Russell Wahl’s passion for carpentry was shaped by his early years working alongside his father, a general contractor in Santa Rosa, California.
“I was picking up nails and stacking lumber by the time I was six,” Russell shares. With his father’s focus on quality and integrity as the foundation, Russell built Sonoma County Carpentry® into a company known for its exceptional custom woodwork and dedication to client satisfaction.
In 2018, Russell’s life took a sudden turn when his wife was diagnosed with leukemia. Juggling her care while running a growing business forced him to reconsider his approach. “I couldn’t keep running the company the same way,” he says. “I needed to figure out how to manage and grow the business without being on every job site myself.”
This shift in thinking led Russell to recognize that growth meant hiring employees and investing in training—something that required funding.
As Russell sought financing, he encountered traditional lenders who made him feel like just another customer. “It felt like they were just selling me money,” he recalls. “I needed more than that. I needed a partner.”
That’s when he connected with SmartBiz.
“When you partner with SmartBiz, they will take the scariness out of it,” Russell says. “They will walk you through the process and educate you on the choices that you're making.”
SmartBiz helped Russell secure a $150,000 SBA loan with a 10-year term, reducing his monthly payments and giving him room to focus on what matters: growing his business and upholding the core values he holds dear.
With SmartBiz, Russell didn’t just secure a loan, he gained financial insight that helped shape the future of his business. His father, a talented contractor, had never fully grasped the financial side of running a company, a lesson that stayed with Russell as he built Sonoma County Carpentry.
“If you don’t have the financial education and understand how to use other people’s money to grow, SmartBiz is a great place to start,” Russell explains.
The $150,000 SBA loan allowed him to hire more employees, expand his services, and double his revenue to over $1 million in one year. But beyond the numbers, SmartBiz helped Russell understand how to manage the business more effectively, helping to ensure his company’s continued success while upholding his commitment to quality craftsmanship.
As Russell looks to the future, he remains confident in his business and the partnership he’s built with SmartBiz. Now managing a $3 million company, he feels better equipped to handle the financial challenges of scaling a business.
“My dad never had the opportunity to learn about financial services, but SmartBiz gave me that education,” Russell reflects. “I know SmartBiz will be there as we continue to scale. They’ve helped me build more than just a business. They’ve helped me build something lasting.”
With this support, Russell is prepared to take Sonoma County Carpentry to even greater heights, knowing that SmartBiz will be there every step of the way.