Tag: veteran owned business

  • Behind the Grain: Our Website’s Growing Pains (And Coming Improvements)

    Behind the Grain: Our Website’s Growing Pains (And Coming Improvements)

    Ever wonder what happens when a woodworker and resin artist try to wrangle the wild world of websites? Well, grab your coffee and settle in—we’ve got a story to share.

    The Workshop vs. The Web

    Here’s the thing about us: Rex can coax beauty from the most stubborn piece of mesquite, and Dawn can create resin magic that makes people stop mid-conversation. But this year? Our website has been more challenging than a piece of burl with hidden cracks. We knew computers before. Now we know too much.

    We’ve been dealing with what we like to call “digital growing pains.” Remember those bot attacks we mentioned? Turns out, when you’re focused on creating beautiful, functional art, the internet sometimes has other plans. We suddenly found ourselves hosting what felt like half the bitcoin universe on our little corner of the web—and none of them were interested in handcrafted cutting boards.

    Learning New Tricks (Even After Four Decades)

    Rex always says you learn something new every day in the workshop, and apparently, that applies to websites too. Through our connection with the Confidence Project Cohort, we discovered there’s a whole science to something called SEO. Who knew?

    We also found an absolute gem in Janice at Odd Duck, whose expertise has been like finding the perfect grain in a piece of reclaimed walnut—it changes everything. Her guidance via blog has already started transforming how we share our story online.

    What’s Coming Your Way

    Just like Rex won’t let a pen leave the workshop until it’s perfect, we’re not settling for a website that doesn’t serve you well. Here’s what we’re working on behind the scenes:

    Smoother Shopping Experience: We’ve been reformatting every page and product listing to make your browsing as enjoyable as running your hands over a perfectly sanded cutting board. If you run into any hiccups beyond variations or bundles (we know about this one!), please let us know at info@sarkanysrising.com—we want to make things right. We are offering a 10% off your order coupon to the people who report an issue the first time!

    Better Accessibility: We’re adding descriptions to all our images so everyone can experience the beauty of our work, whether they can see Dawn’s resin swirls or need to hear about Rex’s precise turning techniques.

    Consistent Storytelling: Every page is getting the same attention to detail that Rex puts into balancing a pen. We want the story of each piece—and our story—to shine through clearly.

    Planned Content: No more scrambling to share updates at the last minute. We’re building a content schedule that lets us share workshop stories, finished pieces, and behind-the-scenes moments with the care they deserve.

    The Reality of Small Business Growth

    Here’s something we’ve learned: when you’re passionate about your craft, everything feels like a priority. Website updates, new product photography, organizing the workshop (there’s currently a roomful of beautiful wood waiting for attention), and actually creating the pieces you love—it’s all important.

    But we’re taking it one step at a time, just like we approach each piece of wood. Some days it’s figuring out the perfect finish for a walnut bowl. Other days it’s untangling website code. Both require patience, attention to detail, and the willingness to start over when something isn’t quite right.

    Our Promise to You

    While we’re working through these improvements, our commitment to you stays the same: every piece we create will be one-of-a-kind, made with care, and backed by our lifetime guarantee. Whether you find us at a Renaissance festival, an art fair, or here online, you’re getting the same quality and personal attention.

    We expect most of these website improvements to be complete in the coming months, but honestly? We’re more interested in getting them right than getting them fast. Just like Rex’s approach to turning—it’s done when it’s done properly.

    Thank You for Your Patience

    If you’ve stuck with us through website hiccups, slow loading times, or any other digital bumps in the road, thank you. Your patience means everything to a small business like ours. Every email, every order, every kind word at a show reminds us why we do what we do.

    As always, if you have questions, need help finding something, or just want to chat about wood grain patterns, we’re here. Technology might challenge us sometimes, but connecting with the people who appreciate our work? That’s the easy part.

    Until next time, keep making beautiful moments in your everyday life.

  • 11 Weeks In: From Workshop Dreams to Pitch-Ready Reality with The BOTOX® Cosmetic Confidence Project

    I am so excited to announce that I am one of @botoxcosmetic’s 2025 program participants for The Confidence Project! #TCPEmpoweringWomenEntrepreneurs

    Hey there, Sarkanys Rising family!

    I’m sitting here with my water bottle and I can hardly believe where we are — we’ve just begun week 11 of 12 in The BOTOX® Cosmetic Confidence Project, and in just days, I’ll be pitching Sarkanys Rising for a $20,000 grant. My hands are literally shaking as I type this, but it’s the good kind of shaking — the kind that comes from being so close to something you’ve worked incredibly hard for.

    The Journey That Changed Everything

    Eleven weeks ago, I thought I knew our business pretty well. Rex and I have been pouring our hearts into every piece of reclaimed wood art, every resin experiment, every custom cutting board that becomes part of someone’s family story. But this program? It’s been like looking at Sarkanys Rising through a completely different lens.

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    The expert coaching sessions have pushed me to think bigger than I ever imagined. We’ve refined our business model, strengthened our financials, and learned how to tell our story in a way that connects our passion for beautiful craftsmanship with real business potential.

    Rex keeps asking me what I’m learning in these sessions, and honestly, it’s everything from “How do you scale a custom business without losing its soul?” to “What does sustainable growth actually look like for a veteran-owned woodworking operation?” The answers aren’t always easy, but they’re always eye-opening.

    The Reality of Being This Close

    Twenty thousand dollars. I’ve been carrying that number around in my head for weeks now, and it feels more real every day. That’s not just funding — that’s Rex finally getting that floor drill press he’s been eyeing for two years. That’s expanding our workspace so we’re not playing wood-storage Jenga in the resin room. That’s being able to say yes to those larger custom projects without worrying about whether we have the equipment to deliver.

    But here’s what I didn’t expect: the confidence that’s come from just being in this program. Learning that women founders receive less than 3% of all venture capital funding used to feel discouraging — now it feels like fuel. We belong at this table. Our story of giving new life to reclaimed materials, of creating functional art that lasts generations, of building something meaningful with our hands — that story matters.

    What These 11 Weeks Have Taught Us

    The program hasn’t just prepared us for the pitch; it’s changed how we see ourselves as business owners. I used to introduce us as “just a small woodworking operation,” and now? Now I say we’re a sustainable artisan business with 40+ years of craftsmanship expertise, creating one-of-a-kind heirloom pieces from reclaimed materials.

    Same business. Completely different confidence.

    We’ve learned to quantify things that felt unquantifiable — like the environmental impact of every piece of wood we save from the landfill, or the generational value of creating pieces that’ll outlast us all. We’ve discovered that our “problems” (like every piece being unique, making it hard to scale) are actually our biggest strengths in a world hungry for authentic, handcrafted goods.

    The Pitch That’s Coming

    In just a couple of weeks, I may stand in front of a panel of aesthetic entrepreneurs and business leaders from Allergan Aesthetics and Hello Alice. I’ll have just three (count them 3) minutes to capture years of passion, months of preparation, and a lifetime of Rex’s woodworking mastery in a presentation that could change everything for us.

    Am I nervous? Absolutely. Am I ready? More than I ever thought possible.

    What This Means for Our Family

    Whether we receive a grant or not, this experience has already been worth everything. The connections I’ve made with other women entrepreneurs, the business strategies I’ve learned, the confidence I’ve gained in talking about what we do — these are gifts that’ll keep giving long after the program ends.

    But I’ll be honest with you — I want this. I want it for Rex, who’s spent four decades perfecting his craft and deserves tools that match his talent. I want it for every piece of reclaimed wood that’s waiting to become something beautiful. And I want it for every one of you who’s believed in what we do and helped us get to this moment.

    The Thank You That’s Long Overdue

    You know what’s wild? None of this would be possible without you. Every spoon or cutting board that’s found its home in your kitchen, every serving tray that’s hosted your gatherings, every pen that’s signed important documents in your life — you’ve been building this business with us. You’ve shared our pieces with friends, tagged us in photos, and made us feel like we’re creating something that matters.

    This pitch isn’t just about Rex and me. It’s about everyone who’s ever believed that beautiful, functional art deserves a place in everyday life. It’s about proving that small businesses with big hearts can compete with anyone when they’re given the right opportunity.

    Here’s to Week 12 and Whatever Comes Next

    So here we are — 11 weeks of learning, growing, and preparing almost behind us, and one final week before the pitch that could change everything. I’m scared and excited and grateful and determined all at once.

    As always, we’re here if you have questions or just want to chat about wood (or business dreams, or the beautiful mess of following your passion)! Thanks for being part of our story — especially during this chapter that feels like it could be the beginning of something even bigger.

    Until next time, keep making beautiful moments in your everyday life — and maybe send us a little good luck for the pitch ahead!

    With gratitude and hands that won’t stop shaking (in the best way),
    Dawn (and Rex, who’s already cleared space in the workshop for that dream equipment)

    BOTOX® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow’s feet, frown lines, and vertical bands connecting the neck and jaw in adults (platysma bands).

    Talk to your doctor about BOTOX® Cosmetic and whether it’s right for you. There are risks with this product—the effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. Alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems or muscle weakness can be a sign of a life-threatening condition. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities. Patients with these conditions before injection are at the highest risk. Swallowing problems may last for several months. Side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection-site pain, fatigue and headache. Don’t receive BOTOX® Cosmetic if there’s a skin infection. Tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects.

    For Boxed Warning and Medication Guide, see @botoxcosmeticpi.

    Intended for U.S. audiences only.

  • Why Customers Keep Coming Back to Sarkanys Rising Handmade Wood Art

    There’s something that happens when someone brings home their first piece from our workshop. Maybe it’s a Designer Style Pen Set they picked up at the Tucson Celtic Festival, or perhaps a handcrafted Cherry & Walnut Yarn Bowl that caught their eye online. What starts as “just one piece” often grows into something deeper — a collection, yes, but really a connection to the stories behind each creation.

    It’s not just about the wood, though we’re pretty particular about that. Rex sources materials from trusted suppliers like Cook Woods and Woodworkers Source, but some of our favorite pieces come from the most unexpected places. That gorgeous mesquite bowl on your kitchen counter? It might have started as a chunk of wood Rex rescued from a construction site or even the side of the road, seeing potential where others saw waste.

    Dawn often tells customers, “Once you feel the weight of a well-balanced knife or see how a Jupiter Pen glides across paper, you realize these aren’t just things. They’re tools for living beautifully.” And she’s right. There’s something about holding a piece that was turned by hand, where every grain pattern tells a story, that changes how you think about the objects in your home.

    Our repeat customers — and we’re blessed to have them — often say the same thing: “Every holiday & every special occasion, I check your shop first.” We love hearing that because it means we’ve done more than just sell them something. We’ve given them pieces that become part of their daily rituals, their family stories.

    We design with that in mind — not to make people buy more, but to create pieces that inspire that feeling of “my sister would love this” or “this would be perfect for Dad’s workshop.” Every Live Edge Bocote Lamp, every Decorative Bottle Stopper, every bowl turned from Australian red gum burl is made to spark that connection.

    Because when you choose handmade, you’re not just buying a product. You’re investing in craftsmanship that honors the wood’s natural beauty, supports veteran-owned small business, and brings something genuinely unique into your world. And that’s a story worth collecting.