Episode 134: ‘DIY Mastery’ with Ethan James
In this episode:
Angela and Christi welcome back Ethan James, also known as The Honest Carpenter. Ethan, a professional carpenter and popular YouTuber with over 895,000 subscribers, shares updates since his last appearance. He discusses the challenges of transitioning to a new workshop, the benefits and differences of creating online courses compared to YouTube content, and his plans for writing educational carpentry books for children. The conversation also delves into the need for more tradespeople in the industry and initiatives to attract the next generation. The episode concludes with Ethan offering valuable advice to the cohosts on improving their YouTube channel and informing the audience on how to find his content online.
Supported by: Hill Electric and 84 Lumber
Show Notes and Links:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:52 Ethan James: The Honest Carpenter
02:21 New House and Shop Space
05:05 Online Courses and Website
09:00 Future Plans: Carpentry Books for Kids
17:51 Challenges and Opportunities in the Trades
22:40 Conclusion and Contact Information
About Ethan:
Click HERE to learn more
Hey, I’m Ethan! I grew up building and remodeling houses with my father (Ross James) in Raleigh, NC, during the late 1990s and early 2000s. If my bio were 100% honest, I’d probably call myself The Reluctant Carpenter, because I never believed that I would carry on the building tradition past my younger years!
However, after graduating college and spending some time working in the bookstore industry (I love books about as much as anything), I began dabbling once again in my adolescent trade. I quickly found that not only was carpentry far more enjoyable than I remembered, but my skills were also in extremely high demand!
I went into business for myself as a pro carpenter in 2011 and worked for hundreds of clients throughout North Carolina. I enjoyed every second of it! But when a knee injury began to sideline me in my late thirties, I realized that I probably wouldn’t be able to continue building things at a pro level for much longer.
So, in 2018, I started The Honest Carpenter brand and began teaching carpentry through YouTube.By late 2019, my videos had gained a global audience, and I had found my new calling as a trade educator.
I now spend much of my time creating content about carpentry, woodworking, and residential construction. I also advocate for tradespeople and speak often about the decline of the trades in modern America—a trend I hope to help reverse.
Carpentry changed my life for the better and empowered me in a tremendous number of ways. I truly believe that learning a trade can teach you things about yourself that you would never learn otherwise. The trades make us tougher, smarter, more resilient, and more creative!
So, whether you’re a total carpentry newcomer or a long-time tradesperson, I hope I can help you continue your carpentry education. There has never been a better time than now to learn this wonderful trade!
