Skip to main content

Slim pickings

Current stats show a very low unemployment level across the country. This is a good thing. People have jobs. Our economy cannot be strong without people working.

However, this does not necessarily translate into more work for woodworkers and cabinetmakers. With costs soaring and materials becoming harder to get, our prices cannot be lowered enough to make them affordable to people earning minimum wage.

Another thing I notice is that having someone walk into the shop looking for work is becoming a rare event. In the past, there would be an almost constant stream of people asking for work. We didn’t need to run help wanted ads. Now, it’s harder to find good help because the people who used to be seeking work are busy washing dishes or stocking shelves.

I guess every silver lining has its cloud.

Related Articles

This Business About Woodworking

Where will we find new employees?

Woodworking is high on the list of industries that are experiencing a shortage of skilled employees. With unemployment rates at the lowest level in decades and wages at their highest, the lack of skilled people is becoming more and more obvious.

This Business About Woodworking

Can I get that in blue?

It’s not unusual or unreasonable for people to want something unique. We are not all the same and that’s a good thing.

This Business About Woodworking

Is it really better?

We are hearing a lot about how well the economy is doing these days. Unemployment figures are looking good. And that’s supposed to be one of the indicators of a healthy economy. But at the same time there is an undeniably widening discrepancy in the ratio of people making billions and people barely scraping by.

This Business About Woodworking

Cautious

The title of this post seems to be the attitude of most people when it comes to anything involving the spending of money. There is an uncertain quality to how people feel about buying anything, especially if it involves a substantial investment.

This Business About Woodworking

How do we deal with this?

The coronavirus is causing things to go off the rails. We're being told stay home and avoid other people. But we have to make a living. It’s not like we can just stop going to work.

This Business About Woodworking

It can’t be done

In our business we are often asked to do things a bit differently than we’re used to. People want to individualize their projects. They don’t want to pay premium prices for something that looks just like what they could have bought at the local furniture store.

This Business About Woodworking

Soaring home prices

I saw an article the other day about home prices. This particular home was in Sunnyvale, Calif., and sold for over $2,000 a square foot. Yes, this was a record.

This Business About Woodworking

Are you positive?

In business, it is imperative that we maintain a positive energy. This is essential for good customer relations as well as a strong, positive work environment.

This Business About Woodworking

Defining art and craft

I recently came across the following definitions that attempt to differentiate art and craft.