Meet Mike Legreni, a Jersey boy from Paramus who grew up with a passion for skateboarding, rollerblading, BMX, and hockey. But it was during those hockey off-seasons that Mike discovered his love for woodworking, thanks to a backyard project with his dad.
Mike Legreni: From Protector to Entrepreneur
Together, they built a mini skate park, complete with wooden ramps they’d wheel out into the street for their very own X-Games every weekend. “We had ramps that we would wheel out into the street and run a mini X-Games almost every weekend,” Mike recalls. “My friend and I had nowhere else to skate locally and would get in trouble or kicked off property out in town, so I took matters into my own hands.” Little did Mike know this childhood hobby would one day become his calling.
Fast forward to high school graduation, and Mike found himself at a crossroads. He had to make some tough decisions with no college fund waiting for him. “I vividly remember my parents telling me there was no college fund waiting for me after high school, and I needed to make some decisions soon,” he says. That’s when a Marine Corps recruiter caught his eye. After a chat about his options and a meeting with his parents, Mike enlisted in the Marines straight out of high school in September 2000. He served as an airframe mechanic on the EA-6B Prowler and later transferred to Embassy duty after 9/11.
Civilian Life
When Mike returned to civilian life, he juggled a full-time job as a commercial HVAC technician while earning a degree in criminal justice at night. His mechanical skills from his aircraft days came in handy, and he even picked up some side gigs as a low-voltage electrician. In 2010, Mike landed a job as a local police officer in NJ. Still, he never lost his love for tinkering and helping friends and family with weekend projects.
Unfortunately, Mike’s law enforcement career took an unexpected turn when he had to blow the whistle on some wrongdoing in his department. He was forced into early retirement in 2019 but didn’t let that stop him. Mike transitioned his part-time electrical work into a full-time gig. Still, it was a dinner date with his wife that really changed everything. “In May 2019, my wife and I were out to dinner at a local restaurant, and she saw a wooden American flag on the wall. She pointed to it and asked if I could make one for the house. ‘Of course I can,’” Mike remembers.
The Start-up
That one flag ended up on Mike’s Facebook page, and by the end of the month, he had more sales from wooden flags than his paycheck from the electrical company. “I continued to balance both until I couldn’t,” he says. Thanks to a settlement from his lawsuit, Mike could invest in his dream of being his boss and building his woodworking shop. Over the next four years, Mike’s two-car garage became the headquarters of Veteran Wood Co.
Mike Legreni didn’t just stop at flags, though. He was determined to create a shop that could handle any custom woodworking project a customer could dream up. “I built my dream shop; all it was missing was a couch and a mini fridge,” he jokes. “I operated out of that garage until I couldn’t. Projects were getting bigger, volume increased, and I desperately needed a paint booth.”
However, as the business grew, Mike realized he needed to diversify his offerings. “In my first year of business, I quickly saw how flooded the market was with wooden American flags and knew that if I wanted to succeed, I had to shift my focus and diversify my business,” he explains. Mike started offering custom signs, cutting boards, furniture, and more. “In the end, the custom signage resonated with me. I pivoted from flags to custom signs and woodwork.”
Overcoming Challenges
Of course, running a business comes with challenges, especially for a veteran transitioning to civilian life. “Other than the mechanical skillset I gained as an aircraft mechanic, the skills I acquired in the service have little to no effect on my business or daily operations,” Mike admits. “I came home at 23 years old and was lost. I lacked direction or any real-world experience.” But Mike refuses to let that hold him back. “Every day is a challenge, and I’m constantly learning and struggling as part of the entrepreneurial life. Nothing could have prepared me for how stressful and rewarding a roller coaster this has been. I love it.”
One of the biggest challenges for any new business owner is managing the ebbs and flows of sales. “Every year around December and January, the orders slow down, and the phone calls stop. That’s a thing. It’s normal. Be ready for it,” Mike advises. “People aren’t shopping for bespoke woodwork and crafts AFTER the holidays. Have a pivot in place.” For Mike, that meant getting creative during the pandemic when gyms were closed. “Back when Covid hit, and all the gyms closed, I shifted my product from flags to plyo [plyometric] boxes for fitness. Then, I started offering custom plyo boxes with logos on them. Plyo Boxes paid my mortgage in 2021.”
Veteran Wood Co. is known for its high-quality custom signs and woodwork. “Customers will give us a photo or rendering and ask us to make it. Weeks later, they receive back a real-life copy of what they asked for,” Mike explains. “I use various materials to achieve the look and finish the customer is after. Wood is about 10% of my stuff, but I’m not changing the company name now!”
Honoring the Fallen
One of Mike’s most impactful projects to date has been creating memorial pieces for fallen Capitol Police officers, including Officer Brian Sicknick, who lost his life during the January 6th attack on the Capitol Building. “Delivering that piece was powerful,” Mike recalls. “His coworkers lined the hallway and paid respect as I wheeled the 60″ tall memorial plaque down the long hallway under the capitol building. It felt as if Brian himself was walking down the hallway; it was very emotional.”
As for the future of Veteran Wood Co., Mike Legreni has big plans. He recently moved into a commercial property three times the size of his previous shop and is focused on finding talented team members to help the business grow. “The scalability problem I encounter is finding trusted talent. Manpower in this industry is low, and the expectations of quality and safety are high,” he explains. “Talented guys that do this type of work and know how to manage money will likely open their own business. I need to find talented guys who don’t want to run a business and are good team players who can be trusted and represent the brand well. Anyone interested?!?”
Giving Back
But more than just growing his business, Mike wants to give back to his fellow veterans. “My desire is to push forward into a slightly larger space to have a complete shop setup. For me personally, it is continued growth. I want to give back and serve more. I want to host open-house workshops and invite makers and veterans in to potentially learn a new skill and make something, giving them back a sense of creativity and purpose.
“It’s my belief that a life without service to others is unfulfilling. If I can use my business to facilitate servitude, that would be the ultimate win.”
Mike has some sage advice for veterans considering starting their business: “Get a mentor/coach. This is non-negotiable. My coach (Cody Alford) has helped me break down mental barriers and build back my confidence in my personal and professional life.
Mike Legreni Final Thoughts
I encourage veterans seeking guidance and mentorship to open a business.” He also stresses the importance of planning, surrounding yourself with supportive people, and not being afraid to fail. “Don’t let the failures determine your destiny; use them to shape your future. Learn from them.”
But perhaps Mike’s most important advice is to go for it. “Do it. Too many people wait. They have self-limiting beliefs. Paralysis by over-analysis. JUST DO IT.”
Mike Legreni has remained committed to his craft, customers, and fellow veterans. With Veteran Wood Co., he’s not just building custom signs and furniture – he’s building a legacy of service, creativity, and entrepreneurship. And he’s just getting started.
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