Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Glaser.
Hi Amanda, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My husband and I moved to Clarksville in 2014, because of his job with the Army. I originally got started back in 2015, doing woodworking as a DIY for our new house. I built a table for our backyard, a cornhole, a giant Jenga, and a bench for our front porch. As I started posting them on my personal social media, people were asking me to make them things all the time and I figured, why not make some money off this? My business is ever-changing, molding with me as I grow. I was in my early 20s when I started and now it is 2023, I’m almost 32, and have a beautiful 3.5-year-old.
I started doing vendor events in Clarksville, selling signs, cornhole, giant Jenga, and other wood-related items. After a couple of years, I noticed more people doing the same things, so I started changing what I did, however, when I got pregnant with my daughter, I had to stop everything because I was such a high-risk pregnancy, with previous losses.
She was born 6 weeks early in September of 2019 and I planned to get back to work that following spring, however, the pandemic hit and I took more time with her since there were no events going on. That summer, we purchased a CNC and took our woodworking to a new level. I got back into events in Spring of 2021, and did as many as I could, while also creating new things to sell. By the end of 2021, my daughter was not taking naps like she used to and it was getting harder for me to get out to the garage to do my woodworking.
In January 2022, I made the decision to go into debt and get a laser to take my woodworking to a new level. I started to work with wood, but the costs of it were just continuing to skyrocket and honestly, it seemed everyone was doing what I was doing and I didn’t want to follow the herd.
This last year I have made the switch to rarely doing anything with wood, due to costs, but found a new passion for engraving items for people for gifts. My goal for 2023 is to become a custom gift shop, mainly catering to the military, wedding parties, and personalized gifts. You can find my items at The Goobs Small Business Warehouse in Clarksville, Online at Etsy or my website, or in person at events throughout the year.
I have so many plans for my little home-based shop this year and cannot wait to see what ends up happening!
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There were many challenges. First and foremost, my health. I lost two pregnancies before my daughter and one of them was an ectopic that had me down for a couple of months. Then the pregnancy and recovery after having my daughter, and since then multiple procedures and fertility treatments to get her a sibling.
Another big struggle was the market getting too saturated with what I was trying to make and sell. By keeping the business pretty fluid with what people want, I think I’ve been able to stay pretty successful.
The major hurdle and the reason why I switched from woodworking to mostly engraving items, is the cost of wood during and after the pandemic.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Three Two Three?
Many ask where the name Three Two Three comes from. It is actually my and my husband’s wedding anniversary.
We were married on 3/23/2013. We just celebrated our 10-year anniversary. I am now specializing in custom and personalized gifts for any occasion. I mainly sell on my new Etsy page: etsy.com/shop/threetwothreeco and my website: www.threetwothreehome.com
I want people to know that they are truly helping a family when purchasing from our small business. My profits from this year so far have been going to my fertility treatments. As a stay-at-home mom, this is my income, but I honestly really enjoy creating new things for people. I love seeing all the new combinations of colors and sayings people request. I make sure, that I don’t send a product out unless I would be happy with it as a customer.
I offer combinations of products to make getting gifts for a bridal party easier. There are so many products that I have to add to the site and so many different sayings that people request that I’m constantly busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I enjoy being able to do this for my career.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Nashville, Clarksville, and the surrounding areas have been great to our little family since we came down here in 2014. I love how much it has changed for the better.
My daughter was born at Tri Star Centennial and had great care from the NICU team. I myself was there for a week and then when she was still in the NICU, we were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Nashville instead of commuting back to Clarksville multiple times a day. Nashville became our home those weeks and everyone was so nice. We make it into the city at least once a week to go to appointments, the zoo, the science center, and more.
What I like least, is there is not a whole lot between Clarksville and Nashville. I wish there were more things that opened up between the two growing cities for people to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.threetwothreehome.com
- Instagram: @threetwothreehome
- Facebook: @threetwothreehome
- Other: Etsy.com/shop/threetwothreeco
