We recently connected with Joshua Aaron and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Joshua, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I grew up in a chaotic environment where I learned I wanted more from my life. I realized at a young age my future is in my hands and I am the only one who can set things in motion to achieve my goals.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I got into woodworking in high school in 2008 and loved it. There is something primal about being able to work with your hands and make the everyday items most people have to buy. I started moving around looking for work and got my first carpentry gig in Springfield, Missouri. I did that for a year and then ended up moving to Baltimore. There I worked my way up to Chief of Operations over the past 8 years at a shop making cabinetry and just about anything wood related, even did a bit of welding/metal work.
Today I am an independent contractor while also running a website where I sell my woodwork, mainly home décor and plant accessories. I incorporate functional art with physics based designs and plants, can never have to many plants! I just moved to Los Angeles so I have been on a bit of a hiatus. The website will be doing another launch soon now that I am settled into a new shop!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
In the 15 years I have been doing woodwork I learned that the “if you’re not 15 minutes early you’re late” mindset really puts you miles ahead of most people in any industry. Just being on time and dependable will make you an asset these days, there are a lot of flakes out there especially in this field of work. If you stay true to your word, and under promise/over deliver, you will thrive.
I am a zone out and work solo type of guy, its when I am my most efficient and get the most accomplished. The hardest skill to sharpen in my tenure so far has been managing others. There is a fine line between managing and micro managing. A machine only works if everyone is qualified and able to do their part, micro managing is counterproductive and even brings down morale. I’ve learned personally that over communicating and having faith in your fellow employees abilities can get you far. I have never liked the title of “boss”, I have always looked at it as a position of guidance and even told that to those I was in charge of.
Lastly, if you have an idea, just do it. You are only going to prolong the whole process, starting is the hardest part. You will almost always be glad you did it looking back!
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
Constantly coming up with something new and truly original has been a bit of a struggle for me. I’ve created a few designs that have sold well but I always feel the need to innovate and come up with something fresh. My standards are set high for my products/myself so that only adds to the whole process. The ideas seem to come to mind out of nowhere when I am not expecting them so I am hopeful!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.yarmles.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yarmles
Image Credits
Alex Hedley
