What is your full name, title, and business name?
Lindsay Remley, CEO; and Alex Remley, Owner + COO, Edgework Creative.
Follow Edgework Creative on Social: Facebook | Instagram
Give us a summary of your business in 200 words or less.
We started in 2012 using reclaimed wood to build one of a kind furniture. As we’ve grown and evolved so have our range of materials. We build with virgin lumber, live edge slabs, reclaimed wood, and metal. We are driven to build pieces sure to be heirlooms for generations to come.
How did the idea for your business come about?
The business was born out of necessity for furniture in our new home. Lindsay couldn’t find anything that felt right for our home, and asked Alex if he could build a dining table. Alex is handy, smart and loves a good challenge.
As friends and family came over and saw the final result, they kept encouraging us to build and sell furniture. On a whim, Lindsay started an Instagram account and next thing we knew, we were building furniture and home goods for people all over the country. We are dedicated to making heirloom-quality furniture accessible.
What was the turning point for your business? Was there a moment you knew you had something special?
The successful funding of our Kickstarter campaign was absolutely a sign from our community that there was a need for what we wanted to do. Columbus is a thriving entrepreneurial city dedicated to supporting local business, and they showed up for us. Soon, we had people applying to work with us and wanting to be a part of what we were building; this was a big signal that people crave a career that’s creative and hands on.
What does it mean to you to be an entrepreneur and business owner?
It means we are dedicated to pursuing a life that aligns with our passions and interest. It also means we are willing to put in the work to make it a success. We are dedicated to creating a workspace of inclusion, creativity and purpose. Our team is our extended family, and we wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.
What does the city of Columbus mean to your business?
The city of Columbus is the reason we exist! If it wasn’t for the support of our community, we would have never funded our Kickstarter campaign and had the courage to make this our career instead of a side-hustle or hobby. The way this city lifts up and supports small businesses is truly incredible.
Are you from Columbus? If not, please explain what brought you here and ultimately what made you stay.
Lindsay was born in Columbus and her parents were born and raised here. She moved around a bit when she was young and ultimately landed in a suburb of Detroit for grade school. Columbus was like a second home when she was growing up, spending a lot of time here visiting family and spending holidays. In 2000 she moved to Columbus to go to The Ohio State University and has been here ever since. She has lived in Columbus longer than any other city, and Alex was born and raised in Clintonville. We’re never leaving; we love it here.
What’s the number one piece of advice you’d give to anyone wanting to start a business?
It will be 10 times harder than you think it will be. Do the work, show up and be willing to pivot and evolve.
What’s the most challenging part of your business (i.e, what keeps you up at night)?
Finances and cash flow.
Every business owner has a flaw. What’s yours?
Lindsay has so many ideas, so it can be challenging to prioritize them and execute. Alex WANTS to be involved in everything, but can’t now that we have grown so much.
Why do you think most business owners fail? What has made you different?
You have to really want to be a business owner from the core of your being. If you don’t, the challenges along the way will defeat you. It’s been incredible to be a team; we both have different strengths and interests which helps us divide responsibilities and arms of the business. Neither of us would have been able to do this on our own.
What was you biggest mistake and what did it cost you?
Trying to work too fast. In 2015, Alex had 2 injuries while working with power tools. One left him with a significant hand surgery and extensive physical therapy, and the other ended with him losing part of a finger. Needless to say, safety is our #1 priority at the shop. We have pretty gruesome pictures–both incidents are hanging in the employee break room as a reminder to our crew to keep their heads on straight while in the shop.
What tool has helped you the most for your business (invoicing, accounting, shipping, plugin for website, etc.)?
Our people and team, hands down.
When did you know it was time to expand your business, make your first hire, etc.?
After we successfully funded our Kickstarter campaign. The demand and projects were there and with additional space, tools and hands to help we were able to shorten lead times and take on projects that were larger and more frequent than ever before. We also were able to add metal work to our services and capabilities.
What is something that you did that was a game changer for your business?
The Kickstarter campaign was hands down the biggest game changer for our business.
What was an idea that you spent a lot of time on or thought would make a big difference in your business that didn’t pan out.
In 2017 we attempted to launch a collection of small goods across the country and it did not pan out the way we wanted it to. We spent a lot of time (and money) on creating the items, photographing, designing line sheets and traveling to trade shows. It was an incredible experience and many of the skills we learned are transferable to other places in our business, so it’s not a total loss.
What is something that your business spends a lot of money on that’s worth it?
Our people! Our crew is talented, creative and so dedicated to what we are building. We couldn’t do any of this without them.
What is something you’re working on now that you’re very excited about?
We are currently developing a furniture line and planning to launch a new website and e-commerce soon!
What form of marketing is the most valuable for you?
Our #1 marketing tool is doing exceptional work. Most of our business comes from referrals, and we have a high repeat customer rate. A close second is pushing our message through our digital channels.
Who is your best Columbus resource (accountant, lawyer, marketer, etc.)? Please provide name and business name so we can give them credit!
We work with so many incredible people to help make this business run, but Kreis Sawmill in Marysville is where we source most of our materials…which are a pretty important component to our business!
Who do you vent to when you have a business problem?
Each other mostly. We are good at balancing each other out and talking through the best solutions and course of action. Almost all of our friends are also entrepreneurs so when we are together we are ALWAYS talking about business, struggles, next steps, etc.
Where do you see your business in the next 10 years?
It’s hard to say since we’ve really only been trying to make it something for the last 3 years. We’ve grown and evolved so much in those short 3 years and it’s hard to imagine what 10 years from now will look like. Our hope is that we are still building beautiful and quality furniture to create memorable and meaningful spaces. We want to share our passion and craft with the world at an accessible price. Custom handcrafted furniture for everyone. Available soon online!
What other entrepreneur do you look up to most?
That is a REALLY hard question because there are so many amazing entrepreneurs in this city! Anyone that has risked it all and put themselves on the line to build something with passion and purpose is amazing.
If you had to tell a visitor one thing to do/see/eat in Columbus, what would it be?
Spend the afternoon walking around the Short North Arts District checking out all the local businesses. We always recommend Brassica for any meal, any time.
