On Monday, March 20, 2017 at 12:10:15 AM UTC-5, OFWW wrote:
I can see he is an entrepreneur from the
article which would explain his seeming lack of focus for a specialty,
and he does seem to be interested in a lot of the various facets of
wood working just not settled down yet. That might be the reason he
rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Too flighty, yet because of the
article link you posted he does seem to have a focus but for business.

I agree. It seems to me that he is interested in everything going on in his environment and I am glad he doesn't try to sell himself as the the next Norm. I can relate to him more than I can Norm, as I started my career in construction being taught how to do different tasks from experienced guys. The learning curve was steep, but I had access to some very talented craftsmen from all walks of construction trades. My immediate boss was a trade carpenter, and he taught me everything from setting concrete forms to building job site cabinets in the 2 1/2 years I worked for him. It was up to me to build my skills after learning the basics.

I opened a carpentry company and over a period of a couple of years I learned how to starve to death. I was either covered up with work or staring at the walls. So I had to become a businessman and diversify, or live on a carpenter's or cabinet maker's wages the rest of my life. (Really relating to Tom here...) I had to learn to build a business, keep momentum, cultivate clients, and most of all, drop the crap about being a prideful craftsman that didn't do repair work ("I don't fix other people's mistakes") or work I thought was beneath me. I had to find a way to get some kind of continuity of income for rent, truck payments and all the other stuff that comes along.

I got into repairs by mistake. When I was framing tract and semi custom houses I was paid to repair mistakes or deficiencies left by other framers. I noticed that I made more money in two solid days of repair than I made all week with employees working. While my cabinet making friends were working a few months a year making production type cabinets, I refocused and went after anything that had wood in the equation, then in leaner years (think of our recessions), anything that would pay the bills. I think TM must be smarter, more experienced, or receiving better advice that most.

My fellow craftsmen from the last 35 years I have been in business that retained their personal image (and false pride) of being the grizzled woodworker that marches to his own tune, does things his own way, only takes a certain kind of job, marches to his own drummer... you know, all that crap... are all out of business. Some have lost all they own, some have lost their marriages, some have done all that twice, and most have gone back to work for another company. I may not like his show, but I think he has the right idea about things IF he is diversifying and branching out.

I'll continue to watch him when there is no other WW shows on, just
because of his buds, people with real skills, tradesmen and craftsman.
They have a lot to offer and if it wasn't for him we might never see
them, they have a lot to offer.

I hadn't thought of that, but that is a really good point. May have to tune him back in and see who he has on before I toss out the baby with the bath water.

Robert