We were lucky to catch up with Christopher Bjorkman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Christopher, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Delaney Mahncke and I were both raised in hardworking low income families in the midwest. We were taught at a young age that if you wanted anything, you had to work your tail off for it. As a kid, I hated it. But as I grew older, I quickly realized how gratifing it was. The harder I worked and the more I learned, the better I felt. I was taught woodworking at a young age by my grandfathers and father. After graduating high school, I went on to study Automotive Repair and Refinishing in Green Bay, WI. I later returned to college to study Mulit-media and Web Design. Through my twenties and early thirties I found myself in many different jobs doing my best to deal with the failing economy. It gave me the opportunity to learn many different trades. Jobs like Bartender/Waiter, Driveshaft Machining, Welder, Fabricator, Painter, Graphic Designer and Project Manager. All these experiences all played a roll in shaping my strong work ethic that is now an integral part of being a small business owner.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Ashriver Woodworks was started in Castle Rock, WA in 2018. My brother-in-law Delaney Mahncke who was an avid woodoworker came to me and proposed that we quit our jobs and build furniture full time. I was a bit skeptical at the time, but decided I would do everything I could to help launch the business without quitting my fulltime job. We came up with a name and I started designing the logo and website. After a couple years had past, Delaney and his wife Amy came to Naomi and I and proposed we sell our homes, quit our jobs and buy a property to all live on and grow Ashriver Woodworks together. So we did along with my in-laws, we found a beautiful property on the Oregon Coast along the Columbia River. In a short time, we found a stunning space in historical downtown Astoria where we would display our handcrafted furniture. We quickly branched out to other local artists and worked with them to display their art in our showroom as well. We specialize in Epoxy incorporated furniture and Reclaimed Furniture built the right way to last generations. We currently display local pottery, Leather work, photography, jewelry, wood turning, paintings and other wood art in our showroom from all local artists. Our passion to create unique furniture stems from years of hardwork and the love of wood. The feeling you get when you deliver a new piece to its forever home, knowing that it will last for generations is something that never gets old. There are few things in this world that have that effect these days. We’re very proud and grateful to have the opportunity to play a roll in that.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Delaney and I both came from similar backgrounds. Having a strong work ethic, experience in many other fields of labor and the passion to learn more are all key in our growth and success. Running a small business is not just knowing your trade. It takes far more knowledge in many different aspects of life and business to prepare you for small business ownership. If you are planning on starting a business, do whatever you can to learn about your demographic, your community, your local government and what similar business are doing to grow and develop their brand.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I believe it as far more advantageous to learn and grow in areas that arent your strong suit particularly when it comes to running a small business. By learning and developing your skills in all areas of life, you are only setting yourself up for more success and a deeper knowledge life in itself. Death and Taxes. The only things that are guaranteed in life. You never know what life will throw at you. By absorbing everything you can around you and developing better habits and routines, you are setting yourself up for a far more prosporous and successful life. I dont measure success by the zeros in my bank account, but by how I feel every morning when I wake up and how I rest my mind at night. I have found that living my life in these ways has surrounded me with amazing people, wonderful experiences and a fulfilling life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ashriverwoodworks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashriverwoodworks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashriverwoodworks
Image Credits
Left To Right
Myself Chris Bjorkman, My son Asher, My partner Naomi and our youngest son Rohan
Delaney Mahncke and his daughter Aspen, his wife Amy and their daughter Mya
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
