{"podcast":{"title":"The Woodpreneur Podcast","slug":"the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875","podcast_index_feed_id":1118875,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/stevekex/feed.xml","website_url":"https://stevekex.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/22451032/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1.jpg","author":"Acres of Timber","episode_count":100,"summary":"We cover the business and marketing side of the woodworking, sawmill, tree service, furniture making, Urban Wood, and woodworking industry. If you're a woodworker, sawmill owner, or any other entrepreneur and/or business owner in the wood industry, you need to check out this podcast. Each week, we interview business owners, large-scale companies, entrepreneurs, makers, and designers while also offering marketing and business advice that will help you grow your business and increase your profits. Tune in every week! www.builldergrowth.io www.woodpreneurlife.com Join our free and private Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/woodpreneurlife","last_synced_at":"2026-07-24T06:18:02.705416+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875"},"episode":{"title":"Bob Kloes & Matt Schmitz, Kloes Specialty Hardwoods","slug":"bob-kloes-matt-schmitz-kloes-specialty-hardwoods","published_at":"2026-05-14T14:13:25+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875/bob-kloes-matt-schmitz-kloes-specialty-hardwoods","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875","url":"https://stevekex.podbean.com/e/bob-kloes-matt-schmitz-kloes-specialty-hardwoods/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/moz99p79p41izjta/49c705fa-48d2-4df7-bd6e-f4b23b11c655_79b5d9f4-4b1d-4eeb-b583-eda73469cae4.mp3","summary":"In this episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast, host Jennifer Alger sits down with Bob Kloes and Matt Schmitz of Kloes Specialty Hardwoods, a Wisconsin-based business specializing in curly maple, bird's eye maple, flame birch, and other figured hardwoods. What started as Bob's lifelong passion for custom furniture evolved into a lumber business when his wife suggested he start selling the stunning figured woods he had been sourcing for decades. Now, with Matt at the helm after purchasing the business, the two share a partnership built on mentorship, shared passion, and an unwavering commitment to quality. You'll hear about how Bob built relationships with sawmills over 20 years and developed an expert eye for selecting figured wood in the rough. You'll hear about the process of buying green lumber, working with a neighboring vacuum kiln operation, and sorting material by species, figure density, and customer specs for everyone from furniture makers to guitar builders and pool cue craftsmen. Bob and Matt also get honest about the challenges of marketing a niche product, navigating social media algorithms, and the real cost of shipping in today's market. You'll also hear about Matt's journey from federal government career to business owner, how a summer sales slump nearly broke his confidence, and why having a built-in mentor made all the difference. Bob shares stories from his furniture-making days, including secret compartments, his \"high country style\" designs, and why he believes in over-delivering on every order. The conversation also touches on the declining availability of bird's eye maple, the puzzling drop in cherry prices, and the broader challenges facing the domestic hardwood industry. Whether you're a woodworker searching for the best figured hardwoods, a small…","meta_description":"In this episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast, host Jennifer Alger sits down with Bob Kloes and Matt Schmitz of Kloes Specialty Hardwoods, a Wisconsin-based…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2655,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875/episodes/bob-kloes-matt-schmitz-kloes-specialty-hardwoods/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875/bob-kloes-matt-schmitz-kloes-specialty-hardwoods.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}