Tina Walters grew up in the South, where her father was a politically active preacher. They moved around a lot, and wherever they lived Walters was always fixing things. In college she majored in English and animal psychology, and went to Georgia after graduating. There she worked for the department of natural resources.
Walters' sister, a news anchor in Cleveland, called one day and asked if she'd like to come live with her in Ohio for a while. She seized the opportunity to move to a large city, and soon found a job in the customer-service department of an electronics firm. Within six months she was promoted to sales and in short order became the company's top producer.
During her 10 years with the company, she saw her salary increase dramatically. She was also very valuable to the company as well as to her customers. She enjoyed the hard-working, driven atmosphere at her job as well as the camaraderie of her coworkers.
When the company was sold to a huge foreign conglomerate, however, she felt the emphasis had changed and she soon became unhappy. Walters began to physically suffer and wasn't sleeping regularly. She knew she had to get out.
She had often dreamed of a home in the country, and she found a secluded house that she thought would be perfect for her if only she could afford it. Fortunately, the house needed a lot of work and Walters jumped into the project.
She taught herself carpentry by watching how-to videos, and would ask advice from a carpenter friend if something was beyond her skills.
Walters put in a large screened-in porch to better enjoy the rural setting of her home. Inside she painted all the dark paneling a light color and added skylights in her bedroom.
As things got more unbearable at work, she worked harder at her home. She came to the realization that she needed to find a different line of work, not just a change in jobs. Walters wanted to find a healthy, rewarding career, where she could work with her hands and work out of the home. A blurb in a handyman's magazine gave her an idea.
She decided she wanted to work where she lives and do something artistic. She decided to design and build screen doors, but not just any screen doors. Walters decided to make old-fashioned screen doors out of solid mahogany. She took all the money she had saved during her time in electronics sales, built a workshop adjacent to her home and launched Touchstone Woodworks.
When everything was in place, she quit her job and took out an ad in a magazine. Walters had her first order in hand before she'd even built a prototype door.
Although that first order came in quickly, building a business took time and she only sold about a dozen doors the first year. Walters was determined, though, and survived by doing other types of work such as remodeling.
By her third year in business, Touchstone Woodworks had enough work to warrant hiring Charlotte Baumbick as an assistant, and together she and her assistant craft doors for homes all over the country. With production running smoothly, she is able to devote more time to design and marketing.
Walters lives just outside of Ravenna, Ohio, and while she was drawn to her house for its seclusion, her home is often a haven for family and close friends. She wanted to take control of her life and destiny, and she's managed that in her new role as an entrepreneur.
Although she's not making a lot of money with her business and has faced some financial struggles, the upshot is that she is now healthy. While it's been a bit of a struggle, she says she cannot imagine doing anything else or living anywhere else. She has work she loves, a home she loves and is surrounded by supportive family and friends.
Resources Touchstone Woodworks Catalog
Website:
www.touchstonewoodworks.com
For a catalog, send $3 to Touchstone Woodworks.
Touchstone Woodworks
PO Box 112, Dept. HGTV
Ravenna, OH 44266
Phone: 330-297-1313
Guests Tina Walters
Woodworker / Owner, Touchstone Woodworks
PO Box 112, Dept. HGTV
Ravenna, OH 44266
Phone: 330-297-1313
Website:
www.touchstonewoodworks.com
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