Hidden Gems: Meet Ali Gerdeman of Derek James Woodworking

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Gerdeman.

Hi Ali, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Derek has been interested in woodworking since he started working for a cabinet shop in high school. I grew up in an entrepreneurial home watching my dad start several businesses of his own. We got married in 2021 and I suggested that we turn Derek’s hobby into an actual business. He is the maker and I run all of the marketing and business operations.

When we first started, it was a side hustle largely focused on selling charcuterie boards and cutting boards on our website and at local makers markets. A few months in, someone approached us with a whole home custom cabinetry job (I believe it was 9 rooms). Derek put in his two weeks notice at his engineering job and got to work building a lot of cabinets and we’ve never looked back!

Now, we build custom furniture, cabinetry, built-ins, and closets for both residential and commercial clients across central Ohio. We still offer charcuterie boards and cutting boards on our website, but it’s no longer the main focus.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not always been a smooth road – I’m not sure that any business journey is! We started our business during COVID when the supply chain was really struggling and we didn’t know how to find the best supply partners. On that first big custom job, we learned quickly that our paint supplier was not up to par. If we ordered 3 cans of Iron Ore paint, each can would be mixed slightly differently, which is a big deal when it means your kitchen cabinet doors will all be slightly different. We spent too much time and money working with them to get it corrected, in addition to doing rework on our side. Eventually, we parted ways and found a new supplier who provides better service and quality.

More recently, we hired our first employee and that has been a huge learning curve for us. We probably should’ve hired someone to help in the workshop even sooner, but it is a scary leap to take! But now we know it was what we needed to be able to take on more work and bigger jobs.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Derek James Woodworking ?
We build custom furniture, cabinetry, built-ins, and closets for both residential and commercial clients. We’ve built pieces in a few different styles, but our primary aesthetic is modern rustic.

We are best known for our craftsmanship and attention to detail. Because of Derek’s engineering background, everything we build is incredibly precise, structurally flawless, and utilizes beautiful natural hardwoods.

What truly sets us apart, though, is how we treat our clients. Any home project can feel incredibly overwhelming. We deliberately keep our process transparent, honest, and deeply collaborative. We walk alongside our clients through every single step of the design, ensuring they feel heard, valued, and excited rather than stressed.

Brand-wise, I am incredibly proud of the reputation and trust we’ve built in our community. There is nothing sweeter than seeing a piece we poured our hearts into become a permanent part of a family’s daily life—whether it’s a dining table where memories are made, the kitchen where you cook your kids meals, or the closet you’ve been dreaming of for years. We are always honored when one of our clients recommends us to family & friends!

If there’s one thing I want your readers to know about us, it’s that we don’t just build furniture or install cabinets. We create heirloom-quality, generational pieces. When you work with us, you’re getting a tailored experience and a piece of craftsmanship that is truly built to last a lifetime.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Transparency.

It means telling a client that different wood types take stain differently. That means that using the same stain on a piece of maple furniture that is on your oak kitchen cabinets won’t necessarily give you the result you’re looking for.

It means turning down a job because it’s not in our wheelhouse. We are not experts in refinishing furniture, but know others who are – so we’d rather leave that to the experts so that you get the best results.

It means being upfront about our lead time, even when that means we might not get the job. We want to set the right expectations from the beginning, especially if you have a firm deadline.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://derekjameswoodworking.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derekjameswoodworking
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekjameswoodworking