The Koerner Office: The Overlooked Woodworking Biz Making $1K/Hour

Chris Koerner (0:01)

I want to talk about a business idea that sounds almost too simple to matter, but it's surprisingly lucrative. Mike Herod built VOSKILL, a trade school in West Palm Beach, teaching woodworking and shop skills to kids and families. What started with one Facebook post became a fast-growing business built on trust, low overhead, and real demand. And his story is wild. It begins with a layoff, a garage, and a post written at 3:30 a.m. He offered woodworking birthday parties with no website, no photos, and no following. Still, comments came in immediately, and within five months, the idea had become a 50,000 dollar business. The offer itself is beautifully simple. Kids ages 7 to 18 come in for shop classes, birthday events, and father-son or mother-daughter builds. Mike says the format works because there was a clear gap in the market. Parents want hands-on experiences that feel productive, not just entertaining. He even ran early classes for free to build social proof. Then the momentum kicked in. One father-son event for 38 pairs brought in 5,000 dollars, and many of those dads had never used a power tool before.

But the numbers are what really make this story stand out. Mike says he cleared 12,000 dollars in one spring break week, working from 9:00 to noon. From March to July, the business brought in 50,600 dollars, and some months only required a few hours of work.

His margins are strong because the costs are low.

Lumber, glue, screws, and paint are the main consumables, while the tools get reused session after session. He says a solid version of the business can be started for about 425 dollars, especially if it's built around folding tables and basic hand tools. Marketing is almost entirely Facebook and word of mouth. Mike posts every day, and the homeschool community has become a major engine for growth. Half of his students are repeat customers, and the business has only scratched the surface of a few large groups. He also makes a broader point about education. Mike calls the college system "a scam," arguing that universities pushed debt while tuition rose year after year. In contrast, he sees trade skills as practical, immediate, and far more relevant for many families. Interestingly, girls make up about 35 to 45 percent of his classes, and often outperform the boys.

He jokes, "The house may not be built on time, but at least it will be built perfectly."

Safety is non-negotiable. Mike insists on glasses, standard insurance, and good lumber. His mindset is captured in one phrase: "learn, build, lead." First learn the skill, then build something real, and finally help others do the same.

The business is mobile, but having a commercial space made parents more comfortable. He can fit 40 students into an F250 Super Duty and is already thinking about a trailer-based version for parks and corporate events. At the center of it all is confidence. Mike says woodworking gives kids pride, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility. His message is clear: "Mistakes are not the end— quitting is."