We recently had the chance to connect with Abdon Campbell and have shared our conversation below.
Abdon, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
When I first started this venture I would see a lot of furniture refinishers get very creative with designs, patterns, colors, etc. on various pieces. What I have realized about the customers in the DFW area is that we rather simple elegance than pieces that ‘do too much’. So more solid colors, one thing that pops and adds some character but still maintaining a sleek design.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Abdon Campbell and I have created a brand called Finished Touch, where I do furniture refinishing and make customized pieces for clients. I have found a fondness for adding new life to furniture through different colors, designs, patterns, stains, pulls, etc. which brought me to where I am today, having completed countless projects. Each has helped me learn and grow towards being a creative, adding new life to spaces.
This brand is quite unique because no two pieces are ever exactly the same. Because I have been refinishing used and old furniture, it is rare to find two pieces that are exactly the same structurally. This gives each piece its own character and allows furniture to fit the individual’s needs and ideas more accurately than acquiring a ‘one size fits all’ piece of furniture.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
It was always my belief that in order to live the luxurious lavish life, that one’s personal and family life would have to suffer. I still see aspects of that in today’s society, where people are forced to work their entire life and enjoy limited time off or only after they have retired. However, my main mentors live a complete opposite life, where they work hard, and a lot and make a huge living for themselves and their families, whilst still being able to give time to their family.
All my ventures in life has then been towards being able to provide for the family I am creating whilst still being able to spend time with my wife and future children. With that, Finished Touch fits into that category because I am primarily at home and able to be around family while still providing for them.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I have always heard that it’s in the pain and suffering that strong individuals are built. However, hearing it and going through it is completely different. I wouldn’t say I am the strongest now either but I have definitely grown. My suffering may have looked like what many individuals go through, having lost their job or not being able to work, no income, miles away from family, not having much financial support, and more, but the main thing I learned during this time is to stay close to God and give him thanks for the blessings that come even when we are not seeing them. It was in my suffering that I realized God was blessing me in ways I could have taken for granted before and that he was setting me up for bigger stages in life. It was also in suffering that I understood myself more, my likes and dislikes, how I can excel at different avenues, and that life is not as strict and straight forward as society makes it seem. We can really go after anything we want and can change how we are and the situation we are in at any time, it just takes effort.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Time and family. Those around me know I love and care for my family dearly. That includes my immediate family, extended family, all relatives, the family I have created and the people so close to me that I call them family. They also would know that I do not like to be bound and tied down, but rather have free time to use as I please. More often than not, that turns out to be family time, so they really go hand in hand. I love spending times with those I love and being a blessing with my time to those I love. For me, at the end of the day if those around me have not felt me love and blessing then I would not have felt like I made much of an impact or lived the life I was here to live.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Yes! 100%. I actually prefer performing actions that have nothing related how others would perceive or react. However, in many fields others’ perception and praise are important. I have taken a viewpoint and practice that regardless of praise I might receive, I give my all every time in everything I do. I do this because that is the only way I would know how to excel, is after I give my all then I will analyze what could have been better and then next time my subjective best will be even better.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Abfinishedtouch
- Other: TikTok @abfinishedtouch
