Amanda McDaniel and her father, John, set out three years ago to restore a lost trade.
As a retirement project combined with an entrepreneurial dream, the two of them opened Shenandoah Planing Mill, a full-service lumber mill offering dimensional hardwoods, flooring, trims, moulding and interior finishes.
McDaniel, a stay-at-home mother, turned full-time lumber lady, has always had a passion for working with people. With a professional background in marketing, her communication skills, joined with her father’s expertise in woodworking, have proven a recipe for success.
The “Old School Planing Mill” is a one-stop shop for all things woodworking. The Mill offers several in-house services, including a Cabinet Maker, Turner, Furniture Maker, Sawer and shop.
For her part, McDaniel says she wants to build “[a] strong business in Jefferson County,” where patrons can “obtain high-quality products and services” to create a mutually reinforcing community.
Alongside the desire to build a haven for woodworking, McDaniel cites her passion for teaching young men and women about the endless possibilities of a career in trade, stating, “I want them to know that there’s a place for them in the workplace.”
The father-daughter duo is hopeful that trends will continue to move away from Big Box outsourcing to a simpler method of commerce, which includes their products, and others like it, that are locally sourced and responsibly forested.
Shenandoah Planing Mill offers a selection of domestic hardwoods, including oak, maple, walnut, ash and poplar, with each of them homegrown and sourced from the Appalachian Hardwood Region.
Amanda’s passion for small business spills over into her extracurriculars, volunteering as a board member on the Jefferson County Development Authority and as a Town Council member in her hometown of Bolivar.
No matter how much fun she has at work, her first love remains her two wonderful children and her partner, Justin.
If you’d like to keep up with Amanda, John and Shenandoah Planing Mill, you can visit www.shenandoahplaningmill.com.
Listen to the full podcast here: https://positivelywv.com/podcast/episode-183-amanda-mcdaniel-shenandoah-planing-mill/
PWV QUICK BITS | AMANDA MCDANIEL
- RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown.
- PIECE OF ADVICE: “Do it — there’s nothing like the freedom of owning your own business and [having] your passion sustain you,” advised Amanda.