Using tools well reveals our character. It shows we care—for our work, our craft, and the things entrusted to us.
Last week, I noticed Ben Doege using a spatula that looked different than the ones we stock. When I asked about it, he said it belonged to his grandpa. I don’t know the whole story, but I can make a few assumptions:
That spatula has been used—and cared for.
It’s touched different materials, across many jobs, over many years.
It’s still here, because someone took care of it.
We live in a throwaway culture. Use it once, toss it out. But that’s not how we’re meant to live. We’re made to be resourceful—driven by purpose, not waste.
Hurry leads to waste.
If Ben’s grandpa had rushed 50 years ago and left that spatula in wet cement, it would’ve been trash the next day. If Ben had been careless this week, it might’ve been ruined in epoxy. But neither of them worked that way. Someone taught them to take care of their tools.
That lesson goes deeper than tools—it’s about respect.
Respect for the work. For the materials. For yourself.
Your character is showing.
Ben’s the kind of guy who cares for his tools.
Because of that, I trust him.
I trust he’ll do the job completely.
I trust he’ll clean up when it’s done.
I trust he sees the details.
(A business, after all, is just a collection of small details.)
Ben’s the kind of person you put in a leadership role—because he’ll live this and teach this. And the whole team will be better for it.
A craftsman cares for his tools.
Tools are extensions of us. When we treat them with care, we show respect for the profession—and for ourselves. A craftsman cleans his tools. Puts them back. Keeps them ready. Because when you care for the small things, you prove you’re ready for the big ones.
