The Journey of a Door Shop Owner

When I started on my journey as a door shop employee over 24 years ago, I had no idea what lay ahead. The industry has been rewarding, but not with out it's challenges. From starting at 18 years old and learning all the tricks of the trade to owner. Although I'm a new door shop owner, I feel like I have been in business a long time. Navigating market changes to delivering quality service, the path has taught me invaluable lessons that I believe could benefit aspiring entrepreneur's. In this blog, I'll share personal anecdotes, the hurdles I've overcome, and key takeaways that have shaped my business-and my perspective.

The Beginning-Taking the Leap

I was not always the best employee at a young age, but as I got older and my wife straightened me out, the doors opened up. I learned all the millwork and how to cut what was needed for all the work orders. My friend Jack helped me with all that. He was a funny guy. As I'm writing this, it brings back memories and a smile to my face. Thank you, Jack. From millwork, I moved to the tables, where I learned how to pre-hang doors, and that's where I shined. I picked it up fast, and believe it or not, it was fun. We would have competitions on who was the fastest; of course, it was me. Although it was fun, I moved to becoming a delivery driver, which turned out to be the worst move, but I did it for a few months until I got a new job, and that's where things got better. At this new door shop, I learned the most from our foreman. I started building sidelite units. I love building those; the bigger the unit and with rough openings, it is even more challenging. Some had transoms with operable sidelites and screens, not easy. Then I got on the door machine and learned that; it was okay, just loud all the time. When I started in the hardware room, it was very different; it was clean, and I got to wear nice clothes sometimes. Keying locks got boring, so I went back to the tables. I'm not really sure why I like nailing up doors; I guess because you are not doing the same thing all the time, unless you are at a production shop and only nailing doors. So if you decide to work at a door shop, pick a custom shop. A little off topic, but that's true. One day I got chosen to be foreman. I loved that position, but people under me didn't like it so much. Well, I have been in the industry for a long time, and I had my ways of doing things as far as quality. If doors were not nailed up to my standard, millwork was not cut nicely, or trucks not loaded to my liking, they would have to do it over. I try to put myself as if I were the customer and buying the material; would I like the quality and service? Not sure if I was wrong by doing that, but the customers were happy. Years later, I moved to sales and did well there. Knowing all the material and how to build everything helped me to help the customer to know what they were buying and why certain casings and baseboards go better together.

The leap. I started doing plumbing jobs on the side and got busy doing that, so I got my C-36 plumbing license. Then I opened a thrift store. Yeah, I know, way different career change. So I left the door industry. Not long after (6 months), I missed what I had been doing all my life, well, half my life. So I started Empire Door and Moulding. Let me tell you, it was not easy. Trying to get vendors was and is very hard, and it takes a long time. Empire Door is still a very new door shop, but my knowledge in the industry is mature and experienced. All the years and thousands of doors and sidelites I built for customers are next to none. Knowing this will help me to continue to provide top-quality products and exceptional service to those who buy from Empire Door and Moulding. I still have an uphill battle, but when one door closes, another one opens, and I thank God for that. So I say this to all entrepreneurs: if one or two ideas don't work, keep going. Stay motivated and trust in God, keep your head up, shoulders back, chest out, and move forward.

What I've learned through this process is it's not easy, and if it were easy, everyone would do it. Choose your own outcome; don't let someone do it for you.

Well, that's all I have for now. If I don't make sense, sorry; I'm a door guy, not a blogger....