Why I’m Ending Southern Style DIY
Why Southern Style DIY Is Dead — And What’s Next for The Maker Edge
There’s something everyone needs to know up front: Southern Style DIY isn’t coming back.
At least, not in the way it used to exist. But that doesn’t mean I'm done making things, or done sharing. It means the purpose behind the work is evolving. The focus of The Maker Edge is shifting in a way I think will be more valuable for makers, creators, and brands.
In this post, I want to explain why this change is happening, what direction I’m headed in, and how it impacts you as someone who cares about making cool stuff and building a meaningful business around it.
How Southern Style DIY Started
After my wife and I bought our house back in 2016, I found myself tackling everyday home projects.
That process pulled me into the maker community. In early 2017, I started sharing projects on Instagram (simple stuff at first). What surprised me wasn’t just the positive feedback, but the community of people who were making serious, beautiful, functional things they were proud of. I didn’t know that audience existed but suddenly, I wanted in.
I began doing tutorial-style content first, but quickly realized that wasn’t entirely me. I’ve never been someone who just follows plans to make a carbon copy of something. I learn but then put my own spin on it.
That’s how I like to make, and it’s how I like to share.
How Southern Style DIY Shifted Over The Years
Over time, the content shifted:
More unique use-case videos that introduced ideas I hadn’t seen elsewhere
Themed builds like the 2x4 Mythosaur skull and the Deadpool head
Larger workshop design concepts tied to fantasy themes (Star Wars, for example)
Those videos were fun, and I still use the builds, but I don’t think I’m the best person to teach or inspire people to make something.
Because what I am really interested in now is helping makers, creators, and brands grow their businesses — not just their benches or benches of tools.
How I’ve Really Thought About Maker Businesses All Along
Here’s the piece that might surprise some people:
I don’t just make stuff, I work in business every day. My background includes finance, strategy, and corporate planning that I honed at Georgia Tech and my corporate career long before I picked up a sander.
I was the Apple campus representative at Georgia Tech — learning how to communicate value and influence decisions early on.
My full-time work is in corporate finance, building models that help companies make commercial decisions.
That business lens gives me something unique to offer the maker community: a way to think about your craft and your content not just as hobbies, but as engines for growth.
What You Can Expect Going Forward
I’m not abandoning projects.
I still want to make cool things, and I’ll still share builds, but the focus of future content is going to be more about systems, business thinking, and strategic growth.
● Business Growth for Creators
Whether you’re a solo maker or building a brand, you need systems that scale. That means understanding your audience, monetization strategies, and how creative businesses actually make money.
● Newsletters and Audience Development
Newsletters are fascinating because most creators don’t do them right. If you can deliver value-driven content, you’ll stand out fast. And not just on YouTube and Instagram, but in the minds and inboxes of the people who care about what you do.
● Systems You Can Actually Use
I will be sharing my repeatable processes including workflow automations, content calendars, and clear frameworks for growth. I want to show you repeatable processes, not just one-off builds.
How I’ll Help (Even If Everything I Share Is Free)
This is an honest question I know some of you are already thinking:
“If you're giving all this value away for free, how do you plan to make a business out of it?”
And that’s a fair question.
Here’s the philosophy I believe in: Education can be free — but execution is expensive.
I can give you frameworks, lessons, and big-picture ideas in video and blog posts for free. But when it comes to implementing them for you, that’s where hands-on services come in.
And because I’m also a maker at heart, the only people I want to work with are makers, creator brands, and companies within the maker space.
The Maker Edge Going Forward
So what does that mean in practice?
You’ll see more content about business systems, strategy, and newsletters
You’ll see less focus on “how I made X” tutorials unless the insight has a bigger lesson to share
You’ll see projects still, but viewed through a lens of utility and creative growth — not just replication
For example, you’ll watch me build my unfinished home office on camera, and we’ll talk about lighting for filming, workflow setup, shot consistency, and audience experience — not just “how to put a desk together”.
Final Thoughts: Your Voice Matters
If you’re a maker, a creator, or building a brand around creativity, I want to hear from you.
What are your biggest challenges right now?
Growing an audience?
Monetizing content?
Building consistent systems?
Launching a newsletter or lead magnet?
Drop a comment or reach out on Instagram if you’re wrestling with any of the above. I’m revamping the content calendar and want to make sure what I create is impactful for you as humanly possible.
