OUR STORY

I formed Volunteer Amish Furniture Direct LLC (VOLAFD) in October 2023 after retiring from twenty years in law enforcement.  Prior to law enforcement, I proudly served in the US Air Force for nearly 12 years.  I was born and raised in a small, blue-collar, rural midwest town by a hard-working single father who was a full-time fireman.  My father spent his off days working at least one, if not two, jobs.  As such, I learned from a very young age that your reputation, comprised largely of your work ethic and always making good on your word, are the foundations upon which success is built.  When I was in 8th grade, I formed “Mike and Mike Lawn Care” with a sixteen-year old friend (Mike) who had his driver's license - our business grew to mowing nearly 30 yards/week!  Amazingly, we were both able to stay near the top of our class academically while also competing in high-school athletics.  After graduating, I capitalized on an opportunity to attend the US Air Force Academy, an experience which altered the course of my life.  Upon separation from the Air Force, I spent about 1.5 years in the “civilian sector” chasing money before realizing that I needed to fulfill my longing to serve others; hence, my choice of law enforcement.  Over the last twenty years in law enforcement, I held my entrepreneurial drive at bay but, as the end of my career neared, the drive became more and more insatiable.

A conglomeration of factors drove me towards the formation of VOLAFD - I was looking for a way to regularly go back home to see my family and friends, deal with quality people whose word is gold/reputation is impeccable, and provide a service to others.  Over the years, I came to realize there was an opportunity to bring handcrafted Amish-made, heirloom-quality furniture directly to consumer.  As such, I built relationships with various Amish craftsmen while visiting my father and, more recently, family-owned East Tennessee retailers that are firmly committed to their local communities.

I was raised to value relationships.  As such, I'm hopeful you'll reach out to me so that we can start a conversation about getting you he custom-made furniture you've always wanted at a fraction of the price you'd pay at a traditional brick and mortar retailer.    

Mike