Tyson Traeger is the founder and inventor behind Timber Stoves, an American manufacturer redefining outdoor heating and cooking through innovative wood pellet technology. Based in Mt. Angel, Oregon, Tyson has spent more than a decade designing products that combine premium craftsmanship, practical engineering and real-world performance to help homeowners, restaurants, resorts and hospitality businesses create inviting outdoor spaces without relying on electricity or traditional fuel systems.
What began with the invention of the original wood pellet patio heater has grown into a complete line of premium outdoor heating and cooking products sold across North America and Europe. Under Tyson’s leadership, Timber Stoves has continually expanded its product portfolio while remaining committed to American manufacturing, thoughtful design and long-lasting quality.
Tyson is a recognized voice on product innovation, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, outdoor living and hospitality trends. He regularly speaks about how great products are built, why practical innovation matters, the evolution of outdoor entertaining and the future of premium outdoor experiences. His work reflects a simple philosophy: create products that solve real problems, bring people together and are built to last
Company: Timber Stoves
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company
Tyson Traeger: I am the son of a great football coach. Randy Traeger was my father and the most inspiring man I will ever know. His passion for life was given to me. He was laid to rest 8 yrs ago now, but learning from one of the greatest humans of all time has allowed me to navigate this treacherous landscape of business.
You see, I watched my father and his father run this same course of new product development and turn it into a household name. Some may credit big money, others may suggest timing, but I got to see all of it from a wee lad. I was raised in the blue-collar blue jeans that smelled of weld smoke and could recognize a good weld from a bad one at age ten. Bagging lava rocks for a system that had not yet found the angled drip of a pan, or the turning of age when a heating element allowed users to flip a switch and cook their food, were all huge milestones for humans.
Now, as we enter a new age over 30 yrs later, we have seen the benefits of technology, and we are, if I might say so… a bit scared!
Believe you me, I want to be the source for someone going outside and learning something. If it’s because of my fire, that’s great… if it’s because of a story I told you by the fire… even better. You see, I have lived the struggle… I am 43 yrs old, have 3 kids, Charlee 17, Peyton 15, and Hayden, who is currently downstairs below my office in my wife’s office, having to be here at work because… well, if you’re a parent, you would understand.
All the growing I have done through not just one man’s entrepreneurial adventure, but I feel my entire life has been a path of beating down the bushes in front of me so I can get somewhere better… or maybe just to see what’s over the next hill. I certainly haven’t been blessed with fortune or wealth, but definitely blessed with a fortune of knowledge. That’s what has allowed me to carve my own path, and now I get to show people the real meaning of life… to enjoy what you’ve got. Make time for people and yourselves. Get outside and most of your problems will be lightened. Nature is a gift. We should cherish it. Being outside brings us back to our foundation, and fire lets the stories build the future.
I hope to turn on some switches with my products and flick some matches to the beginnings of a great evening!
What were the most significant challenges you faced during the scaling process, and how did you overcome them?
Tyson Traeger: The most difficult challenges I’ve faced have been money! Money is no doubt the driver of most all business decisions. I have been lucky enough to steer my team in the right direction for over 16 yrs and not sink the ship. I think this comes from a small business mindset that gives you very little give but a whole bunch of squeeze. By that I mean you only have what you have to work with, and if that means turning toilet paper into your marketing plan, I mean just that—writing your marketing plan on toilet paper.
I can recall a time when we were so broke I had to make parts for my heater from scrap metal that I recycled. I remember operating the shop without heat in the winter to keep costs down. True story, we used our own invention, a patio heater, to stay warm in the shop while working, and we had the big roll-up doors open for ventilation. It worked so well we never looked into heating for our old building.
I also remember being so broke that if I did not have the bill paid, they would not sell metal to me anymore. I will admit to gambling the last 500 in the account to earn the 1500 I needed to pay for the bill. I do not recommend this; however, it is testimony to the risk of business. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s going to be very hard.
So I got to learn a lot of lessons by doing things myself. I started at 25 by opening a fly shop called Fin and Fire, a retail fly shop and BBQ shop combined. It’s still in business today after selling it to a local who has kept it going for over 18 yrs. Learning about inventory and marketing were the hardest.
But managing the growth of a product as it becomes a useful appliance for the everyday user grows more and more difficult, as a product that has such high demand because of what it does inevitably calls for competition. We have felt robbed of exposure, as the competitors usually have a good financial backer that can power them into the running. We have found our knowledge and creations are from experience and common sense. Those are two things our competitors often leave out of their designs…. We are the OEM, and we are the inventors. Therefore, we have the hardest path of all.
I have no doubt the most difficult part of scaling this business has been the financial struggle with inflation and American manufacturing costs. It would take me a bit more than this article to explain all the chaotic ridiculousness involved in navigating a manufacturing company that has direct competition from foreign lands that take business from you without repercussion and not enough capital to make litigation feasible.
It’s capitalism, and if we didn’t have competition, we wouldn’t know if we were good. So I see it as a double-edged sword… it can help us too! Exposure from other channels we could not enter and overall industry growth must be good for us. So I welcome competition.
As far as how we managed to survive all of the trials and tribulations, I would thank my father for endorsing my ability to use my resources. Make it work. Use what you got. Don’t look back. Have faith and believe… might help.
How did you ensure that your company culture remained intact as your business expanded?
Tyson Traeger: Never forget where you came from. My father used to say, “You ain’t nothin’ but a country bumpkin from South Dakota.” Literally, my family has pics of the family riding a Model T to Oregon, and if you’ve seen The Beverly Hillbillies, that is the exact picture I am describing.
So I know what he meant when he was saying that. You ain’t nothing, so don’t act like you are. Make the best of what you got and strive for as much as you want. It’s all up to how much stress you can take, or how long you can take it before the tide changes and starts giving you some push.
What strategies did you employ to maintain quality and customer satisfaction while scaling rapidly?
Tyson Traeger: The customer decides if you stay in business. If you don’t acknowledge what the customer is saying about the current product and take notes then you will not have a better product in the future. CHANGE IS INEVITABLE, AND IF YOU’RE NOT LISTENING, YOUR PRODUCT WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.
Can you share a specific turning point that was crucial for your business’s successful scaling?
Tyson Traeger: Covid told the world there is demand for outdoor heat and we were listening.
How did you manage the financial aspects of scaling, particularly in securing funding and maintaining cash flow?
Tyson Traeger: Again, coming from nothing will teach you how to be conservative when every dollar is generated from sales. I had 0, and I repeat, 0 financial help starting this company. It came from the first patio heater sale and was transferred all the way through now, which is about 20k patio heaters.
I have lost a million dollars to a fire that was an unfortunate mistake on an agent’s part that kept us from recovering over a million in assets lost to that fire…. Check it out… it was huge. Over 2 million gallons of water were used… the largest fire in the town’s history. SUCKED BIG TIME!
