Story & Lesson Highlights with Todd Johnson of Near Sky Harbor Airport

Todd Johnson shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Todd, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
I would say Integrity. Intelligence and energy will definitely add value to the business internally. However, a lack of integrity will erode or even destroy external relationships. And, if left unchecked, that erosion will creep inside the walls of the business.

If you are not intelligent enough, you can always learn. If you lack energy, you can always compensate. A lack integrity, though, is a core flaw that must be addressed deep down. All the intelligence, motivation, and energy in the world will never make up of it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Artchuterie was born of a longing to make and the gift of time that COVID afforded us. In 2021 we made a river table for a friend and a charcuterie board as an anniversary gift. These successful projects gave us the confidence to launch our small business. Our philosophy is to focus on the natural beauty of the wood and let the epoxy be the accent. The pieces we make give life to wood that would be discarded in a landfill. Arizona has so much beautiful, rugged wood and our work gives it new life for people to enjoy.

Our core business is making functional art that is at home in the kitchen and dining space. These include epoxy charcuterie boards and coasters, cutting boards, and live edge and river tables. Art festivals and shows have been our primary sales outlet. They often generate additional custom orders throughout the year. We recently added an online shop to our website and are working on driving views to that.

Currently, we are working on building relationships with real estate agents and others that customarily give closing gifts to their clients. Our products are unique and can be custom-made to fit their clients aesthetic.

Long term, we would like to focus projects such as tables and other furniture.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
That would definitely have been my mom. She raised my sister and I on her own. She taught us the value of work by making sure we contributed to the day-to-day work that a home requires to keep running. We had our chore list to help her out around the house. She also taught us to exert ourselves in behalf of others outside our home.

When did you last change your mind about something important?
I don’t know how ‘important’ this is, but it was significant to me. In an effort to keep expenses/costs down, I have been slow to add an online store to our website. My research indicated that delivery with professional looking shipping materials would add $10-$20 per board we shipped. I really did not want to add costs to the boards. I decided to continue with the art shows and word of mouth.

As time went on, we were asked more and more is people could buy online. So, I revisited the idea. My wife asked me how much cost per board the booth fees at the shows added. Did the math and found it was a minimum of $20 a board. After I saw that, the shipping costs we a non-issue. I was convinced.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I believe that it is. My wife has always said I was WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get). I just don’t have the mental energy (or maybe mental ability) to have multiple personas. Seems exhausting.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
When I feel appreciated. I do not mean that I am at peace when people tell me that, necessarily. That is nice also. I mean that people appreciate what I have done in the sense that they see the value in it and enjoy or benefit from it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artchuterie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artchuterie/

Image Credits
All images take by Todd Johnson, Owner of Artchuterie LLC