How Nashville’s #1 Female CarpentHER Beat the Odds

Stevie Estler had just purchased her first house when she realized she needed furniture for that new house. Using a miter saw her uncle had given her, she taught herself how to build a headboard, then a desk, followed by a dining table and so on.  Soon, family and friends were asking her to build things for their homes.  She discovered a talent she never knew she had and on a leap of faith, she went into business for herself.  She hired some carpentHERs and 4 years later, she just finished her 200th project.

I’m a big fan of Stevie’s work and her story.  I love bad-ass women who do the unexpected and blaze their own glorious paths on this planet. Only 1% of woodworkers in the world are women and Stevie is one of them. She is the Owner, Founder and Chief CarpentHER at Built By Stevie, a nearly all-women team that designs and builds high-quality, custom wood furniture in Nashville. 

I caught up with Stevie at her workshop and asked her everything from how she learned how to use that miter saw to her plans for the future.  When I arrived, she was wearing her signature Carhart jeans (if you grew up in the 70s like me, we called them “painter’s paints”), Built By Stevie long-sleeved tee and what looked like a gas mask.  She told me she was putting the final coat of spray paint on custom barn doors she made for a client — 8 barn doors, each one 8 feet tall.   Dang, that’s a lot of barn doors.

Here is my interview with Stevie.

This all started with a miter saw?

It sure did. I had just bought a house and asked my uncle to show me how to install hardwood floors.  He bought me a miter saw and taught me how to use it. 

Was it hard launching your own business?

When I went to get a loan from the bank, the man who helped me said from behind his desk, “You know, less than 8% of all new businesses make it to the 1-year mark.  Less than 4% make it the 2-year mark, and less than 1% hit year 3. And, you’re a female and those stats are even worse.”  He looked at me and said, “So, you’re chances of succeeding are less than 1%.”  

But then he stunned me when he said, “I think you’re going to make it.  I really do. I think you have what it takes.”  My friends and family had given me so much confidence and then when he said that, I knew I was going to succeed.  What I didn’t know is how big this would get.  After starting my business just 4 years ago, I’m now pretty well known in Nashville for making custom built-ins and I haven’t done any advertising. I had one client who heard about me from her hairdresser. I have no idea who her hairdresser is.  I don’t spend a dime on marketing. I haven’t had to.  This is all beyond what I dreamt.  I thought I’d do maybe 1-2 projects a month but we’re doing 4-6. Last month we just did our 200th project. 

 In the first two years, were there ever moments when you thought, “Oh boy, what have I done?”

Oh yeah.  Lots of times I asked myself if I had just made a huge mistake.  I still have those days but not nearly as many as I did in the beginning. I put all of my eggs in one basket. I have bled, sweat and cried over this business through the years.  But then I look at my staff, my carpentHERS and my shop and see all the growth that’s happening and I know I’m where I should be.

Who came up with CarpentHER?

I was delivering furniture to one of my very first clients and afterwards she said, “Stevie, you are a carpentHER!”  She coined the word and now we’ve made it into a movement. You can follow us, #carpentHER!

What do you love most about what you do?
I love creating one-of-a-kind pieces that I hope will be family heirlooms and part of that home or family’s legacy for many years to come.

I also love that no two builds are the same. You have to be creative and make each piece special and personal for that space, that house.  One of the challenges that comes with that is that walls are rarely square so I have a mobile workshop and can make adjustments on site.  I’ve been doing this a while now. I know to come prepared!

Do clients ever ask you for something you don’t think will look good?

Not often but there was one time I had to talk someone out of zig-zag lines. I had to remind them they have to think about the resell someday. 

I help clients be practical. Everyone wants open floor plans these days but those open floor plans often mean there aren’t many closets or storage spaces. So, I do a lot of built-ins in those kinds of homes.  I build lots of open shelving which is great because it provides storage but doesn’t eat up square footage.

What I do, custom pieces, isn’t cheap. It’s important to me that my clients understand what they’re getting and are comfortable spending what can be thousands of dollars.

My reputation is key. My name is literally on everything. I stand by every single thing I make. Now, I will say no to people.  If I’m meeting with a potential client for the first time and I get a weird feeling or sense that I’m not right for what they want, I’ll tell them. I’m grateful I have enough business that I can do that.

You’ve got a big social media presence.  Who are your typical followers?

A lot of people who follow me on social media are dads.  I think its so cool. They want to show me to their daughters and to let them know they can do what I’m doing.  They praise me for leading the way for women in this field and I’m really proud of that.   

Then, I also get a lot of “mansplainers.”  Those are guys who insert themselves into my business and give me unsolicited advice.

You’re a skilled craftsperson but you’re also creative. When did you first discover you had the creative gene?

I never thought of myself as creative. I was more on the administrative side of things. I started doing this and I realized, not only am I creative but I’m good at it.

What’s been the hardest lesson to learn as an entrepreneur?

Learning to let things roll of my shoulders. My business is very intimate and personal. I’m in people’s homes. I have had to learn how to not get so emotionally invested in my work and my clients.  It can be a double-edged sword at times.

What’s next?

We’re building a new shop so we can expand. I want a place where clients can visit, fans of our business can come by, where other woodworkers can work, and where we just have more space to do what we do. I’m also working on a showroom so clients can touch and see in person what we make.

I’d love to to a TV show and show the world what we can do!   I think my shop and the carpentHERS would make a great show.  I’m also launching a youtube channel and that’s getting some good buzz.

I have crazy dreams.  I want to create a furniture line. I want to expand the business and I’d like to start teaching. I want to build some tiny homes on my property and have events like “father & daughter” weekends and “mother & daughter” weekends and workshops for women.  They can come learn woodworking and stay in a tine house while they’re here!

What does that uncle who gave you your first miter saw think of your success today?

He is immensely proud.  I don’t think he ever imagined it would become this big.

My sincere thanks to Stevie for letting me hang out at her shop. To find Stevie online and see her portfolio, go to www.builtbystevie.com and on IG @builtbystevie.