As the owner of Espion Furniture Co. my purpose is to create one of a kind pieces for my clients that they can enjoy for years to come. I started this company after working in different fields and never finding anything that excited me. The first piece I ever made was an oak hope chest in my high school shop class. I knew literally nothing about woodworking going in and by the end of the semester I had a pretty decent hope chest. There was something incredibly satisfying about seeing the finished piece after all the hours and focus it required. And I still have it. At the time I didn’t consider the possibility that making things could be a career. I think I assumed making anything by hand was just outdated and too time-consuming to be able to make a living from it. So after many years of trying to find something I was excited to get up in the morning to do, one day I decided to try to make something again. My then girlfriend now wife, is an artist, and I wanted to make a desk for her that she could use while she painted. So I picked up the few tools and even fewer skills I had and got busy. During the process of making the piece I found I absolutely loved the process. Seeing the piece come together was incredibly satisfying. Best of all was seeing the happiness on my wife’s face when I showed it to her. I had found something I was excited to wake up the next day and do. From that point on I never stopped making, learning refined techniques and adding to my skill set.