A thriving ad agency, a growing ache, and a leap into the unknown. That’s the backdrop for our conversation with Jamaican wood artisan Tamara Harding, whose purpose found her in the grain of fallen trees and the quiet of a bamboo-lined workshop. She didn’t tinker her way into a craft; she built a values-first brand, wrote a business plan, and let the material lead. The result is a body of work that rescues condemned trees, restores damaged slabs with resin, and turns flaws into features—sustainability you can touch.

We dig into the moments that changed everything: a failed holiday craft table, a backyard plum tree, and the first sellout that proved people crave pieces with story. Tamara breaks down why she uses electric hand tools, how dyslexia fuels inventive problem-solving, and what it means to let a piece “decide” what it wants to be. She shares her “no wood left behind” ethos and the logistics (and costs) of deconstructing trees at construction sites so their history lives on as tables, mirrors, and sculptural forms. If you’re curious about sustainable design, circular economy principles, and mindful making, this conversation shows how art and ecology can reinforce each other.

We also get real about the tough stuff: staying present on social media while working long shop hours, recovering from a recent grinder injury, and learning to delegate to protect both body and business. For aspiring makers, Tamara offers a clear, actionable playbook: craft your brand identity first, write a detailed business plan, plan your launch and PR with intention, and use a simple filter for new projects—will this feed my soul? Expect practical wisdom, candid stories, and a reminder that purpose sits on the other side of silence and courage.

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