Self-employment as a carpenter provides independence. He allows for the unique situation where he can create wood products, furniture and cabinetry at a pace that is comfortable for him without anyone looking over his shoulder. You essentially become your own boss. If you’re tired of the rapidly changing job market and growing demand for tech workers, then carpentry provides a degree of technical stability. The woodworking industry evolves very slowly, and unless you are involved in the highly computerized and mechanized CNC end of the market, the woodworking industry is very traditional. There are many types of tools and machinery used in conventional woodworking that date back a century or more, to give you an idea of how relevant any knowledge you gain will be in the future.
You’ll also need to weigh the pros and cons of becoming a self-employed carpenter versus having a day job. A day job often provides stability and a regular source of income without the need to worry about the next paycheck. Of course, we know this isn’t always true, especially in today’s rapidly changing economy and the threat of downsizing or job loss is a reality. However, until this happens, a day job is a reliable source of income. However, the downside to spending forty hours a week at a day job depends on the type of work you do, and more importantly, do you enjoy what you’re doing? If there are so many people in the workforce who get little or no satisfaction from their work, then you should follow your dream and look into becoming a full-time or part-time carpenter.
Being in business for yourself involves more than just woodworking. There are other aspects of a business that you need to consider. Other things to worry about besides carpentry include: accounting, inventory control, equipment and tool maintenance, purchasing, marketing, advertising, and shipping. These aspects of a business take valuable time away from the main carpentry, but are necessary for the business to survive and prosper. However, you will learn to manage these other business-related tasks in due course, and will once again return to woodworking as your primary focus.
Important questions to ask yourself if you want to start woodworking as a business:
Have you successfully made furniture or wood products before?
Are you comfortable dealing with customers?
Are you familiar with the joinery used in woodworking?
How skilled are you at applying finishes to wood products, furniture, and cabinets?
How long does it take you to make a wood product or create furniture?
Are you able to work within deadlines?
Can you handle businesses that detract from carpentry?
These and other questions are at the core of any woodworking business and you will have to deal with these issues at one time or another.
I have not touched the immense satisfaction derived from the independence and freedom derived from being a self-employed carpenter. Speaking from personal experience, I can attest that the freedom gained is unparalleled. There is no longer any need to dress up and commute to a workplace that may provide little satisfaction but mostly only financial security. Guaranteed jobs have also become a thing of the past. In my opinion, the often small and irregular income that is part of being a self-employed carpenter is well worth it. You will also need to determine if you can survive as a carpenter at this point in your life, however, by weighing your monthly costs which include housing, family expenses, etc.
More information on the woodworking business topic can be found at: http://www.woodskills.com/Courseware/WoodworkingBusinessCourse.html