Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Deike.
Hi Laura, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, my grandmother had a set of round cutting boards on her kitchen counter. When she passed away, I kept the cutting boards and had them on my kitchen counter. Over time these boards began to break and fall apart. I loved these boards because they were small, convenient, and perfect for cutting up small fruits and vegetables like limes and onions. I asked my husband, Roland, if he could make a new set. Roland developed a prototype. It was a set of square cutting boards that stand on their side in a matching holder. Christmas of 2020, all our family and close friends received a set of boards. They were a huge hit. In the fall of 2021, one of my networking partners, Stephanie, asked me to create gift baskets for her clients. This was not something I had done as a business only for personal gifts. Stephanie loved what I designed and wanted to promote me as a business. Meanwhile, Roland and I were creating and developing other wood products. This was when the large cutting/charcuterie boards were born. Working side-by-side with each other in the shop is something we both enjoy. At this point, we felt buying a laser engraver would enhance our product and add a personal touch. We bought a laser engraver and jumped in full force. Of course, we went through a trial-and-error period, and by Christmas of 2021, we had orders for four large custom cutting boards in large gift baskets.
All our boards are made from maple, cherry, and walnut hardwoods. Each board is handmade from start to finish. It takes us about 7 days to create a board from raw wood to a finished board. This process includes the cutting, gluing, curing, sanding, engraving, and sealing of the board. Each board is unique in wood design and can be personalized. Many of our customers have their company logo, a picture, a family name, or designs that have special meaning to them. One of my regular customers is a real estate agent. He orders a board for each of his closings with the family name and the date they closed on their home as a thank you to his customers.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Implementing the laser engraver did have a learning curve. The software is not user-friendly. We did go through a trial-and-error period of adjusting the intensity and speed until we got it right. There have been a few projects in which I have had to completely sand off the engravings and start the whole process over again.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Rustic Ruckus?
All of our large boards are completely handmade. Each individual piece of wood is glued and clamped together. Once the board is cured, it is sent through the planer and goes through a four-step sanding process.
We take pride in each board that we create. Each one is unique and engraved to create a beautiful personalized gift.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Marketing ourselves as a business and not just as a hobby was a risk we struggled with. Roland and I both still work full-time jobs while filling cutting board orders. My son, Collin, has taken on the business’s marketing role. Once we fined tuned the method and design, we went full steam ahead and have not looked back.
Pricing:
- Custom Coasters $59.00
- Cutting Board Sets $89.00 – $119.00
- Large Custom Cutting/Charcuterie Boards $189.00
- Custom Trivets $29.00 – $39.00
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @rusticruckus
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rusticruckus
Image Credits
Photos by Abby Parsons Photography except for the wrapped board in black paper
