Did Your Leather Work, Turn Into A Full Time Business Or Just Stay A Hobby?

[Dano1122]

I was curious to hear , did leather work just stay a hobby or did it turn into a full time business?? Myself its just a hobby but who knows down the road! Please share your experiences!

[benlilly1]

No. I keep busy but I have a full time job too. I need more free time to turn it into a business that I could rely on financially.

[LNLeather]

No. I keep busy but I have a full time job too. I need more free time to turn it into a business that I could rely on financially.

I'm right there with you. Want to and tryin to do too much, not enough time in the day...

And a day off work, isn't a day off. Heheheh. But it is a day to do what I really want to do.

Edited November 18, 2013 by LNLeather

[Pounder]

After being downsized and kicked to the curb, I took the plunge and operate a full time leather business from my home. Over the past three years I have seen a steady increase in profit but I am far from being able to rely on it. Thank heavens for a retirement check. On the up side, I do not mind working hours on end and there is something about a pleased customer that money just can't buy.

[Studio-N]

After being downsized and kicked to the curb, I took the plunge and operate a full time leather business from my home. Over the past three years I have seen a steady increase in profit but I am far from being able to rely on it. Thank heavens for a retirement check. On the up side, I do not mind working hours on end and there is something about a pleased customer that money just can't buy.

Similar story. After parting with the evil empire, I've been able to pay the bills just making stamps and other engraved items. I'm starting to look at a CNC machine which will give me greater capability both in the stamp work and in woodworking. I get to work next door to home and pretty much love my job now.

[GrampaJoel]

Mine went from hobby to almost a full-time business way to quickly for me.

I decided I didn't want to be a businessman. I just wanted to enjoy the craftsmanship and artistic parts of leather working.

I didn't need the money, or the headaches that come from the business part.

So,

Now I'm just a hobby artisan.

I usually break even on what I make. Sometimes I don't.

Sometimes I even make a little bit of extra money, but usually not much.

I am satisfied.

Joel

Edited November 18, 2013 by GrampaJoel

[Red Cent]

Retired and too much time. The money I have in a 12' X 24' and a Cobra 4 and a bunch of other stuff, leather......Probably won't see a true profit until 2025.......Wait! I won't liv..................

[chiefjason]

I got into it to make up for work I was loosing with the economy tanking. Well, it was tanked by the time I took this job anyway. But things were good for a couple years. People need bread. Then it slowed down. I happened to get into making holsters for me, then a couple guys, then a gun shop. Started slow, but steadily got busier. It's been absurdly busy the last year. And my real job got busy when a competitor went under. So I got a double whammy. I could probably put full time hours into it, and nearly spend every non real job hour doing it. But I can't make up for the benefits of my real job. So I'm intentionally trying to keep things small. Sometimes it works, most times it doesn't.

I'm making money now, been that way for a while. There is zero debt involved. So I could walk away, liquidate what I have, and still come out ahead. We initially invested a modest sum of money into materials. Spent several months making no real money, just reinvesting into tools and materials. About 8 months in I guess we started to get ahead. So, my best advice is do not go into debt. Not sure if I could handle the stress of the work and knowing I owed more than I might bring in.

At this point, it's bigger than I ever really imagined. Still could not do it full time though.

[Dano1122]

All great replys thanks for sharing! How did you advertise your business!??

[chiefjason]

All great replys thanks for sharing! How did you advertise your business!??

Depends on what you are doing. I managed to carve out a niche on ebay with holsters. I'm using that positive feedback on OWB hybrids to move some of my leather work at just over my normal price instead of the yardsale prices some of these guys ask. My hybrids are a price point thing, leather is take it or leave it at my price. Most of my leather holsters are sold on a NC gun board or locally via word of mouth though.

So, if there is a local or state internet forum with an interested customer base get involved there. I was a member of the board before I started making holsters. So I had a good reputation and kind of leveraged that. Or if your work would fit into local shops talk to the owners. I've sold some and consigned some locally in one gun store.

Ebay is kind of odd. It's really helped me. But I was able to fit into an open spot and move product. Other stuff, guys are nearly giving it away which makes it hard to compete. I refuse to work for free. IWB hybrids are nearly impossible to get into with all the guys racing to the bottom price wise. So, if you can find a niche that's not being filled or can do something no one is doing you can do OK. When I got in nearly no one was doing OWB. I can also move some IWB holsters for guns no one else has.

I've got a buddy that uses Etsy, but I've never really looked into it.