Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Nelson.
Hi Alyssa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! I’m Alyssa. I’m a fourth-year surgical resident at the University of Utah with a wood design side hustle! We have two dogs Summit and Brighton, who help us in the workshop.
I first moved to Utah three years ago for surgical training. Around that time, I met my now husband, JD. Between surgical residency and his job as a police officer, we did not have that much time to ourselves, and we wanted to find something creative that we could do together. This was how our small business, Juniper Woodworks and Designs, was born. We initially set out to make a set of cornhole boards in honor of our wedding, and quickly realized there was a demand for custom wood designs in the Salt Lake City area. It has been a blast making wood creations for our customers, and it has helped JD and I learn how to work as a team!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
For the most part, it has been a really smooth road. JD and I had to learn that we both think very differently when we approach a problem. I also think, in general, working with the surgeon can be quite difficult, so to his credit, he has done a great job. I think our biggest challenge is meeting the demand for our products! We both work full time, and he is finishing his bachelor’s degree and I am getting my master’s degree, so this does not leave a lot of hours in the day!
I would also be remiss if I did not give a shoutout to my best friend, Jessie Webster, for getting our business started. She works for Cricut, the company whose products we use to create many of our designs. I have called her with questions every step of the way and she has been a huge help!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As I mentioned before, I moved to Utah for my general surgery residency at the University of Utah a little over three years ago. My background is entirely in medicine, and I’m currently getting my MBA. My husband JD, Army National Guard as a flight paramedic and the police officer for unified Police Department. Collectively, we ended up deciding on woodworking mostly by happenstance. As our small business has developed, we have created so many custom products it is hard to say which we specialize in. We initially started with cornhole boards, but have since expanded to do custom sign work (nursery, wedding, holiday, home, etc…), shot skis, stove covers, and frankly whatever our customers challenge us to make!
When I asked JD his favorite part about our business he says he likes to learn how to create new things. For example, we recently did a stove cover for the first time, and the process of learning how to create new items is quite exciting. I think my favorite creation of ours has been our shot skis. It is a lot of fun to track down antique wooden skis and refurbish them into custom drinking paraphernalia and bar decor.
I think what sets us apart from other businesses is how closely we work with our customer base. When someone places an order with us we do a lot of communication with them to make sure that the design is exactly what they are looking for. This is a lot of fun for us because it challenges us to be creative and to imagine our customer’s vision!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think we would like to start getting more involved with small business venues like the Avenues Street Fair and Park Silly, so keep an eye out for us! I imagine that this will forever be a side hustle that keeps my husband and I busy.
Pricing:
- Custom cornhole sets ~$500
- Custom shot skis ~$400
- Custom wooden sign work $100-$300
- Custom stove covers ~$200
- Prices vary depending on sizing/complexity/cost of lumber
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Wedding photo with our cornhole boards by Hilton Creative Co.
