{"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":"Nick Hardrath, The Urban Craftsman","slug":"nick-hardrath-the-urban-craftsman","published_at":"2026-04-23T14:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875/nick-hardrath-the-urban-craftsman","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875","url":"https://stevekex.podbean.com/e/nick-hardrath-the-urban-craftsman/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/smqtemh8e9dmy7i6/49c705fa-48d2-4df7-bd6e-f4b23b11c655_6c42f661-8b72-4ebd-914c-eebc3d8e2360.mp3","summary":"What does it take to walk away from a stable corporate career and build something with your own two hands? Nick Hardrath did exactly that, and the business he built, The Urban Craftsman, is proof that passion and strategic thinking can coexist beautifully. In this episode of the Woodpreneur Podcast, Jennifer Alger sits down with Nick to trace his journey from the corporate design world to running a full-time sawmill and bespoke furniture business. Nick started in 2016 with small projects and ornaments, went full-time in 2018, and has never looked back. He shares how his corporate background quietly shaped the way he approaches branding, client relationships, and business systems in ways most craftspeople never consider. One of the most compelling parts of Nick's story is his decision to control his own lumber supply. By milling urban wood himself, he gains creative freedom, quality control, and a storytelling advantage that sets his work apart. He talks about the thrill of opening a log and discovering unexpected grain patterns, the discipline of managing wood movement and kiln schedules, and why understanding your material from the very beginning changes everything about the finished product. Nick also gets candid about the harder side of running a craft business. From hiring skilled labor and keeping a team motivated, to automating operations and managing the financial side of things, he shares the lessons that took years to learn. He is a firm believer in community, collaboration, and educating the public about urban wood and sustainable forestry, and that passion comes through in every project he takes on. Whether you are a woodworker, a maker, or an entrepreneur trying to turn your craft into a career, this episode is packed with honest insight and hard-earned wis…","meta_description":"What does it take to walk away from a stable corporate career and build something with your own two hands? Nick Hardrath did exactly that, and the busines…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2662,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-woodpreneur-podcast-1118875/episodes/nick-hardrath-the-urban-craftsman/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/nick-hardrath-the-urban-craftsman.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}