By: Marc Sanderson

 

In most companies, problems don’t announce themselves—they accumulate. Quietly at first, then all at once. By the time they reach the executive team, they’re no longer operational hiccups; they’re strategic risks.

 

The difference between high-performing leaders and the rest isn’t the absence of problems. It’s how quickly — and how directly — they move toward them.

 

At INNERGY, we use a simple phrase: run to the problem. It’s not a slogan; it’s a system of behavior. It is so important to our success that we named it as one of our core values — an expectation to be lived out by all members of our team.

 

It’s a value that I learned early in my construction career. As an architectural woodworker, by definition, we showed up last on site. Thus, we inherited all sorts of problems that we need to solve —with no extra time to do it. We had to anticipate issues, move fast and consider how to solve problems that may arise so we could make it right.

 

Why run?

Walking won’t cut it. With problems, speed is the difference between control and consequence:

 

• Every problem has a clock on it.
  Early on, it’s small. Contained. Fixable with relatively little disruption. Wait too long, and it spreads—across teams, into customers, into your brand.
• Problems don’t fix themselves.
  They compound. There’s a quiet belief in many organizations that if we just keep moving, things will sort themselves out. They don’t. When we run to the problem early, we’re not just fixing an issue—we’re preventing a pattern.
• It builds trust—faster than success does.
  What people remember is how you show up during challenges. Do you engage early? Do you take ownership? Do you communicate honestly, even without all the answers? Trust isn’t built by avoiding problems. It’s built by how you confront them.
• It forces clarity.
  Waiting for clarity may feel responsible. But more often than not, it’s just delay in disguise. Clarity rarely comes before action.

How to Run

It’s easy to say run to the problem, but harder in practice. Here’s what we find are the keys to success:

 

STEP 1: Own it Before Overanalyzing.
It means you own it before it’s obvious and move before you’re ready. You will be stepping off into ambiguity, discomfort and often issues that aren’t entirely your fault. The moment something feels off, act. Call the customer before you have all the answers. Address the issue before it’s fully diagnosed. Waiting, hoping or working around it never works.

 

I think often about the Tylenol crisis. Johnson & Johnson didn’t wait for certainty—they recalled 31 million bottles to protect customers. They chose trust over perfection and it defined their brand for decades. I’ve seen the opposite too — when we delay engaging because we don’t feel “ready,” the problem only grows.

 

I don’t hesitate. I’ll change my schedule and travel far if needed to own the issue and start the conversation. The first conversation is rarely perfect and sometimes painful — but it builds trust and gains grace while you fix it.

 

STEP 2: Push Past Symptoms to the Source

What shows up first rarely is the problem — it’s evidence of one. We see an outcome, not the cause — a customer complaint, a spike in tickets, a missed commitment. The instinct is to react to what’s visible. The discipline is to pause and ask: what’s actually driving this? What’s the root issue we need to solve?

 

We saw it in our support function — aging tickets, slow responses, frustrated customers. The quick answer was to push the team to move faster. When we stepped back, we realized we couldn’t even see the process clearly. We didn’t know where tickets were getting stuck or have the right metrics to track it.

 

You can’t fix what you can’t define. Getting to the root cause takes curiosity, time and the right data — not more data. Because if you can’t measure it, you can’t align on it. And if you’re not aligned, you’re guessing. The ultimate outcome of this step is a clear, strong problem definition.

 

STEP 3: Start Before the Plan is Perfect

Analytical by nature, I want to develop a complete roadmap to address the issue. But I know, complexity can kill progress. The key is identifying the next best step, create urgency and let clarity build as we go.

 

Years ago, when an internal survey showed a dip in satisfaction among our development team, we moved immediately:

 

• Tuesday: I saw the survey results in Minnesota.
• Thursday: I asked for follow-up feedback to better understand what went wrong.
• Friday: We all were in a room in Poland aligning on the issue and next steps.

We didn’t have the full solution. But we had momentum.

 

In another case, I watched an INNERGY leader literally get on a plane to meet with a customer and the team. No long pre-read. No extended planning cycle. Just a decision to engage directly and not leave until there was clarity. That kind of urgency changes everything!

 

Short-term wins follow. Alignment follows. Energy follows.

 

STEP 4: Follow Through Relentlessly
Progress doesn’t have to be perfect—but it does have to be visible. Follow-through is what turns intent into trust. It’s how your team knows you mean what you say, and how customers decide whether to stay when things go wrong.

 

That starts with communication. Early, often and throughout—not just when it’s solved. Pair that with doing what you said you would do. Commitments matter and when plans change, you close the loop instead of going quiet.

It also requires staying close to the work. Audit as you go. Adjust in real time. Because in the end, people don’t remember the plan—they remember your words and deeds matched, and that builds trust.

 

Problems are opportunities and each time provide lessons that make you, your team and your organization better. At INNERGY, we name the big problems (Trainwreck Tuesday, Dev Disaster, Ticket Turbulence, Fatigue Friday). It reminds us that problems are solvable. The process works. Problems are not to be feared. They make us better and achieve RAVING FANS.

 

When Everyone Runs
As CEO, I don’t need to be the one running to every problem. But I do need to build a culture where someone always is. That means:

• Staying close to the voice of the customer
• Being clear on what “good” looks like
• Empowering the right people to step in—even if it’s outside their formal role

 

As we grow, the problems don’t go away. They get bigger. Faster. Less forgiving. So, we have to get better. Better at seeing early. Better at diagnosing clearly. Better at acting decisively. It takes discipline.

 

If there’s one thing I’d pass on to another leader, it’s this:

 

Don’t wait for clarity. Run to the problem—and let clarity catch up.

 

Marc Sanderson is the CEO of INNERGY and former President/Owner of Wilkie Sanderson. He began in the millwork industry 20 years ago with a small cabinet shop and built it into one of the most profitable operations in the country. A Harvard MBA and 2024 Wood Industry Market Leader, Marc is known for transforming complexity into clarity through data-driven strategy and culture first leadership. Equal parts analytical operator and motivator, he’s just as comfortable refining strategy as he is rallying a room around a shared vision.

What if you could tell, with real numbers, whether your shop is gaining ground or slowly falling behind before the market shifts? You can with the IIBT!

 

The IIBT (INNERGY Industry Benchmarking Tool) is free, anonymous, and built specifically for millwork and woodworking businesses. Last year, 132 firms across the U.S. and Canada submitted their data in 2025. Here is what stood out.

 

Trend 1: Installation is improving, and high-profit shops are proving it can be a margin builder

 

For years, installation margins hovered near zero. Plenty of shops ran it at a loss just to close the job, accepted that as the cost of doing business, and moved on.

 

The 2025 IIBT says something different is happening.

 

Installation margins improved year over year in both the U.S. and Canada. High-profit firms show strong installation performance.
They treat installation like any other department, with defined scope, cost tracking, and someone accountable for the outcome. If install still feels like chaos at the end of every job, that is worth examining.

 

Trend 2: Median headcount is down

 

More smaller shops participated last year, which pulled median firm size down and made the data more representative of what most shops actually look like day to day. U.S. median headcount came in at 32 employees, Canada came in at 29.

 

At this scale, the owner knows everyone by name. The same people wear multiple hats, margin for error is thin, and one bad hire or one slow quarter hits harder than it would at a larger operation. Headcount is one of the most direct levers on profitability which leads into our next and final trend.

 

Trend 3: Revenue per employee is one of the clearest signals of whether your operation is keeping up

 

This one only takes 30 seconds. Take your total headcount, multiply by $210,000, and compare that number to your actual revenue.

 

U.S. revenue per employee benchmark: $210,000

 

Below that figure usually means something is working against you. Above it means your pricing, your workflow, or both are in reasonable shape. Either way, the gap is worth understanding.

 

Want to gain insights like these for 2026? Participate in the 2026 IIBT report!

 

The survey is completely anonymous, conducted and analyzed by third-party firm Inverra, and only participants receive the full report. It takes about 45 minutes. What you get back is real data from shops your size, doing the same kind of work you do, with enough detail to know where you stand and where to focus. Click here to take the survey today.

 

By: Marc Sanderson

 

If I had to describe most woodworking businesses in one sentence, it’s this: custom is core to who we are. We’re fondly called the “junk drawer” of the construction industry. If it’s unique, interesting, aesthetic, or complicated, we’re the ones customers call. Most don’t even ask if we can do it. They assume we’ll figure it out—because we always do.

 

That’s also what creates the tension for any leader who wants to grow: if custom is unavoidable, how do you scale?

Most businesses scale by standardizing the product. Think about GM—or almost any car manufacturer. It’s basically the same vehicle platform with a few choices—color, trim, features. Or Post-it notes. They have the same product in different colors and sizes. Businesses like those can scale because the product is designed to be repeatable.

 

Because our work is custom by nature, we don’t get that choice. We can’t just decide to stop doing custom—or do less of it. It’s the whole reason we exist. So, does that mean scaling isn’t possible? Not at all. It just means we need to scale differently.

 

Where to Standardize: Process Over Project

 

I learned that the hard way. At 28, I bought a small Minnesota woodworking company with big aspirations—but I didn’t understand how custom businesses actually scale. Like many leaders, I assumed great work would drive growth. I was wrong. Then I had an epiphany that changed everything: the project doesn’t matter. The workflow does.

 

We built millwork in all kinds of environments, spanning residential and commercial. Every project was unique in its product attributes, but the steps were the same, whether it was for a medical facility, sports stadium or a high-end home. The product changed every time; the way work moves through company didn’t have to.

 

That’s when it clicked: scaling a custom business isn’t about standardizing the product. It’s about standardizing the process. That insight transformed our company and I’ve seen it transform others—again and again. It became clear: technology is the force multiplier—making consistent workflows possible in an engineer-to-order world. Thus, I built software to run our process, then founded INNERGY to share the technology—and operating system—with others.

 

So, how do you scale a custom business? Here are the key steps:

 

• Build structure around your workflow.
  Most organizations can map their workflow in about 15 steps or less from the moment a job appears. The number isn’t the point. The goal is enough structure to create clarity without bureaucracy. With structure, leaders can manage the business like a system instead of a constant emergency.Don’t chase the “perfect process.” Start small and make it stick. It can be as simple as: drawings start → drawings returned → materials ordered → production started → install/closeout. Clarity creates control, and control creates scale.
• People power results—not process.
  Mapping the workflow is the easy part. Getting people to use it and seek to improve it is the hard part. I’d rather have a simple workflow that people follow than a perfect one that no one does. You can’t start with a complex map on a whiteboard and expect adoption. This is not a light switch, it’s a dimmer. The constraint is buy-in; not the design.

 

Start with a process people can own. The first version will miss things—and that’s the point. Run it and repetition will reveal gaps, uncover patterns, and sharpen the team’s questions—showing what to refine first. In our case, the team flagged tracking when drawings were sent out and returned as critical so we fixed that together first. Clarity comes from execution, and execution turns a simple workflow into a scalable system.

 

• Find the bottlenecks.
  Once the workflow is standardized, real visibility becomes possible—and visibility is where scale begins. In a custom business, you don’t have infinite problems; you have one main problem at a time: the bottleneck.This is where the Theory of Constraints becomes practical as an operating system for the business. There is always one limiting factor that caps how much the system can produce. In other words,  no matter how hard you work everywhere else, your results are constrained by the slowest part. The goal isn’t necessarily to eliminate all bottlenecks forever—it’s to spot them quickly, make them visible, and prevent them from becoming fires.
• Prioritize effort where it pays back.
  The challenge is that the bottleneck in any organization is constantly shifting. One day it’s engineering, the next day it’s procurement, then finishing or install. So, mentally and operationally, leaders need to shift from “optimize everything” to find the key bottleneck and fix it—one at a time.Prioritize based on the bottom-line impact: identify where work piles up and downstream teams are waiting, then focus on the constraint that boosts throughput and protects margin the most. Ask: Which bottleneck maximizes the bottom line? Prioritize throughput dollars—not necessarily the loudest or largest department. This is where leaders shift from managing the variables in their heads to getting ahead of the business.
• Be creative when attacking a bottleneck.
  Most companies jump straight to capacity as the solution—more people, overtime, or outsourcing. Sometimes that’s needed, but it’s rarely the first or most effective move. Often, the best wins come from eliminating waste.It’s one of the biggest mistakes I made early on. We had engineering working on projects before the materials arrived. It looked proactive and productive, but nothing could move downstream. It was the right work at the wrong time. Once we synced engineering to the arrival of materials, throughput jumped without increasing headcount or capacity.I’ve seen the same pattern again and again through our work at INNERGY. One customer realized finishers were spending time moving materials instead of finishing. They redesigned the flow and used a simple signal system to shift handling to others. No overtime or extra headcount, just better bottleneck management.

 

Stability to Forecasting

 

That’s what scaling looks like in the real world. It’s not glamorous. It’s a relentless focus on the constraint, protecting it from waste, and making small changes that compound. Custom businesses do not win by working harder. They win by removing friction, managing time, and maximizing throughput.

Perfection isn’t the goal—progress is. You move from firefighting or triage to stability, from stability to proactive planning, and eventually, to forecasting. You stop managing this month’s fires and start looking three, six and twelve months out.

That’s the better solution: embrace custom—and manage it. Build a disciplined system where custom work can thrive, improving step by step, bottleneck by bottleneck, with visibility and data—not heroics.

 

Marc Sanderson is the CEO of INNERGY and former President/Owner of Wilkie Sanderson. He began in the millwork industry 20 years ago with a small cabinet shop and built it into one of the most profitable operations in the country. A Harvard MBA and 2024 Wood Industry Market Leader, Marc is known for transforming complexity into clarity through data-driven strategy and culture first leadership. Equal parts analytical operator and motivator, he’s just as comfortable refining strategy as he is rallying a room around a shared vision.

 

 

By: Marc Sanderson

 

Artificial intelligence is not radioactive. And it is not a miracle cure.

 

It is a tool.

 

That distinction matters. Because the companies that win in the next decade will not be those that “adopt AI.” They will be those that integrate it into a coherent strategy that improves economics, strengthens differentiation, and deepens customer value.

 

Today, AI sits squarely on the CEO desk. When the terrain shifts significantly, many leaders default to old playbooks of expense reductions and operational excellence. That is not strategy. Doing nothing is worse. Many executive teams fixate on compliance, model accuracy, feature velocity and competitive signaling. The game has changed — and winning requires quickly redefining what it means for your strategy.

 

The key question to ask is: What problem are we solving — and how does AI strengthen our integrated set of activities?

 

AI does not create advantage by existing. It creates advantage when it reinforces how you compete.

 

The Three-Part Equation

Organizations that will leverage AI effectively will lead with strategy, then deploy AI where it strengthens their differentiated system — not where it simply looks innovative. That requires focusing on creating real value.

 

Real value follows a very simple formula: Value Desired × Value Created × Value Captured.

 

If any one of those is zero, the outcome is zero:

• Value desired defines the problem — and focuses on the customer.
• Value created is the solution — and requires listening to the voice of customer.
• Value captured is how you monetize it.

Miss one, and the initiative becomes a science project rather than a business strategy.

 

Start Where It Matters — The Customer

 

Many organizations jump straight to value created — the model, the tool, the feature. They rarely pause to rigorously define value desired.

 

One CEO recently described his AI roadmap as “aggressive.” When asked what specific customer problem it solved, the room went quiet. That silence is common. Activity has replaced clarity.

 

AI initiatives that start with novelty instead of need quickly become internal experiments disconnected from measurable impact.

 

Getting the formula to work requires connecting with customers and asking key questions:

• Where are customers losing margin?
• What are mission-critical workflows?
• Where does uncertainty create cost?

One company rolled out generative avatars in meetings. Customers were unimpressed. What they actually wanted was better estimating accuracy, increased engineering productivity, fewer production surprises, and clearer project visibility.

 

The difference is strategic discipline.

 

The lesson: The tool matters. But the integrated system matters more.

 

Clean Data Creates Clear Advantage

AI is unforgiving and exposes weaknesses in data immediately.

 

A leadership team recently blamed inconsistent forecasting results on the AI model. The real issue? Years of incomplete and inconsistently coded job-cost data.

 

AI performance acts as a mirror. It reflects the quality of an organization’s underlying systems. In the AI era, data governance is not an IT hygiene issue. It is a strategic infrastructure. Electricity required factories to be rewired. AI requires data to be standardized, structured, and stewarded — constantly.

 

Layering AI on top of messy systems produces disappointing results. Leaders then misdiagnose the problem as technological when it is architectural. If data is fragmented, AI will amplify fragmentation. If data is disciplined, AI will amplify precision.

 

The lesson: The output is only as good as the input.

 

Redefine the Workflow

 

AI’s real impact is structural, not cosmetic. Traditional enterprise systems are systems of record — capturing data. AI enables systems of intelligence — platforms that interpret, predict, and recommend in real time.

 

That means:

• Predictive alerts instead of reactive reporting
• Scenario simulation instead of static dashboards
• Embedded decision support instead of manual analysis

This shift is not about flashy features. It requires redesigning workflows around decision velocity and customer insights.

 

History is instructive. Gunpowder made castle walls irrelevant. Electricity did not improve candle factories — it forced factory redesign. The internet redefined distribution models.

 

AI belongs in that lineage.

 

The lesson: AI’s advantage is systemic, not incremental.

 

The Moat Moves

Horizontal AI may be widely available. Vertical intelligence is not. In many industries, adoption is becoming bimodal. Some firms hesitate. Others integrate deliberately and accelerate. The gap widens. Winners shorten the distance between strategy and execution.

 

Speed matters — but only after strategic alignment.

While moments like this feel unprecedented, they rarely are. When the printing press arrived, knowledge was no longer scarce. Institutions that adapted scaled influence. Those that resisted lost relevance.

 

Winners are those who redesign their activity system around AI — not just bolt it on.

 

The constraint on AI adoption is rarely model capability. The AI models are ready. The question is if we are willing to change how we work. In an AI-accelerated world, slow organizational change is a strategic risk. Leaders transform companies.

 

It is hard to run fast on sand. Winners provide leadership clarity:

• Anchor AI in real customer value.
• Strengthen data as infrastructure.
• Embed AI into the organization’s integrated set of activities.
• Redesign workflows to improve decision economics.
• Ensure value is captured, not just created.

No company is too custom. But only disciplined companies will convert AI from experimentation into sustained competitive advantage.

 

 

Marc Sanderson is the CEO of INNERGY and former President/Owner of Wilkie Sanderson. He began in the millwork industry 20 years ago with a small cabinet shop and built it into one of the most profitable operations in the country. A Harvard MBA and 2024 Wood Industry Market Leader, Marc is known for transforming complexity into clarity through data-driven strategy and culture first leadership. Equal parts analytical operator and motivator, he’s just as comfortable refining strategy as he is rallying a room around a shared vision.

 

 

Running a custom woodworking shop means wearing a lot of hats. You’re estimating jobs, managing materials, tracking labor, and trying to deliver quality work on schedule. The difference between a strong year and one where you’re barely scraping by usually comes down to one thing: visibility into what’s really happening. 

 

If you can’t see the numbers clearly, you can’t fix the problems. And when data is spread across spreadsheets, sticky notes, and mental math, the insights you need to stay profitable remain hidden. 

 

Modern cabinetry software has evolved far beyond basic design tools. The right platform becomes the operational backbone of a custom millwork business, providing real-time visibility and streamlined workflows. Not every platform delivers equal value, though. To improve margins, you need to know which features truly move the needle. 

 

Profitability Fundamentals: The Metrics That Define Cabinet Shop Success 

 

Before diving into software, it’s important to understand the numbers that determine cabinet shop profitability.

• Job costing accuracy is the foundation. Every hour of labor, every material expense, every overhead allocation needs to be accounted for. Too many shops lose money on projects they thought were profitable simply because they lacked accurate costing. 

• Labor efficiency is often the biggest swing factor. Labor is expensive, and when you track actual hours against estimates, you uncover bottlenecks, training needs, and scheduling gaps. Many shops see 15–25% timeline improvements within the first year of consistent tracking. 

• Material utilization has an immediate financial impact. Even a 5–10% gain in yield can add tens of thousands of dollars back to your bottom line. A shop spending $500,000 annually on materials could save $25,000 to $50,000 just by cutting waste. 

• Project margin analysis shows which jobs are worth doing. Not every cabinetry project contributes equally. Some consistently deliver strong returns, while others quietly drain resources. Without detailed analysis, it’s easy to chase the wrong work. 

• Quote-to-close ratios reveal whether your sales process is effective. If you know which types of bids convert and at what margins, you can focus efforts on the opportunities that actually pay. 

 

Which Software Features Deliver Real ROI?

 

When evaluating woodworking software, the key question isn’t “can it help?” but “which capabilities directly improve profitability?” From what we’ve seen across hundreds of shops, a few features consistently deliver measurable returns: 

• Integrated estimating and project management ensures that what sales promises aligns with what production can deliver. This eliminates costly handoff errors and can cut estimating time nearly in half while improving accuracy. 

• Real-time job costing gives managers visibility while the work is happening. If labor runs over budget or materials spike, you catch it early enough to act instead of finding out weeks later. 

• Connected workflows between design, production, and purchasing prevent the profit leaks caused by manual re-entry. A designer’s cabinet specs should flow seamlessly into cut lists, hardware orders, and installation schedules. 

• Mobile access keeps field crews tied into the system. Instead of paper forms, they log time, view project details, and flag issues in real time. This leads to faster billing cycles and fewer mistakes. 

 

Labor Cost Control: Tackling the Biggest Expense

 

For most shops, labor is the largest controllable cost. Yet many still rely on paper timesheets or rough estimates. 

• Accurate time tracking only works if it’s easy. When employees can clock in by job on a phone or shop terminal, compliance skyrockets. 

• Job-specific allocation is critical. “Shop labor” doesn’t tell you much. Breaking time down by project, task, and phase reveals exactly where things run over. 

• Overhead allocation helps you understand true costs. When admin hours, maintenance, and indirect labor are captured, you can price jobs realistically. 

• Historical comparisons are where the learning happens. If kitchen remodels under 100 sq. ft. regularly run 20% overestimate while larger projects stay on target, you adjust pricing and expectations accordingly. 

RCS, a custom architectural millwork company, faced these very issues. Despite steady growth, they relied on Excel and manual tracking. As Joe Keller of RCS put it: “You’re making plenty of sawdust, but you’re missing the data. Data is what’s going to pay the bills.” 

After adopting INNERGY’s ERP system, RCS increased profitability from 1% to 10% on $17 million in revenue. Manual entry was eliminated, lead times dropped, and management finally had the visibility to make proactive decisions. 

 

Reducing Material Waste: Turning a Cost Center Into Savings

 

Materials represent another major expense, and small improvements quickly compound. 

• Optimized cut lists use algorithms to reduce waste beyond what even seasoned managers can achieve consistently. 

• Inventory visibility ensures you don’t run out or overstock. Real-time tracking tied to job planning means you order what you need, when you need it. 

• Vendor management lets you compare supplier pricing and monitor trends. When material costs spike, you know immediately and can adjust. 

• Project-level material tracking gives designers and estimators the data to balance customer expectations with profitability. 

• Scrap reporting turns hidden costs into actionable insights. Tracking waste by material, project, and cause highlights whether the problem is supplier quality, process inefficiency, or training. 

 

Smarter Pricing Through Data

 

Pricing is where shops often leave money on the table. Too many bids rely on gut feel. With better data, you can be both competitive and profitable. 

• Historical project analysis highlights which categories deliver strong margins. 

• Quote-to-close tracking shows where you’re most competitive. If residential bids win 80% of the time but commercial only 20%, you know where to focus. 

• Scenario modeling helps test “what if” conditions like rising material costs or labor overruns before finalizing quotes. 

• Live cost data keeps estimates current in a world where material and labor rates shift quickly. 

• Template-based estimating speeds up quoting for common project types while ensuring accuracy and consistency. 

The industry is also moving toward deeper integration. INNERGY’s partnership with Microvellum is a prime example. By connecting design directly with business management, shops can maintain design flexibility while grounding every decision in accurate cost data. 

 

Building a More Profitable Business 

 

The woodworking industry is changing quickly. Shops still relying on manual systems and gut instincts are finding it harder to compete with those embracing integrated technology. The real differentiator isn’t just efficiency, it’s profitability.

 

Modern cabinetry software delivers tangible financial gains by connecting workflows, improving labor tracking, reducing waste, and guiding smarter pricing. The shops pulling ahead today aren’t necessarily building better cabinets. They’re running smarter businesses.

 

Technology alone won’t guarantee success, but it creates the foundation for operational excellence. By tracking the right metrics, connecting departments, and acting on real-time data, you gain the control needed to grow sustainably.

 

The real question isn’t whether your shop needs better software. It’s whether you’re ready to use the insights that separate good shops from great ones. In today’s competitive market, that distinction determines who thrives.

 

Ah, the growing pains of success.

 

You’re not doing anything wrong. In fact, you’ve done a hell of a lot right to get here. But when you’re scaling your shop, things can get chaotic. It’s not easy taking on more work, managing more people, and trying to maintain high standards. It’s a lot and all that pressure to meet growing demands can feel like too much.

 

Take a deep breath.

 

Because we’ve got you. If you’re wondering why you’re working so hard yet struggling to hit your goals, you’re not alone. We’ve seen this time and again, and the chaos isn’t your fault. What’s holding you back? The answer is simple…

 

Processes

 

Specifically, the ones that worked when you started out. You can get by with Excel sheets for a while. But as you grow and modernize your business, failing to implement a solid project management system comes with serious risk. Go on like this long enough, and you could actually go under.

 

Businesses fail when they fail to take project management seriously.

 

On the other hand, custom woodworking businesses that prioritize streamlined operations watch inefficiency disappear and profits skyrocket. We know because that’s been the case for our customers. And if record-breaking revenue from simply improving processes sounds farfetched, check out these impressive stats and success stories. Then, come right back to learn how INNERGY can get you there, too.

Ready?   

Let’s get into the basics. You may be asking, “What the heck even is INNERGY?” In simple terms, it’s like your shop’s central command center. In tech terms, it’s powerful cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and design software. Wondering what makes it special?  

 

It’s designed by woodworkers, for woodworkers.  

 

We know what you need, how you need it, and how to help your business grow. With INNERGY, you get an intuitive solution that streamlines, simplifies, accelerates, and centralizes all aspects of your business from end to end.  

 

You get a single platform for design, sales, cost estimating, takeoff, real-time reporting, project performance, bill of materials, invoicing, collaborating, and more. And that one platform makes everything more efficient, so you can make more money.  

 

Here’s how INNERGY can improve your workdays and profits. 

 

We can’t cram all the benefits into one blog post, but we can give you a high-level preview of how much better your shop and your sanity can be. 

 

With INNERGY, you’ll easily:  

 

Replace manual tracking with real-time visibility 

Say goodbye to whiteboards, siloed spreadsheets, and critical information buried in inboxes. Swap that outdated, risky mess for a live view of every job across your pipeline. Everyone, from sales and engineering to purchasing and production, is synced up. That means they see the same data, the same status, and the same single version of the truth in real time. 

 

Empower your team to work, without waiting on you

 

Missing info and approvals are no longer bottlenecks. With INNERGY, tasks, notes, and job data are centralized and shared. That means fewer interruptions, faster workflows, and a crew that feels confident to move forward, instead of getting stuck or confused. 

 

Keep everyone on the same page, literally

 

Revisions, approvals, deadlines, drawings, and more are all tracked in one place. Everyone is working from the same up-to-date source, so costly mistakes and crossed wires are a thing of the past. 

 

Find what you need, when you need it

 

No more scrolling through email chains or digging through folders. INNERGY becomes your easily searchable, clearly organized virtual file cabinet. Whether it’s a schedule, a PO, or a change order from two months ago, it’s just a click away. 

 

Scale without spiraling

 

Growth should feel exciting; not like you’re barely holding things together. INNERGY gives you the structure to handle more jobs, clients, and complexity, without dropping the ball or burning out your team. 

 

Design, accelerated

 

Now, let’s talk design. Our platform makes creating and modifying drawings fast and accurate. It’s built for collaboration and speed, so you can go from customer approval to CNC-ready output in a fraction of the time. Whether you’re doing quick takeoffs or full shop drawings, it’s all part of the same connected system. 

 

Learn it quickly. Maximize it forever. 

We don’t provide software and walk away. We partner with you. You’ll get hands-on help throughout your onboarding process, unrivaled expert support, and free ongoing education through webinars, workshops, and community events. We’ll teach you how to maximize INNERGY and run a smarter shop in the process. 

 

You’ve got the talent. We’ll help you scale it with the right tools and support.  

 

If you’re ready to increase profits quickly, you need a modern toolset to easily manage growth and maintain operational control. You deserve to be proud of the demand you’ve created, not overwhelmed by it. All you need now to enjoy your success and watch it grow is a system that works as hard as you do.  

 

Reach out today to see INNERGY in action. Our team is standing by and excited to give you a personalized demo.  

 

Book a demo 

 

What is the IIBT (INNERGY Industry Benchmark Tool) and Why You Should Participate

At INNERGY, we believe that numbers tell a story —but only when you know what to compare them to.  In today’s competitive landscape, running a woodworking business without good data is like driving blindfolded.  You might get somewhere-but chances are, you won’t like where you end up.

For years, I’ve relied on benchmarking data to help guide business decisions—whether it was to measure productivity, evaluate our margins, or understand if we were investing in the right areas. With data, you have a roadmap.

That’s why we created the INNERGY Industry Benchmark Tool (IIBT)—a free, anonymous benchmarking survey built for woodworking businesses in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth your time, let me be clear: this is one of the most valuable tools you’ll use all year.

 

Why Benchmarking Matters

When you look at your backlog, your labor costs, your revenue per employee—what are you comparing them to? Most companies guess. The IIBT removes the guesswork.

The IIBT is INNERGY’s benchmarking tool capturing essential business performance metrics across operations, financials, workforce and sentiment and giving you something every leader needs: perspective. In short: it gives you context. And once you have that, you can start driving meaningful, focused improvement.

We’re offering a snapshot of the industry that breaks down key performance data across geographies, company sizes, and business types—so you can finally answer questions like:

• Is our profitability above or below average?

• Are we paying our team competitively?

• How do our operations stack up against peers in our region?

• What’s the average backlog or AR across the industry?

What’s In It for You

You won’t get fluff or generic “industry insights.” The IIBT is focused on real, actionable data, including:

• Wage and compensation benchmarks

• Bid success rates and backlog analytics

• Income statement breakdowns (including margin and EBITDA)

• Turnover trends and staffing ratios

• Sentiment around cash flow, labor, and sales pipeline

• Peer comparisons by region, company size, and market (e.g. commercial vs. residential)

I’ve used this kind of data for 20+ years to drive continuous improvement—and we want to make it accessible to every shop in our industry.

 

Fast, Free, and Anonymous

Here’s what you need to know:

• It’s completely free.

• It’s 100% anonymous. INNERGY never sees your individual submission.

• It takes less than 45 minutes. If it takes longer, you’re doing the wrong survey.

• You do NOT have to be an INNERGY customer to participate!

We partnered with Inverra, the same trusted firm behind the AWI’s benchmarking study, to make this fast and frictionless.

 

How to Participate

• Download the Excel survey at https://offer.innergy.com/2026iibt

• Submit your completed survey to iibt@inverra.com

• Deadline: May 1, 2026

Note: You’ll need a Windows machine this year. We kept it simple and spreadsheet-based for speed—but we’ll be going online in the future.

 

Final Thought

If you’re serious about improving your business, you need to know how you stack up. The IIBT is your chance to get honest, regional, and relevant benchmarks—so you can make sharper decisions with confidence.

 

As always, thank you for being part of this community. I hope you’ll join us in shaping the future of this industry—together.

 

Marc Sanderson
CEO, INNERGY

Woodworking has long been a craft rooted in tradition, but INNERGY is redefining it through innovation. Featured in IFA’s Interior Fitout magazine Marc Sanderson’s journey highlights how blending digital tools with craftsmanship can transform an industry. 

 

In 1997, Marc Sanderson, INNERGY’s CEO and founder, entered the woodworking industry after acquiring Ron’s Cabinets. With an MBA and a background in automotive, Marc saw an opportunity to introduce technology to a lagging sector. “It wasn’t about the sawdust—it was about the ones and zeros,” he says, reflecting on his decision to build custom software solutions when none existed to meet his business needs. 

 

Today, INNERGY’s ERP system seamlessly integrates everything from CRM to 3D design, streamlining operations and boosting profitability. Our DESIGN module enables real-time collaboration among engineers, while automated workflows ensure efficiency without stifling creativity. 

Marc often uses the analogy of a “sawdust trail” to describe how INNERGY bridges communication gaps between designers, manufacturers, and subcontractors. Though many clients are initially hesitant to adopt a formal ERP system, INNERGY eases the transition with comprehensive support, including training videos and gamification to encourage user adoption. 

 

Looking ahead, Marc envisions AI playing a significant role in the industry by automating tasks and addressing labor shortages. INNERGY is also developing tools that connect the workshop to the job site. 

 

With a recent $44 million investment from Mainsail Partners, INNERGY is poised for global growth. As Marc puts it, “We’re on our way—growing and expanding our community of raving fans.” 

 

At INNERGY, we’re proud to lead the charge in modernizing woodworking, ensuring businesses have the right tools and the right information at the right time to thrive in today’s world. 

 

This article was originally featured in Interior Fitout, IFA’s industry magazine.