Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Norman Pirollo, Founder of WoodSkills, located in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is WoodSkills, and my customers are people interested in learning woodworking, furniture making, and furniture design. I develop and create woodworking courses and woodworking books. As well, I provide live webinars on the subject.
Tell us about yourself
I began woodworking through a weekend class at a community college. I pursued it afterward as it allowed me to express my creativity through the use of tools and wood as a medium. Coming from a hi-tech career, I found that working with my hands and making tangible objects was very satisfying and provided a creative outlet to my highly technical work. I continue to be motivated about woodworking and my emphasis today is on hand tools, content creation, author, and an educator role.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Early on, it was the development of successful products that my clients were very pleased with. Today, I derive great satisfaction through developing woodworking-related courses, writing woodworking books, and creating one-of-a-kind furniture pieces. Having developed three businesses from the ground up has been a big accomplishment.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I would say marketing is difficult, especially in a competitive space. Pricing of work is difficult because of the many factors that determine the price. The biggest fear is that the price will be too high for the customer to bear.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Perform market research on the niche you intend to serve. Get really good at what you do to gain a competitive edge over the other players in your business category. Start your business part-time to determine if it is a feasible idea before going all in as a full-time business. Do not invest too much at the beginning, and market the business organically and through word of mouth. This is to control advertising costs as they can get expensive. Get reviews from satisfied clients to leverage your business going forward. People love to see positive reviews.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.woodskills.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoodSkills
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodskillsmag/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WoodSkills
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norman-pirollo-059b624/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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