Today we’d like to introduce you to Drake Zion.
Hi Drake, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Drake Zion is the founder and operator of The Zion Woodshop LLC, a custom woodworking company dedicated to creating high-end, handmade serving boards and furniture for both commercial and residential clients. With a passion for craftsmanship and a deep commitment to community and ethical business practices, Drake has built The Zion Woodshop as a Christian-based, community-driven company that prioritizes sustainability. He strives to reduce waste in the woodworking industry by giving new life to lumber that might otherwise be discarded or left to rot.
Drake’s journey into woodworking began during his freshman year of high school, when he enrolled in shop class. What started as a curiosity quickly grew into a lifelong passion. Inspired by hands-on challenges and eager to learn, he dedicated himself to mastering the craft. By 2020, with encouragement from his shop instructor and first mentor, Drake began exploring entrepreneurship—sharing his work on social media, creating his first business cards, and taking on small commissions.
The early stages of his business were marked by resilience. After losing his father in 2021, Drake faced personal and financial hardships, but the support of his school community and the guidance of his mentor helped him push forward. That same year, he debuted as a vendor at his school’s annual craft fair, where he nearly sold out of his products and earned over $1,200 to begin building his own shop.
During his senior year, Drake expanded his skills through the Northland CAPS program, gaining valuable business, leadership, and networking experience, including an internship with a marketing company. These opportunities solidified his vision of growing The Zion Woodshop into more than just a business—it became a platform for serving others.
After high school, Drake went onto attend UMKC, and next steps of his business journey unfolded through additional learning, new friends, connections, and mentors to guide his way through UMKC business accelerator program E-Scholars and now re-branded Regnier Venture Accelerator (RVA) twice, once per semester for all of 2025. By the end of it he had pivoted in his business to go from serving boards and small build to high end custom tables, dining sets, desks, and more. And offerting table refinishing services as well.. While keeping the root alive and making serving boards from scrapes for closing gifts to whole sale batch orders for local retail partners. After years of little to verying low success doing small shows, added challenges from surviving and living off of savings and a dream,
At the turn of the new year things finally amp up with the official pivot to focusing on furniture, and with aid of mentors and self established advisory board and many other resources that have been in the works, for the first time ever started receiving back orders and countless new exciting opportunities, and lessons to be had, and pivotal decisions made.
So much so things came a extra step forward and received an opportunity to be a finalist in a regional pitch competition held at UMKC, through the Regnier Institute of entrepreneurship. Having well over 100+ applicants across 17 states apply, and he was invited to be a top 16 finalist for the main competition where he went on to win third place in the creative, arts, and culture division. Earning a prize of $5,000 and extra support in keeping the mission alive and growing.
Today, Drake is a 21 year old, incoming Senior fall 2026 at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, earning a bachelors in business administration and management, with minor in entrepreneurship, with planned impending graduation spring 2027. While he continues to grow The Zion Woodshop LLC into a recognized name in custom/handcrafted woodworking, with 20+ 5 star google reviews and growing. He remains committed to honoring his father’s legacy of generosity, giving back to the community through volunteering, supporting nonprofits, and mentoring others who aspire to pursue their dreams.
For Drake, woodworking is more than a trade—it’s a way to craft meaningful connections, create sustainable products, and inspire others to see the beauty in giving new life to what others might overlook.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not smooth, aside from going to middle class to poverty since, and even with progression by nothing but his own effort and all those that keep him going and growing, there was no manual, no resources, no direction, nothing but a passion at first, and being pushed from a introvert to see what all the world holds beyond those walls, and all the learning and navigating and up and downs since. I had no one that could help or direct me, and didn’t know what to do so i did what i could, sat down and despite not caring for reading or not having a great love for it, turned to books, now have read over 200+ business and other industry books thus far along with podcasts, and classes as they came in later in high school and college. but the biggest stabilizer have been good mentors, family being smaller but still their and friends to get through the storms of life. The biggest impact was the lost of my papa, when i was 16, but thats also been the greatest challenge of all and motivator to grow up and get to work and not make it a matter of if i will be successful to do what i set out to do or need to, but a matter of when I will get their, and how. I was fortunate to have other father figures step in during the early stages of this period step up and help me figure out what it meant to be the main of the house, to be a reliable, ethical, good valued, well rounded adult, and get to know myself better than ever before.
Business wise all this guess work and learning constantly and learning how to apply it and filter through things and so much else as i got burned out doing 300+ craft shows and farmer markets to start out over the first 4 or so years and despite not doing any more currently until i get to trade shows one day, they taught me so much and really perthings inter perspective just how hard it would be. 60% of shows ive done i never even made sales at to cover my vendor fee let alone other cost, others i would have varying levels of minimal success but nothing substantial that really merited the attention. But what i did get is connections, knowledge, and lots of advice and experience under my belt in return, Sure i got exposure but it took awhile to realize it was all a waste and meaningless because almost non of them were my target market demo graphic i wanted to and would be needing to service and work with to solve real problems. So much even now im constantly going backwards to implement and fix as ive learned better and come along my journey,
As you know, we’re big fans of The Zion Woodshop LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The Zion Woodshop, has been through several phases now as its grown and now beginning to bloom. We are marketed and set up as a Furniture studio, slowly rolling out a few key designs that have minor customization options, while still offering custom one off pieces in the background along with wholesale small batches of cutting and charcuterie boards for retail purposes or gifting to use up and be mindful fo waste and scrapes. Our bread and butter or flagship item are dining tables and dining sets, but can do pretty much almost any type of table and occasionally other furniture at our discretion. Specializing in modern, rustic, and contemporary style pieces. Additionally seasonally offering wood furniture repair and refinishing after living some life and wishing to get a fresh up to get to have some more, and serve as focal points in homes and businesses to build priceless memories around, and have to pass down to the next generation. And all our materials are locally source from the greater Kansas City region for all projects from local sources and supplier partnerships, only using the best of what kc can offer, and the rest to make sure its not just wasted and finds a use or home,
What sets us apart most is we are a community oriented company with a mission to give just as much as our community comes to support and invest in us, we refuse to ever forget our roots and its a given to stay close and be a resource to others as best as we can and will be in all ways, from proving service to connections, education, or supporting others dreams. A portion of our proceed goes back into the community and impact efforts of local nonprofit partners such as Serving kingdom KC, which is a non for profit organization founded here in kc that is positioned to give back to the community through facilitated golf charity tournaments benefiting other local non-profits in the area, While we also occasionally donate small pieces for charity auctions, and other efforts as they arise, Additionally I am a proud member of rotary and becoming active in their community impact projects and works both locally and international efforts.
What I am most proud about the brand is that it reflects a lot of my values for life and what was instilled in me by my own papa, and following christian values and as honest ethical practices we can, and always striving to exceed expectation’s every chance we get, and focus on change and progress in the community and industries we touch,
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Theres always a lot that come to mind, but the ones that always to seem to stand out are those with my papa. He wasn’t perfect, non of us are, but he tried and he was always present and always took interest in what i was doing and there when i needed him, even gone now he still is hear guiding me through memories of him and the impact he made on me and the foundation he set within me, Ive done alot of things over the years and dabbled in more things than i care to count, but one time that always seems to stick out to me were days when we would got get our hair cut and would my mom got her hair done and all chatty we would sneak off across the street to a near by arby’s get some curly fries and just sit and talk and visit and just us. It wasn’t always that simple and sometimes got cut sort as other times did to but the little things always added up and made the most impact over time and all that keeps him alive through me and my family, but also what it meant. How lucky I was to have had a best friend, mentor, example to look up to, and cheerleader all in one man, in one father…. the first of many that have held similar mantles for me as role models but they all had there times and places to make that difference and show its not just up to one, but it takes one to start, before the masses join and make real magic happen in life.
Pricing:
- Serving boards are available individually and several set sizes and e-commerce listings/catalog coming soon ranging from $30-$500
- All bulk wholesale orders have industry standard 40% retail, and do batch orders up to 60 at a time currently of a single item type. but can flux depending on specifics of order.
- Refinishing table jobs start at $699 base and increase with size, difficulty, and demand for repairs possibly needed
- Handmade repeat pattern dining tables, desk, etc start at $3,500 and go from there depending on sizing, style, materials used, timeline, and other factors
- Fully custom tables and over furnitue or anything with any customization to it all comes with design consultation before issuing a proposal, and service contract after acceptance. We opperate on a 50/50 model of half down and half on delivery unless a payment plan is establish with client before project begins. No set price and will very depending on request nature.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thezionwoodshop.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582014182271
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-zion-woodshop-llc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thesplinteredwoodsman4541
- Yelp: https://share.google/u8Kbev2GpNUj1D8eF
- Other: https://hihello.com/p/e9aaad70-334d-4bba-8f51-bc51c815be38
