Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Smith.
Hi Matthew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The Covid pandemic hit, and the factory I worked at laid off most employees. I took all of my savings out of the bank and bought a welder and some hand tools and had some yard signs made. I started building custom metal railings, driveway gates, and did welding repairs out of my 2 car garage at my house. My son was born with a disability, so my wife had to quit work to be able to take him to his therapies and be his caregiver. We defaulted on all of our bills, went bankrupt. After a lot of hard lessons learned about business, we figured it out and have been prospering. Eternal Ironworks is now one of the premier custom gate, railing, & metal art shops in the area. We use a percentage of all revenue to fund High Five Society, a non profit my wife started to help with the social needs of individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. A lot has changed since 2020, but it’s been a great ride. I look forward to seeing what the future holds, what clients we will meet, and what cool projects we will build, but most of all, I look forward to helping more families with disabled children out. That’s the driving force behind Eternal Ironworks
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not necessarily. Financial hardships, erratic schedules, tons of almost impossible deadlines with clients. When I first started, I would build most things at cost, or for free just so I could build a portfolio and hone my skills. Thankfully now, we have built a great reputation, along with a diverse portfolio, and unknown clients actively seek us out.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I make custom metal entry gates, wine cellars and wrought iron handrails. What sets us apart is that I have an eye for architecture, and knowing what sort of railings would tie into a buildings architecture, and also what style of railings would be out of place and make the whole building look dystopian. All of our railings meet code while still being able to compliment the space they’re in. They are wrought by hand, custom built in house. Buckingham palace, the basilicas, notre dame, and all historic places of beauty have one thing in common- pieces of wrought iron that have stood the test of time. New construction trends have been looking past that aspect, so my goal for this company is to bring the essence of the eternal into modern architecture. Our designs are wrought by hand, look timeless, and will last a lifetime, hence why we’re named eternal ironworks
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
You have to keep the faith through the process, and almost have an unrealistic form of self belief.
I have bigger goals outside of the financial prosperity of this company. My faith in achieving those goals so that I can help others is my driving force. I’ve learned over the years that when I lose faith in that vision, and I begin to doubt myself, the company suffers. It’s been a hard lesson to learn, but I keep the belief in myself and faith in the bigger picture of the company’s goals at all costs, no matter what emotional state I’m in at the time.
Pricing:
- Driveway gates with automatic openers- $8k average depending on options
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Eternalironworks.com
- Instagram: Eternal_ironworks
- Facebook: Eternalironworks
Image Credits
No image credits applicable. All images
Were taken by me, of our work.
