Tom Bennett
Bennett Forgeworks
Ridgway, CO USA
"Much in life has to do with luck but you have to be standing and ready when luck comes along."
Career Roadmap
Tom's work combines: Engineering, Art, and Building Things
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Environmental Science
University of Vermont
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I grew up in Boston, Massachusetts.
2.
I’ve always been passionate about making things.
3.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Vermont.
4.
After graduating, I moved to Telluride, Colorado, and got a job working as a carpenter.
5.
I decided to move to Rico, Colorado, to stay with a friend, who introduced me to a blacksmith—he showed me his work and I was immediately intrigued.
6.
I began working with metal along with the woodworking I was already doing.
7.
I started getting more work as a blacksmith than I was as a woodworker and it eventually took over.
8.
I’ve been metalworking for my own company, Bennett Forgeworks, for about 24 years now!
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was always good at building things but once I started my company, realizing that I needed to learn the business side of things was difficult. That didn't come naturally to me at all, but I had to learn in order for my company to survive.