We recently connected with Kyle Levy and have shared our conversation below.
Kyle, 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?
I’d say, I developed my work ethic from my mother and her dad, my Pawpaw. My mother was essentially a single mother, and she worked tirelessly everyday. For my brother and me, for my father, and for her patients at the doctors office. She always knew she had a job to do, and she, of course, is an extension of my Pawpaw who always said 2 things. The first being, “If you’re going to accept a job, do it well, do it right, and do it until its finished.” The second thing was, “Work hard and be generous.” My pawpaw passed away when I was 12. I did’t know him like I wish I could have, but I try to emulate both him and my mother in the work I do and the interactions I have every day.
I have ADHD and there are many common misconceptions about what that is and what it means. Essentially it’s a debilitating disorder that I must deal with on a daily basis. Being an entrepreneur is hard. Being an entrepreneur with ADHD is next level hard. I am constantly having to find ways to work and trick my own brain. Among many other symptoms, finding motivation to move forward is very hard. This is due to another lovely symptom; low self esteem, The thought “I suck. Why should I even try?” Is on loop in my head daily. Though I have always had it, I knew nothing about it. I had no idea how much it affected my daily life. I have spent the last year learning about myself and my disorder, not to conquer it, but to adapt and work with it. ADHD also comes with some perks like hyper focus which, when my brain lets me, I’m able to kick it into high gear and get the work of 10 men done in an hour. Another ADHD superpower is an incredible attention to detail which is great when you’re a custom woodworker, however it’s not always the most efficient or the most cost effective way to spend time. I can focus for hours fixing something that no one will ever see. We’re working on it. But, because of the work ethic instilled in me, and a little stubbornness, I press on.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a custom woodworker and craftsman based in Nashville, TN. I moved here in 2013 to pursue a music career. In order to supplement income while at home from tour, I started a handyman service called I Can Fix That For You. Doing small jobs became doing big jobs like remodeling whole kitchens or bathrooms by myself. Being spread so thin, I was burnt out and miserable. I was given a chance to make a table for a friend and BAM! I was hooked. It was terrible, to say the least, and thank God it has now been returned to the earth by way of fire. But that was my jumping off point. My tables are good now, I swear. I quickly focused on getting better, building a brand, a client base, and of course a name change. I chose, Broken Compass Woodworking. I build custom designed and one of a kind furniture and cabinetry for an array of clients and interior designers here in Music City. Fast forward a bit. I now have brand recognition, recurring clients, an employee, a portfolio I’m proud of, and even some publications featuring my work. I chose the name as a reflection of my daily battle with ADHD. among many other ailments the disorder can make you feel a bit lost, or left not really knowing what to do or where to start.
I try my very best to be transparent about the struggles surrounding being an entrepreneur with ADHD. It’s of course always a delicate little dance, being both raw and transparent, while also not seeming unprofessional. Transparency in my business has been a risk that has proven to be worth it. I have people thank me often for allowing them the space to feel seen and heard. None of us really know what we are doing, and the internet has us all fooled. I like to remind people, myself included, that we’re all just figuring it out as we go. I pour myself into my work often to a fault, but I love creating, and I am so incredibly honored to have people hire me and pay real money to have something I made, with my name on it, inside their home.
This year is a year of growth and I am thrilled to see what happens with the changes I have worked so hard to implement. Changes that not only serve me, but my clients, my friends, my family, my wife Katie, and my pets Wyatt, the shop dog and Hoppy Gilmore my rabbit.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I don’t know if any of these are more important than the other, but first I’d say, don’t compare yourself to others. Your journey is your own. I think its important to be self aware and be realistic about yourself and your abilities. Remember that comparison is the killer of joy. You are better than you were yesterday, and worse than you’ll be tomorrow.
Always be a student. The moment you stop learning, the moment you submit to the idea that you’ve learned all you can. You’ve lost. Gain perspective any way you can. Find community in your industry. Ask questions. Ask for help. Take a class on something you already know how to do. Chances are you will walk away with a new perspective and having learned something you didn’t know before. Allowing yourself to see something through someone else’s eyes is a great way to continue to grow as a person and a professional.
Give yourself grace. It’s hard not to focus on all you may have gotten wrong. But, when you can, try to revel in the things you got right. Allow yourself to receive praise from yourself and others. A win is a win. And if we can’t learn to recognize the wins, we can easily lose sight of why we are here in the first place and we’ll lose the drive to move forward.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
The last year has been one of the most challenging years for me. As I mentioned I have ADHD. It’s hard to not write a novel about this, mainly because I don’t want it to be viewed as a cop out, or that I’m using it as a crutch. What I will say is that it’s a very real neurological disorder. It affects how I perceive the world and everything in it. It is in fact a disability. It makes doing those things none of us want to do 10x harder. The voice inside your head is screaming, “DO THE THING”. But you just… can’t. It’s hard to understand if you don’t have it, but scientifically it goes something like this. Part of your brain is for knowing. The other part is for doing. Generally these two work together, ADHD splits them apart. So as an artist and an entrepreneur, you can imagine there is a whole myriad of things that have to get done. And this brain of mine makes it really difficult. So, I’ve had to find ways around it. I created a structure for my days, and had to force new habits. A contradiction with someone with ADHD is that they need structure. But their brain is dead set on resisting the very thing that’s best for it. When you run a business on your own, you have to be the artist and the business man. And I just want to be the artist. But that’s not how it works. Over the last year I hired my first employee which opened up a world of motivation. Allowing someone to carry some of the weight was the best thing for me. Another hurdle with ADHD is basic decision making. You get what is called analysis paralysis. You know what needs to be done, but you can’t decide what to do first, or next, so you do nothing. Having someone around for that very much-needed accountability is crucial. This is humbling because the boss should “have it all figured out” right? Wrong. I just have to step back and remember that there is a reason my name is on the trailer. I went from working 12hr days, 7 days a week, to finally making time for myself again. Having an actual weekend to look forward to. I learned the hard way that rest is just as important as hustle. If you don’t rest, you get a nice hefty does of burn out, and that’s not good for anyone. With that rest I feel like I got a second wind. Even though it has been very stressful I have learned so much more about how to run a business, as well as refining my skill as a craftsman. I can’t JUST be the boss. I can’t JUST be the artist. I have to be both, and that likely won’t change. Learning that balance has been really helpful. I’m more optimistic than I have ever been since starting my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brokencompasswoodworking.com
- Instagram: @brokencompasswoodworking
Image Credits
The walnut kitchen island was designed by Peach & Pine Interiors. Photos by Joseph Bradshaw The walnut bar in my personal photo and the photo of my work was designed by Paige Williams Interior Design. Photo by Tausha Dickinson The white curved reception desk was designed by Paige Williams Interior Design The walnut entertainment center with the hanging pendant was also designed by Paige Williams Interior Design. The white office desk was designed by Tara Bergstrom The black built in/ entertainment center was also designed and photographed by Tara Bergstrom The white oak office with the fire place was designed by Brad Ramsey Interior Design
