In this episode, Anthony and Cyndie sit down with Mike Schloff of Maplewoodshop. He is the Founder and CEO of Maplewoodshop, a leading provider in woodworking education solutions for schools, camps, Maker spaces, and community centers. Mike created Maplewoodshop in 2016 with the mission of developing life skills in all children through woodworking. He started by teaching hundreds of students directly, then developed a portable and safe program which contains proprietary equipment, hand tools, and a training program for any classroom teacher. Prior to Maplewoodshop, Mike was an Internet pioneer, building websites in 1995. He led marketing efforts on major accounts at several advertising companies before helping WebMD develop and execute its mobile strategy. Later, Mike helped the publisher, Wiley, develop new digital business models. He sits on the boards of The Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, Congregation Beth El, and the Newark Barringer High School CTE advisory board.
https://www.maplewoodshop.com/
https://eascarpenters.org/
https://cctmarketing.org/00:00 – Welcome and show introduction by Anthony and Cyndie
01:20 – Introduction of guest Mike Schloff and overview of Maplewoodshop
02:26 – Mike explains Maplewoodshop’s mission to build life skills through woodworking
04:20 – Mike shares his early background and how woodworking became his calling
06:00 – Founding of Maplewoodshop and development of the portable classroom model
07:31 – Collaboration with the Carpenters Union and expansion into schools
08:47 – How the program works for teachers without trade backgrounds
09:51 – Benefits for students: learning math, problem-solving, and teamwork
11:13 – Lessons in resilience and confidence from hands-on learning
12:56 – Connecting woodworking to broader life and career skills
14:08 – How non-CTE teachers successfully run woodworking programs
15:11 – Breaking barriers and making woodworking accessible in all schools
16:35 – The need to rebuild respect for trades and hands-on education
18:29 – How early exposure builds confidence, purpose, and opportunity
20:13 – Mike’s experience on the Newark Barringer High School CTE advisory board
23:09 – National expansion and digital training that scales Maplewoodshop’s reach
26:14 – The transformation kids experience through hands-on woodworking
29:52 – Closing reflections on trades education, career pathways, and partnership success