We recently had the chance to connect with Mike Fister and have shared our conversation below.
Mike, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
This business is a ‘labor of love’…. That is, there are lots of hours in the design, as well as construction. I spend significant time on the design, BOTH to ‘scratch a creative itch’ that is one of the reasons I do this, but also as that is the way I am – hopelessly detailed; and enables me to thoroughly understand the project goals and communicate/engage with my clients. Computers (my tech contribution in all of those years) have enabled all kinds of amazing new things to learn, especially for my interests in 3D and deep relief elements that I bring to my work. OF course this add to the hours – wait till you see the kinds of things I’m doing with my CNC… I always tell clients, I do work for people I like engaging with and brings me joy to see them love their piece(s)!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
After a long career in high tech, I concentrate mostly on furniture commissions, custom cabinetry, and explore a myriad of 3D machining both in flat and rotary forms, turned vessels and art objects. Operating from a relatively small shop (~3000 sq ft of workshop plus a couple of offices), I work by myself and prefer to design from concepts, often employing precious materials that can be hand finished (as opposed to painted material); my designs specialize to allow the natural grain of the wood to incorporate into the objects. Whatever I publish, represents a very small cross-section of my work which is furniture, casework, natural slabs, signage, turnings, and art nouveau. My furniture interests range from traditional to contemporary and incorporate mixed materials like glass and integrated lighting at all types of scale. I’ve named my efforts, Wooden Imagination, because I enjoy working on pieces that bring my client’s ‘imagination to life’!
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My father was my HERO and role-modeled that with hard work, anything is possible. I was brought up that way and thru my career in high-tech, could channel my intellect, curiosity, and work ethic and am proud to say that I ‘changed the world’ with my colleagues and those efforts. Often working more than 100 hours/week was implicit in my career then and I’ll never stop, bringing those same qualities to my work in designing and building custom/commissioned furniture.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Thank goodness (I am truly a lucky man) for finding the love of my life and all my wife has enabled me to do, especially in my high-tech work… BUT that has never stopped and I know she can’t imagine that I spend so much time at this stage in life in this foray! My work is in high demand and I’m basically at the shop most EVERY day (including weekends) and 10 hours/day – will never stop. As well, I’ve developed a ‘network’ of sorts of fellow travelers – fellow craftspeople, interior designers, moving experts (who move most all I do), other creative people, etc AND I certainly benefit from that; cross-referral and collaborations are very much a part of my incoming work.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
My ethic(s) are the most important to me and to the previous question, work ethic is prime, BUT also being the BEST at what I do. There is no compromise and that is what separates me from many who aim to be woodworkers. Attention to detail is the basis of most and manifests itself in design, grain flow, and what many would call being a perfectionist but/and the results speak for themself. Many of my clients own several pieces of mine and referral is a primary source of my leads and gives me great satisfaction…
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I probably have less than 10 years left. At 71, the physical challenges are real and there are many jobs I would like to do that I just don’t take on. That said, I’ll never stop! What I do try to do is pace myself a little and have enjoyed finding other people who I can teach AND work with; maybe that will give me even more longevity, especially if I find someone I would like to partner with.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://woodenimagination.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodenimagination_workshop/
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/webuser-400439885/
