We had the good fortune of connecting with Dan Carlson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dan, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I know it’s cliche but honestly, hard work and not giving up. Once I made up my mind to strike out on my own, there was no turning back. Having the opportunity to make my own schedule, set my own payscale, and work for something I truly believe in game me a taste of freedom that made it very hard to give up. Once you’ve experienced that, there’s no going back.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I consider my work functional art. Functional kitchen art, functional art for your living, dining or bed room. I have an eye for finding the natural beauty in a piece of wood and the skill set to bring that beauty out in a way that makes people look at it and touch it as if it were a piece of art. They admire their table or island top as though it were a beautiful abstract painting hanging in a gallery. Only you can use this piece of art as a table, or even a cutting board.

That being said, every working artist or in my case, woodworker, has struggled at some point to make ends meet. I’m no different. In early 2019, just as I was really starting make progress and get Burly Boards off the ground, I hit a mountain of obstacles. I was battling my way thru some very difficult, unforseen personal issues which were hard enough, but then covid happened. Like every small business in the country, I was hit very hard. Work stopped coming in as people, rightfully so, focused on their family’s health and were less concerned about custom boards or furniture. The future of Burly Boards was very uncertain as I tried to figure out how to move forward. Luckily, I had opportunities to participate in vendor events and pop up markets. Those really helped and allowed me to keep going until everything opened back up.

Thru all of that, perseverance, determination and a tremendous amount of help from friends and family pushed me to keep going and not give up. I learned a lot about what it means to truly believe in myself and my ability to make beautiful work in less that ideal conditions. After losing my workshop during that time, all the work that I did was done in friends’ driveways, garages and back yards. Not exactly ideal work environments for fine woodworking.

From all that grew a renewed sense of purpose and determination to do what was necessary to follow my dream. Finally, in late 2021, after much soul searching and a new relationship in bloom, I moved to a new town to get a fresh start. Since that time, I’ve been able to grow my business and I’m finally seeing the fruits of all my hard work. I’ve had opportunities I only dreamed about before and I’m taking full advantage of them, taking Burly Boards to new heights.

In just a few months, I’ll be opening a new workshop with a showroom and retail area up front. Customers will have the opportunity to come see, touch and feel the difference in my work. They’ll be able to pick out the boards for their piece themselves as we work together to create a piece of functional art of their own for their home or loved one. They will not only have a one of a kind table, island top, or bbq board, but a one of a kind story and experience to go along with it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the things I love about where I live is that you can have breakfast on the beach after watching the sun rise over the ocean and enjoy a nice romantic dinner while watching the sun set over the mountains. It’s all within just a few hours driving distance. Between those two points are endless small towns and unique tucked away shops, restaurants and venues to have a really fun time.

In the summer, it’s always fun to check out one of the many local breweries, concert events or catch a game of baseball. In the fall, we like to drive thru the mountains as the leaves change colors. It’s hard to narrow it down, really. There always something to do.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Credit and huge shoutout to all my family and friends who have given me ideas and supported me over the years and continue to back me up. I absolutely could not have done it without you guys! Special thanks to my fiance, Lucia, my biggest supporter and fan.

Website: www.burlyboardshop.com

Instagram: @burly_boards

Facebook: Burly Boards

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