Ep. 18 | Ester Shamba - Gratitwood

Ester Shamba and her husband Colby moved to Atlanta from Israel at the end of 2018. During COVID in 2020, Colby started doing handyman work and got hired to build a cabinet. He fell in love with the work and came home saying he couldn't believe he got paid for something he enjoyed so much. Ester eventually joined him to handle marketing, design, and branding while Colby did the woodworking.

“He got to do a cabinet and he just fell in love. He came back home. I can't believe I got paid for this. So I was so happy.”Ester Shamba

Ester explains that Gratitwood is a combination of the words gratitude and wood. The name reflects their values and came at a time when Ester was reading a book about gratitude during a difficult period. The unique made up word also made marketing easier because every username was available and the business is easy to find online.

“It's the combination between gratitude and wood. We thought that was cute. Every username is free and there's no such word so it's actually a good idea for marketing because it's very easy to find us.”Ester Shamba

Ester says she initially refused to work with her husband Colby because she thought working together would not be healthy for their relationship. She took marketing and graphic design courses planning to do something separate. But Colby kept asking her to join him and eventually she did. She says working together actually brought them closer because they became excited about the same things.

“He begged me to come work with him. And I said, over my dead body. And here I am.”Ester Shamba

Ester says Gratitwood does custom indoor carpentry including kitchens, vanities, media centers, home offices, and Murphy beds. Home offices became a big part of the business after COVID when people realized they needed dedicated work spaces at home. Everything is 100 percent custom with materials, paint colors, and mechanisms chosen by the client.

“Kitchens, vanities, media centers, home offices got really huge thing since COVID, people just stay locked in home, figure out, wait, I don't have where to work.”Ester Shamba

Ester says they hired a project manager they knew from Instagram and Facebook groups without doing a proper background check. The hire turned out to be a shady person who caused serious problems, got access to their books, and even tried to steal contractors from them. The experience put them very behind on projects and Ester says she didn't think they would make it at one point. They have since hired a new project manager and are recovering.

“I didn't do a background check. That's my lesson. My lesson is really just do the paperwork, check his work papers, do a background check, do everything, talk to people who work with them.”Ester Shamba

Ester says Gratitwood has around six or seven employees. They have a workshop near the Marietta square. Employees have joined the team over the past three years. Ester emphasizes that it is very important to her to hire good people with positive attitudes who care about the work.

“It's very important to me that people who join us are good people. Positive people, good people, caring. Happy to come to work and happy to get better.”Ester Shamba

Ester says finding balance has been tricky and that at first she was obsessed with the business and didn't want to take time off. She has learned that the feeling you can always do more and make things better never ends. She now tries to set boundaries, like not answering work messages when she is in bed, and takes vacations. She is also working on being more present at home and not always on her phone so her daughters see a good example.

“You start the business, you're almost in love with what you do and you're so obsessed with it. You're just months going by and you haven't taken one day off and then just collapsing or something.”Ester Shamba

Ester says it is very important to her to show her daughters what ambition and not giving up look like. She grew up watching her parents be defeated by life and wants to model something different. She says she does not hide her hard days or struggles from her daughters but keeps showing up and finding satisfaction in her work.

“It's very important to me to push myself in life and succeed and to show my girls that what ambition looks like, what not giving up looks like.”Ester Shamba

Ester describes a Murphy bed as a queen size bed that pulls down from the wall and looks like a closet or cabinet when it is up. It has cabinet doors on the outside to fit the space and can turn an office into a guest room. Gratitwood has built around ten Murphy beds. The first one was for a client who trusted them to figure it out even though they had never built one before.

“The client reached out and she's like are you guys doing Murphy bed? and said we never did it but we're really excited to try. And she goes, okay, I trust you. You'll figure it out.”Ester Shamba

No. Ester clarifies that Gratitwood only does indoor carpentry and woodworking. They do not build outdoor structures like porches.

“No, that's outdoor.”Ester Shamba

Yes. Ester says they work with electrician Michael Parr from Priority Electricity who they met through the Shmooze. She describes him as someone who talks about his business with passion and spent hours for free helping them with lighting details. They now recommend him to clients. Ester also hopes to work with Charlie, a woodworker she saw post a custom table in the group.

“I never met an electrician or anybody who talks about his business with so much passion. He cares about the details. He would spend hours talking to my husband about lighting fixtures, how we can do it better. Just for free.”Ester Shamba

Ester says the hardest part is not getting started but holding on through difficult times when your faith and everything else is tested. She describes the first years as the hardest thing she ever did. She says owning a business can be lonely and it is important to reach out and ask for help when you feel lost.

“The hardest part is not to get started. To get started was really exciting. Just hold on through difficult times and years and your faith is being tested, your everything.”Ester Shamba