I’ve been a lifelong tinkerer. From building Pinewood Derby cars with my dad and putting together Legos, skateboards, and drum sets, to constructing theater sets in college and later repairing rowing shells, I’ve always loved working with my hands. Woodworking—particularly fine woodworking and furniture design—was a medium I had always been interested in but never had the time or space to truly explore.

While living in Michigan during the summer of 2020, I finally gained access to a small shop space. I bought a cheap Craftsman job-site saw, a belt sander, and a budget set of chisels. I started talking with other woodworkers, watched way too much YouTube, and made a ton of mistakes, but my time in the shop quickly became meditative. Before I knew it, I was spending every spare minute down there.

When I took a job in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the first two things I did were set up my table saw and locate the local hardwood dealer. Twenty cutting boards later (sold exclusively to supportive friends and family), I realized this could be more than just a hobby. Since then, I’ve built everything from longboard skateboards and coffee tables to dog bowls and eight-foot epoxy tables. Slowly but surely, the business has been taking off, and I’ve loved every second of the journey.

The name "Mombo" comes from my mom, Nancy, who passed away soon after I moved here. Mombo, as we called her, was an incredibly fierce supporter of my creativity and drive. I founded the company in her honor as soon as I bought a home and built out a proper shop in my garage. She always got a kick out of the fact that I was making cutting boards in a boathouse with my dog beside me, so this venture is as much for her as anyone. Thanks, Mombo.

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