In this episode of The Southern Shmooze, Grant sits down with Ester Shamba, founder of Gratitwood, to talk about creativity, entrepreneurship, community, and the story behind the business she’s built.

Ester’s work through Gratitwood is rooted in transforming wood into meaningful, handcrafted pieces, but the conversation goes well beyond what she makes. Grant and Ester dig into how Gratitwood came to be, what it takes to turn a creative idea into a real business, and the experiences that have shaped Ester along the way.

They talk about the realities of building something from the ground up, finding your place in Atlanta’s small-business community, staying connected to the purpose behind your work, and what she’s learned as Gratitwood has grown.

It’s a conversation about craftsman ...