How a Blog Sparked a Million-Dollar Wood Stove Business

Turning a Blog Post into a Million-Dollar Tiny Stove Brand

Background and Motivation

In 2010, outdoor education teacher Nick Peterson and his wife Shae chose to reshape their life after having their daughter. They faced mounting expenses from debt, insurance and rent. To gain freedom, they purchased a 1966 Airstream trailer, installed solar power, and added a wood-burning stove so they could roam without campground fees. Documenting the Airstream remodel on their blog, LivinLightly.com, laid the groundwork for a twist in their journey.

Discovering the Niche

While analyzing visitor data, Nick noticed a single post on wood stoves for tiny spaces drew nearly 80% of traffic. Search terms like “wood stove tiny house” led curious readers to that article. Rather than spin more generic content, he saw a clear gap: people needed compact, reliable stoves and fittings. That insight sparked the idea to pivot from a content site to a commerce venture focused on tiny living hardware.

Validating with Crowdfunding

Without a warehouse or major budget, the Petersons used WooCommerce to create a pre-order page for the UK-made Pipsqueak stove. They offered a $95 discount and a guarantee to refund if orders didn’t cover pallet costs. In seven days, demand exceeded the goal, funding the purchase outright and proving a willing market existed before investing in inventory or manufacturing.

Expanding Product Lines

Once stoves landed, customers struggled to find U.S.-compatible vent pipes—retail options only came in six-inch diameter. Tiny Wood Stove added three- and four-inch pipe kits to solve that problem. Not satisfied with existing models, they then partnered with a manufacturer to develop their own Dwarf stove line. Shipment delays taught them shipping logistics, while loyal pre-sale customers were patient enough to wait, affirming market demand.

Building a Nomadic Team

Tiny Wood Stove hires support staff who live tiny and off-grid, ensuring staff truly understand customer needs. A remote crew of five now answers installation questions, shares tips on fitting pipes and vents, and keeps response times tight. Because everyone on the front lines uses the products themselves, troubleshooting goes faster and recommendations feel genuine.

DIY E-commerce Setup

Nick built the entire store on WordPress using WooCommerce. To boost speed and layout control, he installed the Astra theme and Beaver Builder. Gravity Forms powers custom lead forms, while WooCommerce Cart Notices and Backorder Manager Pro drive upsells and manage stock. PayPal and Stripe handle payments, and their record of sales unlocked lines of credit when traditional lenders balked at their tiny score.

Custom code adds a stove size calculator that guides buyers to the right model and vent parts. Hosting choices, caching and image optimization keep pages quick—even on mobile, where a growing share of orders comes in. The “good enough” philosophy meant they launched fast and polished later as revenue grew.

Marketing and Growth

Content stays central: step-by-step install guides, videos and customer case studies feed SEO and social channels. Instagram and Facebook engage the tiny-living community, while Google Ads target hot keywords like “tiny house heating”. Streak CRM ties into Gmail so every inquiry is tracked from first click to final install, matching buyers with the right kit for their space.

Looking Ahead

Now brimming with customer feedback and steady revenue, Tiny Wood Stove plans to roll out composting toilets and other tiny house essentials under a new Tiny Supply Co umbrella. test fast with minimal inventory, listen to real users, then scale production and support. From one blog post to a full hardware lineup, the journey shows how a clear niche and lean launch can power a million-dollar brand.