height against the basement door. I grew up in a house built in 1722, so it wasn’t hard to outgrow that door. Eventually, she moved, and the door went with the house.

The best thing about our furniture is that when you move, it can move too. It’s not like my basement door. That door inspired me to have people sign the bottom of the table. Kids get excited to see our shop, and when they see the table, they gasp! Maybe one day, they’ll inherit the furniture from their parents.

Now, people fly in from across the country to see their tables. That’s more than I ever dreamed and a compliment to how hard we work to create memories.

The first pieces I made were on my balcony in Chicago's Bucktown Neighborhood. My balcony overlooked an alley, and neighbors would walk by with puzzled looks. I made my wife a dining table—here’s a picture. I had never used social media, so I learned how to use Instagram at 41. Who doesn’t want to see a slightly balding man in his 40s playing with wood? Yes, that was a bad joke, but that’s me.

The first thing I posted was a cabinet, but not much happened. One day, I got a message from a famous designer. I didn’t know who they were. Remember, I’m an IT guy. They told me my piece was world-class and that I should be proud. Small acts of kindness can impact your life more than you realize.

I didn’t know much about woodworking. But that day, I recalled a quote my father told me. “Most men lead lives of silent desperation and go to the grave still wanting.” I didn’t quit my job that day. I rented a small 400 sq ft shop and started filling it with wood and tools. While traveling for work, I’d drive to sawmills outside major cities. I spent four years teaching myself to build, learning about wood and dreaming of what I could create.

I started selling the dining table I designed for my wife on Etsy, along with the cabinet. I’d return from trips, change into my work boots, and go to my shop to build on nights and weekends. I remember putting those boots on and feeling this is what I should do.

Jerry and his dog Betty in the first 400SQFT shop.

At the same time, I had a lot of doubt. I think I lack confidence, which is both a blessing and a curse. I often thought, “Who leaves a high six-figure job to make furniture?” The people closest to me questioned my sanity. I had a fast car, more frequent flyer miles than I could count, and dined at the best restaurants.

The funny part is, I did that because I felt I should. I don’t care much about cars, so I sold my fast car and now drive a Mazda hatchback. I don’t enjoy flying—I don’t fit in the seats. You’ll never see pictures of me next to the furniture because I make everything look small. I like sports stories but can’t stand watching games. I remember a tour at Fenway after the Red Sox won the World Series. Someone handed me the World Series ring, and I thought, “Well, okay, I guess that’s cool.” It was all lost on me.

I realized I just like creating things and making people smile. As I gained confidence, that 400 sqft shop grew to 750 sqft, then 1600 sqft, and now we have 3000 sqft with a showroom.

Now, I work with two amazing carpenters who help make our clients’ dreams come true. The first thing you’ll notice about our team is how happy they are. When I started, the corporate world felt like a scene from Glengarry Glen Ross. (Link here) People were harsh with each other, but that changed as I got older. I didn’t want to create that type of environment. I believe people perform best when paid well and treated kindly. We now pay our team 25% above the average starting salary for furniture makers. They also enjoy flexible schedules to manage life’s surprises.

We make furniture out of choice and passion. If you’re in the market for furniture, please visit our shop. We’d love to create something special for you. Thanks for reading.

Jerry with Mike Lowe from WGN and Rick Ray

Jerry shopping for wood in California

Jacob, Rick, and Jerry

Jerry and client Kevin

WGN Interview

Our prototype Chair

Corporate to Carpenter

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