Meet Derik VanVleet | Owner and Builder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Derik VanVleet and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Derik, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I took an unconventional path into starting my custom furniture company. I went to college and graduated with a business computer degree and went into the field of Information Technology. First as a systems administrator and then as a consultant. During that time, shortly after getting married and buying our first house; which was a major fixer-upper, I got into building furniture. As I think back, it really started because we did not have a lot of money in order to buy furniture, so I just started building it. My wife would find something she liked in a catalog, and then I would build it. This continued for me as a hobby as my Technology career progressed over the next 18 years. Then, in 2017, after getting a little burned out on technology, I decided to take the leap and start my own business. So, I laid all of the ground work, started recruiting clients and then, finally, walked away from the Tech world for good. One of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Functionally beautiful. That is what I want my furniture to be for my clients. Above all else, furniture has to be functional or; what is the point? But it doesn’t have to be stuffy or utilitarian so it should also be beautiful. That is where the wood and the selection of wood comes in. I hand select all of my materials for my projects. I am able to hand select the perfect board for the perfect spot in a project. This allows the wood to really be the showcase and come alive. To that extents, I only use natural finishes on my pieces; no paint or stain. Wood is amazing and using natural finishes really brings it alive. Woodworking is a constant journey. You are always learning, trying new ideas and pushing design. It never gets old. I have been on this woodworking journey for 20 years now and I am learning new techniques, tips and designs all of the time. No two pieces of wood are the same, so no two pieces of furniture are the same which means everyday is something new. Woodworking also teaches you to slow down and pay attention to what you are doing and what you are going to do next. If you don’t read the grain direction of the wood properly and then take a hand plane to it, now you have put a big gouge in the wood. Glue things up in the wrong order? Start over. Making mistakes costs time and time is money so you plan, think ahead and, when you do make a mistake, because you will, you learn from it, fix it and move on.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The Beltline. I would start there and just make our way down the Beltline and stopping at all of the great spots like grabbing a beer from New Realm. Brunch and Two Urban Licks or Bread and Butterfly. I would pop into Ponce City Market for some great food and drinks to go and stroll down to Krog Street Market to refuel and refill for the walk back. And, since my hobby is scuba diving, no stop in Atlanta is complete without a stop at the amazing aquarium; it constantly amazes me. And, to work off all that food and drink, a nice stroll through Piedmont Park to people watch or catch a concert.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Without a single doubt, my wife. By leaving the tech industry and pursuing this dream of mine, it put a lot of pressure on her as the primary earner in our house while I figured out what the heck I was doing. From day one she has championed my efforts, been my sounding board and encouraged me through some stressful time. Without her support, I would not be able to be doing this.

Website: www.VanVleetWoodworking.com

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