Wooden Jewelry That "Wows": Scaling a Handmade Product Business in a Crowded Market | Mike Yarbrough

#613 What happens when a side project in your garage turns into a multi-million dollar business? In this episode, host Kirsten Tyrrel sits down with Mike Yarbrough, co-founder of Rustic & Main, to share how he and his wife turned handmade wooden wedding bands into a fast-growing jewelry brand with nearly 40 employees and a retail storefront in the childhood home of country star Luke Combs. Mike opens up about walking away from his six-figure IT job, scaling production beyond the garage, and how they’ve built a company culture that still feels like family while continuing to expand. He also talks about standing out in a crowded industry, navigating major marketing shifts, and why storytelling and sentimentality are the keys to creating products people truly cherish. Whether you’re a maker, dreamer, or entrepreneur ready to grow, this episode is packed with lessons on scaling a handmade product business the right way! What we discuss with Mike: 0:00 The Origins of Rustic & Main 4:01 From Side Hustle to Full-Time Business 8:03 Building a Brand and Expanding Online 12:04 Sentimentality and Customization in Jewelry 16:06 Scaling Production and Early Challenges 20:08 Navigating Marketing Changes and Profitability 24:10 The Power of Storytelling and Brand Identity 28:12 Team Building and Company Culture 32:14 Vision, Expansion, and the Future of Rustic & Main 36:15 Advice for Entrepreneurs and Final Thoughts Thank you, Mike! Check out Rustic & Main at ⁠RusticandMain.com⁠: https://rusticandmain.com/ To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training (https://www.millionaireuniversity.com/training)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And follow us on: Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/millionaire_university_mu/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MillionaireUniversityMU/) Tik Tok (https://www.tiktok.com/@millionaireuniversity_mu?lang=en) Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyG31bPcrqhbjvGsuz-JaXw) Twitter (https://twitter.com/Millionaire_Uni) To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors (https://www.millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors) . Want to hear from more incredible entrepreneurs? Check out all of our interviews here (https://www.millionaireuniversity.com/podcast) ! #entrepreneurship #jewelrybusiness #handmadebusiness #ecommercebusiness #handmadeproducts