Lobo Report post Posted March 12, 2009 When I started (37 years ago) there was little available to assist the beginning craftsman, perhaps a few books containing information that might, or might not, pertain to particular interests. I had to learn everything the hard way, by trial and error, and more than a few projects went into the trash. There was no internet. There was no Leatherworker.net. My little hobby-business remained modestly profitable for many years. I learned as I went, discovering what worked and what didn't. My market was limited to people I knew and worked with, so sales were sporadic at best, but I picked up a few customers that have been ordering from me for several decades now. Today, with the internet, the marketplace is the world. Social networking sites, topic-specific forums, and web-sites are available to all, and there is someone out there looking for anything and everything. My business continues to grow, and I have recently leased commercial space to take the business out of the house and into a real production facility. Soon, I hope to be training an assistant to do much of the production work while I focus more on sales and marketing. Since discovering Leatherworker.net, I have read many interesting posts, viewed many photos of others' work, and picked up several ideas on how to improve my products and methods. This forum is really a wonderfully valuable resource, permitting us to share ideas, ask questions, get reviews of available supplies and products. Many thanks to those who have made Leatherworker.net happen and continue to operate. A suggestion to all: please consider becoming a contributing member, click on the link at the home page and provide a little financial support to keep this site up and running. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites