Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaliegh Benck
Hi Kaliegh, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Woodoworking was kind of an “accidental hobby.” In college, I minored in studio art with painting as my chosen medium and we were required to have new canvases nearly every week. That cost added up, so I learned to build my own. With access to a fully equipped woodshop on campus, my curiosity just kinda took over and I was in there every chance I got. I started building small things for myself and classmates — shelving units, organization bins, things like that. The hobby stuck after college and I would set up a mini workshop on my apartment’s second story balcony on the weekends, just tinkering with scrap wood that I’d find around town.
After college, I landed a job in tech, taught myself how to code and joined the reporting and data analytics team. Over the years the stress and demand of the job was really starting to wear on me. I developed panic attacks for the first time in my life and my partner and I both agreed that this job wasn’t worth that toll on my health. I took a 3 month leave-of-absence and really dug into my hobby at that time. I started posting pictures of the things I’d made and was getting really positive feedback from family and friends. I had this moment where I was like, “I think I could do this full time. I WANT to do this full time.”
In March, I’ll hit 3 years of running my own business and I’m SO glad I took this chance on myself.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road at all (haha). BUT, I will say that the most challenging things often end up feeling like the most rewarding. I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way (some very expensive mistakes too) but I see them all as learning opportunities.
Time management was a big struggle I had in the beginning. I’m juggling a part-time WFH job on top of running my own business so every single hour of the day matters. It took me about a year to figure out a schedule that works best for me and still provides time to rest and spend time with my family. I don’t really subscribe to this girlboss, work 12 hour days everyday, hustle culture — although those 12 hours days tend to sneak in there during the holiday season. There’s definitely a balance to be struck there and I think I’ve finally found it.
I think a challenge people EXPECT me to face is being a woman in a male-dominated field. And I see that as my biggest asset. I’ve had clients who booked me specifically because they wanted to work with a woman-owned business.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Honeywood is a Latina-owned and operated woodworking company based in Austin, Texas. This is a one-woman show that specializes in creating unique and sustainable housewares that add warmth to the home. I often incorporate recycled and reclaimed materials in my product offerings in an effort to reduce product waste and keep materials out of the landfill.
What we’re most known for are our checkered coasters and variety of photo holders. I like creating things that seamlessly blend into other people’s homes and that they’ll interact with daily.
More recently, I’ve started taking on commissions with other local businesses looking to customize their pop-up market displays and storefronts. These are the projects I truly love. I can’t emphasize enough how special it feels to be a part of another small business’ growth. I think what sets me apart here is that I’m also popping up at these markets; I see what works in a limited space, I know what will travel easily or make the most efficient set-up/tear-down. My favorite projects are the ones where a client will tell me “I need this display to do x, y, and z” and then hand over the creative reigns.
I’m actually in the middle of what I *think* will be my proudest moment! I’m currently working on an expansion of local general store Parker + Scott. They’ll be taking up residence in HarperSage’s flagship store, set to open mid-March 2025. This will be my biggest install yet and we’re creating it with a ton of up-cycled lumber. It’s been my most ambitious commission yet and I’m so excited to see it all completed.
How do you think about happiness?
This is the question that’s going to make me cry (ha!)
I find a lot of joy in what I do — I’ve always had artistic and creative interests and I’m just happy that I found something that can sustain a living and also bring me fulfillment. I’m also happy that I’ve had an extremely supportive partner throughout all of this. Without Kelcy, I never would’ve taken this chance on myself.
Other every-day-things that bring me joy: seeing my dog Rosemary’s tail wagging under a blanket, doing crosswords with Kelcy on Sunday mornings at a cafe, seeing little flowers pop up in our backyard and hearing that my friends are following their dreams and taking chances on themselves.
Pricing:
- Average price point for products is $25
- Online orders placed by Austin locals receive free delivery
- Consultations for custom jobs are free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://honeywoodatx.com
- Instagram: @honeywoodatx
