How do you know when you’re at the point to start a business out of it/start asking money for what you’ve made??

[NH97]

I know this is obviously gonna be hugely up to personal opinions, but that’s okay, cause that’s what I’m looking for! Like, when did yall decide, or “know”, that it was time to finally start offering your products for sale? Or when did you make a little side-gig out of it? I’ve got little random things and projects that I’ve done here and there, and I can definitely see the progress I’ve made from whenever I first started, but how do I know if I’m ready or not? Also… How do you start out? Should I go ahead and make up several of “somethings” to have on hand to offer for sell before advertising that I do leatherwork? Should I make a page (like on Facebook) and showcase what I’ve made so far and slowly throw in here and there that I could make “these” for sale if anyone is interested? Maybe say that I can add a little personalization to the “things”? I definitely don’t think I’m to the point of taking completely custom orders just yet, so I do plan on making that well known right off the bat, but saying that hopefully in the near future I will advertise when the time comes! …Or, scratch everything so far, should THAT be something that determines when I am ready to “put it out there”? Hmm… I need some perspective! I’m ITCHING to go ahead and get started up as a “business” in my local community, but unsure if I feel like I’m “good enough” yet.

[Klara]

I had a wool business once, and I started it when I halfway knew what I was doing. The experience came with working and trying to sell (the important work being trying!) I briefly toyed with the idea of selling leather goods and gave it up before I ever started.

The way I see it, you only want to turn your hobby craft into a business if you

1. Don't really need the money 

2. Really really love the craft

3. Love people and have a high tolerance for complete idiots (a good test would be to assist some crafter during a fair or market, maybe replace them for a few hours)

4. Can produce products that are very much in demand for a price people are willing to pay without shortchanging yourself

5. Know your way around social media. 

It's difficult to decide when you are "good enough" - you will constantly get better - but IMHO the very first piece you sell must be fit for purpose at the very least. Meaning the right kind of leather, thread and hardware, stitches/ rivets/snaps that hold... Depending on what you plan on making that means quite a considerable investment up front (see point 1). Ideally you'd also make a prototype for yourself and test it for a few years before producing for sale. 

Whatever you decide, good luck! 

 

 

 

 

 

[chuck123wapati]

i knew when folks started asking if i could make them one of my holsters. Then it just grew slowly by word of mouth.

[NH97]

Great points from both of you, thanks! See.. I’m not wanting to hurry up and go full-blown everything leather AT THIS TIME. Do I want to get there some day? Sure! But do I feel like I am ANYWHERE close to that? Heaven’s NO! I would kinda just like to stick the idea out there and basically go ahead and make a page to let family, friends, and local community know that “Hey, I'm doing this.” I don’t want it to be a thing (for the time being) where people come to me and ask can you make me this? I’d rather it just be a thing where I share what I’ve made and if I want to ask something for it, see if there’s any interest in it. I know I’ve got a long ways to go with learning all the tips and tricks, but I feel like I (as a SAHM), could use this to make a little extra spending money to help us out in this crazy economy.

 

For example: We’ll have our local livestock show coming up at the end of February. My daughter is finally old enough to show this year and she got a pig, so I made her a show pen sign to hang on her pig’s pen at the show barn, and I also made her a leather backing for her showman’s brush. I also plan to make a leather wrapped picture frame to put her picture with her and her pig in to give as a gift to her buyer as a “buyers gift” with her thank you note.

I feel like these 3 items would be a huge hit in my local community, and advertising now would be to my advantage because it gives people plenty of time to tell me hey, I’d like one, while also giving me plenty of time before the show to be able to make them and get them out.

However, I just don’t know if my work is quite “good-enough” yet. (I’ve definitely still got some learning to do on techniques for dying, painting, finishing, etc, cause I’m not happy with how my finished brush turned out this morning :/ But I’m working on it and open to any tips!)

I may post some pics of what I’ve got so far, and see if yall could give me some constructive criticism on them. Also, if yall could be honest and tell me if you’d pay money for them or not? (I’m definitely not looking to get rich off of this, just looking to get my feet wet in this kind of work and if I can help get some pocket change while doing that, that’s just extra points!)

 

Open to hearing yall’s thoughts/ideas?

[Doc Reaper]

Some folks just meld into a real business, while others just say in diving in with both feet. I started slowly as a young teen and decided to sell leather products at the flea market. It happens in many different ways but it's the journey that defines many artists 

[zuludog]

As chuck123wapati has commented, you know your work is good enough when people ask you to make things ....... and from there it shouldn't be too difficult to ask around and sell a few items to help recover the costs of your hobby and bring in extra income....... but turning it into anything like full time employment and income would be much harder ...... and without meaning to be harsh, if you need to ask if you're ready, then you're not. 

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by zuludog

[fredk]

also, when you have enuf savings to survive for 3 to 5 years without having any income

[bladegrinder]

I would say when you feel your quality is worthy of marking it with your name your ready to sell.

I'm a knifemaker and when I started making knives a well known maker told me how to make one million dollars making knives...........start out with two million and keep going till you have one million left ha ha.

[NH97]

Thoughts on if yall would pay anything for these if you had a kiddo that spent $600+ on a showpig, or other market animal (steer, lamb, goat), and wanted to look really good with a fancy showman’s brush out in the show ring come February? (I painted the pig from a pic to match our “Oinky”, and I planned on getting pics from any customers to match theirs as well.)

[fredk]

Ok, I'll be first to be cruel, in a kind-hearted sort of way, I hope

The edges look rough, they look uneven. The letters look cramped and not aligned. The background is too dark and looks uneven. That makes it harder to distinguish the porker

Now, here is the way I would do this.

1. Make a cardboard template of the top.

2. Use coloured chrome tan to totally cover the top and side edges of the brush.. A nice bright colour, contact glued in place.

3. Draw around the card template on to the front/grain side of a thick piece of veg tan.

4. Cut that out but leave a big border around the shape.

5. Do the tooling on it. Move the initials further towards the centre of the length, just a bit, space them out a bit more and make sure they're aligned, Draw in your animal, a bit of tooling on its edge.

6. Apply a 'resist' on the letters and animal. Carefully dye the piece with a bright colour.

7. Paint the initials and animal, and anything else

8. Cut the extra border away from the piece, bit by bit, offering it up to check it conforms to the shape of the brush. When it does, dye and slick (smooth) its edges.

Almost there.

9. Cut a piece of thinner leather, from the  chrome tan maybe. Make it the same shape as the tooled piece but smaller, maybe 1/2 inch/1cm all round smaller. Glue this to the back of the tooled piece, in the centre

10. Now glue this combo onto the brush. I need to scratch the top of the chrome tan piece on the brush for the glue to work.

11. As I stick it down with strong contact adhesive, on one end of the rush I insert the ends of a length of thong or lace. The lace is about 16 inches long. 2 inches of each end are under the tooled piece leaving 12 inches loose, but doubled over giving a loop of about 6 inches, for hanging the brush  

12. As I glue I use a small rubber head mallet to tap down the glued edges of the tooled piece onto the chrome tan covering the brush

13. Apply a finish to the tooled piece, polish it up

14. present fancy brush to new owner

mm, I think thats it

[Handstitched]

10 hours ago, Klara said:

3. Love people and have a high tolerance for complete idiots (a good test would be to assist some crafter during a fair or market, maybe replace them for a few hours)

LOL, that made me laugh   I do markets, have been for 18 years , and Yup !! all of that, especially in regards to ' complete idiots '  ....if only I had a dollar......

@NH97 I used to work in shearing sheds, as a rousy, ( roustabout) . Long story short, it landed me in hospital.  So I looked at doing something else, which turned out to be leather work. It was just a hobby at first and I really enjoyed it , but it soon started to make a little money at markets, and now its full time....and a business. But I still very much enjoy it. 

Perhaps ' test' the waters and see what feedback you get from making a few things. Start off  with small items, and hopefully you'll be confident enough to start taking orders to make small items, and maybe work your way up.  But when it comes to turning it into a small business as I did , you're in a totally different ball park. Stick to keeping it as a hobby for now. Hope all goes well for you. 

HS

[Klara]

14 hours ago, NH97 said:

For example: We’ll have our local livestock show coming up at the end of February. My daughter is finally old enough to show this year and she got a pig, so I made her a show pen sign to hang on her pig’s pen at the show barn, and I also made her a leather backing for her showman’s brush. I also plan to make a leather wrapped picture frame to put her picture with her and her pig in to give as a gift to her buyer as a “buyers gift” with her thank you note.

I feel like these 3 items would be a huge hit in my local community, and advertising now would be to my advantage because it gives people plenty of time to tell me hey, I’d like one, while also giving me plenty of time before the show to be able to make them and get them out.

Firstly, slightly OT question for my education: In your part of the world exhibitors in livestock shows carry a brush in the show ring? Just asking, because at dog shows the brushing happens behind the scenes and in the ring we present a dog that's "naturally looking fabulous".

Secondly, I feel that maybe this year your daughter would like to be the only one with the extraordinary brush, pen sign and buyer's gift (the pig will be sold at the show, I get that right?)

Thirdly, as fredk points out, the work is not quite there yet. The two things that really bug me is the lack of contrast between pig and background and the uneven edge of the dark paint on the natural coloured leather. I would have painted right to the edge. Or not at all. Black pig on light brown greased leather might be fine...

Last but not least, you are looking at a very niche market, which is often recommended as a good strategy. Especially if you have a direct connection to the niche. Market research should be easy because the competition is probably limited, so you can check out what they are making and how and what things are selling for. 

I think I would proceed as follows (as long as points 1 to 3 of my first post are yes):

Work on making the very best things for your daughter you possibly can.

If you have the time, create a website (preferably your own) where you show what your daughter and you are doing. Sadly, a good website or YouTube channel is an enormous amount of work which will cut into your leatherworking time, so maybe skip that step or take it after the next one.

Let your daughter's equipment at the show (does the pig need a leash and collar?) be your advertising. If people like it, they'll ask her where she got it and she'll refer them to you. And then you are all set!

Good luck, and bon courage!

 

[chuck123wapati]

That is a very cool idea for a brush for any critter including people don't stop thinking at the barn door. You do need more practice making and to refine it. the background isn't to dark for your sunflower but it is for the pig as there is no contrast. I would suggest you use two pieces of leather, top and bottom, the bottom would have a oval hole for the bristles and come up tight around them then laced or sewn at the the rim of the handle to the top piece so that no plastic handle shows at all. 

[Alsopp]

I had this... At first it was a hobby. Then I gave my creations to friends. Then their friends and colleagues started ordering unique items from me.  At first, I took a token payment. But when the orders became so numerous that it interfered with my main job. I raised the price, bought raw materials and got fully involved in the process. In fact, that's how my business started. Then I started advertising on social networks, etc.

[Cattleman]

As several others have said... When folks start requesting you make stuff for them, thats when you start charging for your stuff.

 

A few years ago I posted 2 pictures on a differemt forum of a simple plain belt belt i made for my son from some chap leather I had laying around. Someone reached out for me to build them a work belt.

 

I made a deal for hi. to order the correct materials and have them shipped to me. I made the belt and my payment was the leftover material. He got a screaming deal on a custom belt. And I got a jump start into a proftable hobby.

 

He also let me post pics of the belt I built for him... And now I have a steady trickle of orders coming in, not enough to live on but enough to keep me busy a few weekends each month. And if I want to make something different that I dont personally have a use for, I put it up for sale on consignment at a local saddle/leather shop.

[chrisash]

Just a idea to improve the appearance would be to wet form veg tan to cover the top and sides down to the bristle area, this would just hide the wood and make it more attractive