Another Side to Us:  In the print edition of Custom Woodworking Business, I tell readers to turn it over to find another publication on the back: Closets.

That verbal construct doesn't work online, so i am directing you to a facsimile of the magazine: our digital edition. There you can see that Custom Woodworking Business has been redesigned, and re-thought out as well.

With a new logo and tighter integration to online extensions, Custom Woodworking Business is the next step in the evolution of melding media paltforms. Soon enough you can expect an app from us for reading on tablets.

Take a look, and let me know what you think of the approach and the redesign.

Teach Our Children Well

 Finding woodworkers with job-winning skills seems to be the challenge of the day. It’s impeding cabinetmakers and custom wood shops of all types from growing as quickly as they could during the recovery. I’m bringing this up once again because I’ve had it delivered to my inbox multiple times in the last few days.

Chip Yawney at A Cut Above Woodworks noted that he had a devil of a time keeping a good finisher on staff. The latest case is the story of Tischlerei-Fine Woodworking. Owner Olaf Gerhardt had to move the company 90 miles, not to capture business, but to retain employees in a more livable area. 

Then Bernie Bottens struck a chord with a blog about Custom Source Woodworking in Olympia, WA, where VP Joe figures he’s fired about 280 cabinetmakers over 5 years – a 2.5 percent retention rate.

Joe’s solution for his 24,000-square-foot shop was hiring his local WoodLINKS program school’s best grads. He hired 10, and five remain, for 50 percent retention. Learn more at WoodLINKSUSA.org.