Mike: "So many people think that awards and accolades make you — and it does help a lot for sure — but people have very short memories. That’s something we as business owners have to remember.

Kim: "We started Words with Boards in 2013, and at the end of 2013 we were a finalist in Martha Stewart’s American Made. That was great for credibility early-on, though it didn't really translate to sales."

"In the spring of 2015, I did a pitch night in New York City and Oprah’s creative director, Adam Glassman, was a judge. We knew that he was going to be a judge going into the event so we brought him a personalized board. Adam flipped over it. He absolutely loved it."

"In October, we heard our boards were selected for Oprah’s Holiday Favorite Things List, which is the best list to be featured in. But, the holidays were just weeks away, and there was still so much to do.

We had just moved into our new workspace the previous month and were in the process of building out the studio and woodshop in addition to hiring and training. We were also in the process of rebranding and redesigning our website. We were working 24-7. It was crazy."

"Nevertheless, on Nov. 2, 2015, the magazine came out — and our website went crazy. Suddenly we were doing local press on all of the TV shows and magazines. That whole experience really catapulted us."

Mike: "From the outside, some people might think we have it totally made, but I don’t think there is a true understanding of how much work goes into running this business. Last year we took two weeks off and that’s the first time in 20 years we've taken that much time off.

There are just so many products out there nowadays, so we are constantly having to stay creative and innovate in order to keep the business alive. In many ways, it’s the creativity and constant innovation that keeps us engaged in the business — it’s what we live for, both in life and work.”

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