Tory Hutchison is the co-owner of New Glarus-based Hutch + Hide, alongside his wife Kelsy. This “modern mom-and-pop shop” features quality gifts for the home as well as custom cabinetry and trim design and installations. Learn about Tory Hutchison…
Follow at: @HutchandHide
Hometown: New Glarus
First job: My parents were both entrepreneurs so as a kid I remember helping my dad cleaning up the job sites of the homes he was building. My mom had a painting and wallpaper business, so I remember stripping old wallpaper off too. (If you have ever done that, it isn’t easy to forget–haha.)
Favorite ways to spend your free time in WI: My kids and I are really into fishing – they are getting old enough now that I can take them out and not spend the entire time fixing snags, etc. It is getting really fun. I also love hiking and exploring whenever I get the chance along with archery hunting in the fall.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: Other than finding and marrying Kelsy, I would have to say just juggling being a dad and running a small business. It definitely is a balancing act, and I certainly don’t always get it right, but I feel like I’m getting a little bit better each year.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: It is kind of terrifying going from getting a paycheck every two weeks to taking the plunge and hoping people come to your business. I was lucky that I had parents that did it, and my wife has entrepreneurial parents as well. We had good advice and help when we needed it in the crucial startup phase.
Someone who inspires you and why: I would say a family member of mine. He runs a large business with multiple divisions to it, and he somehow juggles all the employees, projects, and deadlines but makes time for his family and is a great dad. Every time I feel overwhelmed or busy, I remind myself that if he can do it with all that going on – certainly I can figure it out too.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Keep going and keep an open mind – you never know when you will find your niche that allows you to add the most value for people. If you would have told me out of college I’d be designing kitchens for a living, I would have called you crazy. Sometimes you find your path when you least expect it.
Favorite quote: Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can do a thing or you think you can’t do a thing, you are right.” So much of life and business, especially, is a mental game. That quote always pops into my head when I have a customer ask me to design or work on a project out of my comfort zone. Step 1 is always believing that you can do something. The rest usually falls in line if you work at it hard enough.
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: I’m kind of a history nerd. I actually have a degree in history that I’m not actively using, but I love all of it. I can get sucked into a PBS or History Channel program pretty fast.
What makes someone fabulous: Someone that is comfortable in their own skin and lives an authentic life. Sometimes I feel like we all can get caught up so much in the day-to-day grind of business, projects, paying bills, running kiddos to practices and games, etc. I try to remind myself to slow down and take a breath and be grateful for all of it. I’ve met a lot of people over the years that are so much better at that than I am – that state of mind is what makes someone fabulous.