WHEN tradesman Stanford “Mr Hutchie” Hutchinson realised he had only one project lined up for Christmas, he was prepared to make some quick pieces of furniture to sell to stores in order to make ends meet.

But hope found its way to him in the form of Vanessa Barressa, a social media manager and content creator who, with just one post to social media, now has him up to his neck in upcoming projects.

Barressa shared that she was in the market for some custom furniture for her home when her friend recommended a tradesman located behind Michael’s Service Station at National Heroes’ Circle in Kingston, who she often passed during her commute.

“We never saw his work, but we decided to come in and look. We liked what we saw, gave him some money same time [and] trusted him. I jokingly said I needed it in two weeks, and Hutchie said, ‘Yeah, two weeks,’ and I was like, ‘Okay, let’s see,’ ” she recalled.

Less than two weeks later, she got a phone call from Hutchinson informing her that her furniture was ready for pickup. Barressa said when she saw the final product she was impressed with the quality and the speed with which he was able to deliver the pieces.

It was then that she decided to make a video sharing her experience with Hutchinson, to show people there are still dependable tradesmen in Jamaica who can produce great work.

“Good people just deserve good things, and there is so much negativity on social media that is so loud about the furniture people…I’m one person, but I’m trying to make the kinder things known and the better things known. It’s the second time this has happened, because I shared a video about a mirror man and he called me back saying he got 40 orders in one week. I told Hutchie this would blow up, but none of us imagined it would turn into this,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Up to yesterday the video had more than 380,000 views on TikTok, with Barressa sharing that more than 3,000 people have reached out to her to request Hutchinson’s services.

“They are still emailing me. People are finding my personal email,” she said laughing, adding that one woman even called her.

In an updated post she shared that she had to use Google Forms in order to help Hutchinson track the orders coming in, which also resulted in him providing more than 98 price quotations to potential customers.

Hutchinson shared that when he saw the video he was surprised that so many people were reaching out.

“The numbers just go up and go up. I was like, ‘Wait!’ Everybody started to say, ‘Hutchie, Hutchie’. Everybody started to call and all these things, so I just feel so happy,” said the 60-year-old.

“It’s a lot of people. I have to turn some of them back…but I’m happy I’m here, and I am still willing to continue and help all who I can help,” he told the Sunday Observer.

Hutchinson said he has been a tradesman for more than 30 years. He started learning the trade after leaving his job as a security worker once he discovered his love for building furniture.

He shared that he would visit workshops and watch closely as the men built different pieces. While he was not paid, for the most part, Hutchinson said he never let that discourage him because he was in it for the long run, and he knew one day he would “make it”.

On gathering all the skills he needed after a few years he and a few friends decided to partner to open a workspace. They agreed that they would each contribute a machine to the space, that everyone could use.

“It’s been up and down but I still hold on to the furniture work,” said Hutchinson.

“Sometimes I would borrow a loan and it helped me out to buy some material. I had to survive, because I’m a tradesman. When I borrow a little loan I will sell this and sell that, and it will work out,” he shared.

Hutchinson said that even at his lowest, he would help anyone he could — sometimes teaching other men the trade or helping to send some children to school.

“A lot of times when I would help people they would say, ‘Hutchie, thanks. Your basket will never empty.’ Plenty of them told me that, and I can testify today that things are improving and things are better. The words that they say come to pass,” he said, smiling.

“A the first Christmas this me affi turn back furniture…and is not one I turn back, and is not two…People still come to me even when I tell them that I can’t take anymore. Them a say, ‘Even give me one [piece of furniture] and then next year you give me the next one,’ and I have to yield and say, ‘Alright, I will see what I can do.’

“I can’t complain. This is just a miracle. This is a miracle for me,” he added.

Hutchinson thanked Barressa for exposing him to such a big audience and for her continued support. He promised that while the work is now plenty, he will never drop his standard of being on time and will always produce quality work.

“I want to break that cycle. I want to show people that if the person takes your money, they can do your work and you don’t have to call people for your things…I hear people say one man take all six months and they can’t get their furniture, sometimes they can’t get their money, but no man! I can’t be like that. I always try to be on time. I’m not perfect but if I’m late, even one day, I will call you,” he promised.

‘“Good tradesman is still around — all you have to do is just to find the good tradesman. Some guys will need the money at the time that you come, so they just take the money and then squander the money and don’t remember it and in problem, but good tradesman is still around. All is not lost,” he told the Sunday Observer.

Hutchinson added that with the viral video showcasing his craftmanship to a larger audience he will seek to expand his business to make it bigger and better. However, he will not be doing it alone. With the help of Barressa the two plan to put their different skills to use to see how best they can build his brand and put an administrative team together.

“At the end of the day, this is what Hutchie does. He does not do the administrative work, and that’s understandable. His strengths, plus my strengths, will come together and we will see what we can come up with,” Barressa said.