Episode
Brett Neylan, Capital Hardwood and Supply
- Podcast
- The Woodpreneur Podcast
- Published
- Apr 2, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2722
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875/episodes/brett-neylan-capital-hardwood-and-supply/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875/brett-neylan-capital-hardwood-and-supply.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
Starting a hardwood retail business from scratch with no industry background might seem impossible, but the right combination of strategic sourcing, mentorship, and community focus can turn an outsider into a successful niche player in just 18 months. In this episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast, host Jennifer Alger sits down with Brett Neylan, founder of Capital Hardwood and Supply, to explore his unconventional entry into the hardwood industry. Coming from backgrounds in outdoor apparel and bicycles, Brett shares how COVID sparked his interest in woodworking and led him to launch a hardwood retail business that now serves hobbyists, contractors, and institutional clients across multiple channels. You'll hear about Brett's strategic approach to sourcing high-grade kiln-dried lumber from rural sawmills while also embracing the urban lumber movement, his inventory management philosophy that keeps stock lean with species variety on a 60-day cycle, and how he's built a business model focused on dimensional lumber, live edge slabs, and specialty products like charcuterie wood. Brett discusses notable projects including a Catholic cathedral renovation and partnerships with schools for shop classes, demonstrating the community impact of local hardwood suppliers. This conversation explores the critical role mentorship and industry networking have played in Brett's rapid success, his growing e-commerce presence and integration with online marketplaces, and his multi-channel marketing approach using Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Brett also shares insights on challenges like inventory management and system integration, the value of partnerships with local sawyers and platforms like AncesTREE, and his vision for scaling beyond local retail through outside sales and ex…