In this episode, host Jennifer Alger explores urban wood utilization with Rick Siewert from Wood From the Hood. Rick shares how his business started from a simple dare and grew into a successful enterprise focused on sustainability and innovation in woodworking.

The conversation covers industry challenges, the importance of standards and certification, networking within the urban wood community, and exciting future developments in the field.

Key Takeaways:

• Urban wood utilization offers significant environmental benefits by repurposing trees that would otherwise become waste
• Building standards and certification systems are essential for establishing credibility in emerging industries
• Collaboration and networking are crucial for overcoming challenges in niche markets
• Sustainable business models can emerge from unconventional beginnings and creative problem-solving
• The urban wood industry has promising growth potential with exciting developments on the horizon

Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction to Urban Wood Utilization 

02:15 The Birth of Wood From the Hood 

08:45 Challenges in the Urban Wood Industry 

15:30 The Importance of Standards and Certification 

22:10 Networking and Collaboration 

30:00 Future of Urban Wood

The Woodpreneur Podcast brings stories of woodworkers, makers, and entrepreneurs turning their passion for wood into successful businesses - from inspiration to education to actionable advice. Hosted by Steve Larosiliere and Jennifer Alger 

For blog posts and updates: woodpreneur.com

See how we helped woodworkers, furniture-makers, millwork and lumber businesses grow to the next level: woodpreneurnetwork.com

Empowering woodpreneurs and building companies to grow and scale: buildergrowth.io

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You can connect with Rick at:

https://woodfromthehood.com/

https://www.instagram.com/woodfromthehoodmpls/

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