Meet Ben Knapp of Sink or Swim Designs in Fort Worth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Knapp.

Ben, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story started 13 years ago, in the automotive industry, where I built custom show cars, audio systems and interior accessories out of wood and fiberglass. After spending that much time doing the same thing day in and day out, I needed a break. However, my creativity and love of wood working grew, I started working on things around the house and had very few tools. Most of the stuff I made at the beginning wasn’t that great, to be honest, but over time I accumulated more tools and more knowledge. After making many mistakes, and learning from each one, I got even better at designing and creating custom furniture. Although I consider myself self-taught, I can’t take all the credit. Early on I was introduced to wood working by my father, who was a carpenter and an all-around amazing artist. Also, my grandfather, who retired from the army, owned a body shop. Instead of going to daycare as a kid, I spent every day in the shop. It’s safe to say that is where I found my love of classic cars that currently influences the automotive flare in many of my designs. I consider myself a craftsman and love that I get to be creative every day for a living. My satisfaction comes when a client receives a one of kind piece that I have created for their home or office and they can’t wait to show it off to their friends!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, all businesses have to start somewhere. For me, Sink or Swim Designs started in one side of a two car garage with a jigsaw, a measuring tape and a hammer. Let me tell you, it’s not easy building a dining table with those tools, but it can be done! My passion drove me to work harder so that I could buy more tools to make things easier. Before long I was building quite a collection of tools, but space was becoming an issue. Once my hobby had begun to spill out into the driveway, I knew it was time for more space. After about six months of working in the driveway, I decided to look for a larger space. I quickly found a large rental space with plenty of room. Things were great and I continued to grow for about a year. With each piece I made, my business grew from word of mouth. Unfortunately when things are going great, life throws a wrench in the gears and things come to a complete halt. For me, this happened when the owner of the property I was leasing decided to sell the property and give me less than a month to have everything out. This was devastating to me and my business, however I refused to give up on my dream. My wife and I decided to sell our home in the city to buy a new home with land big enough to build my own shop. Even though the transition practically forced me to start over from scratch and rebuild my clientele, I am proud to say that Sink or Swim Designs is performing better than it ever has and is growing more and more each day.

Please tell us about Sink or Swim Designs.
At Sink or Swim Designs, I create unique furniture and home decor from wood, metal and reclaimed materials. My primary focus is re-purposing. I use unique and orthodox items and turning them into practical and functional pieces for your home. Whether its lighting created from old car parts or a scratch-made kitchen island, I can create a one of a kind piece for any home.

I recently opened a booth in the Montgomery Street Antique Mall in Fort Worth where I have some of my custom pieces on display for purchase. Vendor #1959.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
As a kid, my dad and I would spend Saturday evenings building model cars. Not only was it fun, it was a great learning experience for me. Not only did it help spark my love of cars, but it taught me to pay attention to detail and helped me explore my creativity as a boy.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sinkorswimfortworth.com
• Phone: 254-315-2208
• Email: sinkorswimdesignstexas@yahoo.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sinkorswimdesignstexas
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/sinkorswimdesignstx

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