Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalia Lee.
Hi Natalia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In my first job out of college I did a lot of paperwork, filling out forms, and waiting months or years for a case to be resolved. I had no outlet for creativity nor sense of completion and needed something tangible to satisfy that part of me. I decided to take a couple semesters of woodworking at Austin Community College and just fell in love with creating. I had two more full-time jobs after that, which were not terrible, but they just were not scratching the itch.
I started building furniture I wanted but couldn’t afford to buy. I started investing in my own tools and doing random small projects for friends. Then, in late 2018 my good friends Sara and Edgar approached me about building a checkout counter for a taco concept they were opening. That one request turned into years of working on the Nixta Taqueria space – building bars, benches, tables. I spent countless hours outside of my 9-5 on Nixta version 1 (if you know you know) and became addicted. Those projects were what I looked forward to while I was sitting at my computer waiting for the clock to strike 5. I loved the feeling of taking an idea, a vibe, and bringing it to life.
In 2023 I finally decided to make the leap and quit my office job to pursue creating full time. It turned out to be such a fulfilling decision and I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I was lucky to find my niche early on in my career pivot. Because I spent so much time building and fixing things for Nixta, I got to connect with other small business owners who needed smaller-scale build projects and handywork. Not having a ton of overhead or employee costs, I was able to come in at a reasonable rate for other folks opening up their own concepts. I did not enjoy the handywork so much, but it paid the bills and served as stepping stone to doing more of what I actually wanted to do, building custom furniture.
That being said, going from a salaried job with benefits to a project-based job with no benefits was a financial and mental challenge. I’m lucky to have a supportive spouse and savings that allowed me to take the time to get my business off the ground, but striking out on your own is definitely not for the faint of heart. As I’m sure any small business owner would tell you – being your own boss requires a ton of work. Working all hours of the day, seven days a week, wearing 100 different hats, problem solving, cutting into savings, all while putting your product out there and hoping people like it wears on you. But all of these “struggles” are a privilege at the end of the day and through all of it I stay grateful.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I make custom furniture and do small-scale design/build projects.
I do primarily woodworking, but dabble in tile and welding as well. I love mixing materials and building things that are both beautiful and functional.
Austin has become so unaffordable and lost so much personality – and I try my best to be an antidote to that. I work closely with clients throughout the design/build process to make sure each buildout I do or piece of furniture I make says something about the person or business who commissioned it. Perhaps it reflects their culture, the memory of a loved one, or serves to show off something they’re proud of, or just “I want a one of one.”
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I don’t think there is just one definition of success. I think for me it is so many small things that all contribute to a good quality of life and a sense of fulfillment.
Yes, making enough money to support myself and keep my business going is definitely success. But success is also figuring out how to make the right cut after making the wrong cut three times. Success is learning a new tool and being able to use it on your next project. Success is someone liking your style enough to want to buy your product. Growing and improving everyday is success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shinecitymakers.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinecitymakers
