Your thoughts on start-up of Slab Wood Furniture Business?

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Jon Mackay

New Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
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Location
Nova Scotia,

nakashima_table_butterfly.jpg

Hello there,

New member here, looking to learn about making a start in Nova Scotia, Canada, producing for sale fine slab wood furniture inspired by the work of George Nakashima en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Nakashima

If you wish, contribute to this thread to inform the ongoing Strength/Weakness/Opportunity/Threat (SWOT) Analysis.

Here's What's in Place:
-Good human resources, encompassing: tree removal, forestry, milling, pulp mill technical, finish woodworking, fine art/ design, engineering
-A supplier of local hardwoods http://novascotia.ca/natr/FORESTRY/treeid/Trees_Of_Acadian_Forest2.pdf
-Large capacity band saw mill
-Working Stihl 044 Magnum
-Suitable base of operations: 650 square foot garage with concrete floor and 110v/220v electrical service, materials yard
-Local Trucking
-Basic woodshop with machines and hand tools for furniture production
-Global shipping via Nova Scotia's Port of Halifax http://www.portofhalifax.ca/english/cargo/global-markets/

Further requirements:
-Business plan
-Market analysis
-Start-up capital
-Exporting information
-Chainsaw mill set-up www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/two-stihl-044-magnum-saws-double-bar-alaskan-mill-cut-how-wide.248432/#post-4598322
-Local vacuum kiln services
-Marketing services: branding, web design
-First customers

Essentially, we have good people, material supply, and, say 80% of the equipment.

By, say, March 1, 2014 we'll be working with a 60 inch chainsaw mill- we can get 2 inch hardwood slabs into a vacuum kiln then production is underway.

Along with the SWOT analysis, I wonder, what guidance is there on how to grow to the point where the money is coming in?
 
Diversify. Slab wood is great, but a niche market. Produce products for the masses also. High quality muskoka chairs, harvest tables, entertainment centres, etc.
 
Crosscut rustic furniture.......(Google it).
Their former main biz (tree service) supplied the wood for that side business.
Sadly, Steve Cirucci was killed in a tree accident last year.
 

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