Meet Josh Stotler

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Josh Stotler. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Josh, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Some would call me stubborn, some would call me driven. I answer to both. I think my resilience is engrained in my DNA. Growing up, I was my grandfather’s shadow. I watched him work hard and can’t recall him ever giving up on anything. Competence, determination and pride in your work, this is what I saw all those years ago. Work hard, play hard and do things the right way the first time. This is the model I have lived by and the reason I work so hard.

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?

I make guitars. That’s a very simplified description of what I do. I make hand crafted guitars that are heavily inlaid, usually themed and when people see them, they are usually afraid to touch them. I take that as a compliment. First and foremost, my guitars are instruments, made to be played. They are art pieces second. The attention to detail that goes into the structural aspects that craft the sound of the guitar is just as involved as the work in making the guitar look beautiful. The carving of the bracing, which no one will see, gets the same dedicated attention as the intricate mother of pearl inlay that adorns the outside of the guitar. These are the things that I pride myself on.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think determination is my biggest positive trait. Pair that with a strong work ethic and the ability to take a concept from my mind and make it a reality and I think that’s the recipe for success in what I do. When I built my first guitar at 14, I knew nothing of woodworking, luthiery or electronics. This didn’t stop me. If anything, it fueled my drive. It was never, “can I do this?” It was “what’s the best way to do this”. Through these qualities, I built my first guitar and started the journey on a path I still walk today.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

Guitar Lessons by Bob Taylor. I learned a lot from this honest look at the guitar business. Years later, I was at Taylor Guitars sitting in Bob’s office. As we’re talking, he says to me, “ the guitar business it a tough nut to crack. There are a lot of companies building guitars. What you have is special. Find your niche, promote your inlay and go that path.” I have never forgot those words. I’ve structured my business around that advice and never looked back. Since then, I’ve been able to strike up relationships with several other legends in the guitar building world. Getting to absorb wisdom and bounce ideas off Bob Taylor, Paul Reed Smith and Richard Hoover is a blessing. Something I could not have imagined as a 14 year old kid building my first guitar. As my wife would say, I live a charmed life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.OakCreekGuitars.com
• Instagram: @oak_creek_guitars
• Yelp: Oak Creek Guitars
• Other: https://linktr.ee/oak_creek_guitars?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=519660e2-8f31-4a9a-9df6-8ac4df38acf6