Inspiring Conversations with Carrie Bender of Bender Haus Co.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Bender.

Hi Carrie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We started our business on a whim when we were looking to make a little extra income on the side. At the beginning, it was just me (Carrie) refinishing small nightstands because I could lift and move them around more easily than large furniture pieces. After a few flips and profits, Jarred saw the potential to create a business where you can work on your own schedule and quickly dove in to help with the refinishing process. Our business took off rather quickly within a month and the demand for vintage quality furniture was incredibly well received keeping us quite busy from the start. Jarred has a background in the trades so he took on the sanding and prep for the furniture we find. I, myself, have a background in graphic design so I mainly focus on the paint colors, finishes, and design which balances out perfectly utilizing both of our skillsets. We have been flipping furniture for a little over 2 years now and have been busier than ever serving the Raleigh area with unique furniture pieces that can also be customized based on a client’s design and style.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This line of business is never predictable and we continue to learn with each piece of furniture we bring into the shop. I have no background in woodworking or using tools but my dad is so creative, savvy, and great at problem solving so I learned a lot from him growing up. In this line of business, there definitely are struggles and trials. You always have to think on your feet and learn new skills if you want to execute a design and vision. Jarred and I also work together almost every day, sometimes too closely for the average married couple, and working with your spouse has it’s challenges but we have learned over the years to respect each other’s space, set expectations, communicate often to make sure we’re on the same page, and stay in our lane. We are definitely not perfect at it, but we strive to have grace and patience with each other since we are working towards the same goal to grow this business together.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a husband and wife furniture design and refinishing business specializing in restoring vintage furniture and giving them a new life in the modern home. We have a background in design & interiors so our furniture is curated to be versatile yet functional and we are proud to serve our clients quality pieces that are unique to fit their style.

How do you define success?
Success to us is living out your purpose and utilizing our gifts and talents to serve others well. We love what we do because of the freedom and creativity it brings so that in itself feels so liberating. Jarred and I have completely different skillsets that we are both able to hone together and develop a successful business so it’s been a joy to be able to get to do this together. We still have plenty of goals and aspirations we are striving to achieve in the next few years but we are very content with the business we have built and we’re excited to serve the Raleigh area while keeping unwanted furniture out of landfills.

Pricing:

• Nightstands start at $500
• Dressers start at $650

Contact Info:

• Website: www.benderhaus.etsy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benderhausco/