Kwadwo Som-Pimpong of Crafted Glory purchased his first home in 2015. One surprise for the first-time buyer? “It never occurred to me that the furniture wouldn’t come with the house,” he laughed. That realization started his journey to find furniture he loved, and it’s since led to a business that’s growing one handcrafted piece at a time.
From Personal to Professional
Unable to find furniture he wanted in big box stores, Kwadwo picked up some tools, watched a few videos, and built his own end tables for his new home. “Looking back, they were pretty crude,” he said, “but I fell in love with the process.” What began as a DIY project quickly became a passion.
In the years since, he transformed a 300-square-foot garage into a full woodshop, investing every spare moment into learning and refining his process. As he grew into the craft, he also expanded into a larger 1,400 sq. ft. space in Clyde, NC, where Crafted Glory now operates. The space smells like freshly carved wood and is filled with works in progress: tabletops and bases ready for assembly, rough carvings of what will soon be smoothed out beautifully.
A Balancing Act
This is Crafted Glory, a Clyde-based furniture studio known for its sculptural, heirloom-quality pieces that blend Scandinavian influences and West African artistry. His work is in homes across all 50 states, and the company has been featured on NBC Nightly News, CNN, and even an Olympic-themed Etsy commercial. “I love that I can create something, imagine something, and it is valuable to a stranger all the way across the country,” Kwadwo said.
Yet, that success can hide a lot of hard work behind the scenes. For eight years, Kwadwo has run Crafted Glory alongside a full-time, second-shift job. He’ll often work until 2 a.m. and return to the woodshop the next morning. “It’s not easy,” he says, “but by the grace of God, we’ve gotten really far.” Now, with a young son at home and a thriving business gaining national recognition, he and his wife and business partner, Faith, are working toward making Crafted Glory their full-time livelihood.
Clarifying Vision
At the heart of that legacy is a deep sense of identity and commitment to the work he wants to make. “I need to be an artisan. And this is a somewhat recent realization,” he shared. “I need to create work that people come to me for specifically, not because they could get it made anywhere else.” The results are breathtaking: sculptural forms grounded in both tradition and modern design. He describes his pieces as sleek and minimal, “yet they have life to them.”
Crafted Glory’s ideal clients are interior designers, high-end homeowners, and mission-aligned commercial clients. For example, Kwadwo and team recently built a massive 20-foot table for an agency’s conference room. “We want people who value the time and care we put into each piece,” he said. “For a long time I priced too low. Now, I know my worth, and I price accordingly.”
That growth in confidence and clarity has been nurtured in part by Mountain BizWorks. From securing a grant for camera equipment to photograph his work to joining the Catalyst, Procurement & Contracting, and ScaleUp cohorts. Kwadwo has been deeply engaged with the Mountain BizWorks’ entrepreneurial offerings—peer learning in particular. “They’ve been integral to our journey,” he says. “I don’t think we’d still be around without them.”
Future Forward
Looking ahead, Kwadwo’s dreams about a flexible, purposeful future for Crafted Glory. He imagines a future where this full-time side hustle fully supports his family, putting the focus entirely on building something for themselves. “Right now, my day job builds someone else’s legacy. But Crafted Glory is mine—it’s something I can pass on to my son,” he said. “That means everything.”
He also envisions building more than furniture. He hopes to turn his Clyde property into an artistic hub to host residencies and retreats. “I’m trying to exercise my dream-big muscle,” he shared. “I’m just limited by my imagination.”
Advice for Others
For other business owners—especially the many balancing entrepreneurship with full-time jobs—Kwadwo’s advice is clear: embrace what makes you different. “Lean into what makes you unique, what makes you special. Because people are looking for special,” he shared. He also encourages fellow entrepreneurs to price properly early on. “Know your worth, know your value, and, in order to price well, offer something great.”
At the end of the day, Crafted Glory is about more than just wood and design. It’s a family business that blends heritage with a strong artistic vision. And in building for their future, Crafted Glory is a reminder that side hustles can become legacies.
Visit craftedglory.com to view Kwadwo’s work.
