Commercial work

[rdb]

There's a lot of information under this Marketing Topic Section, and I enjoy going back to it for pointers. But one discussion we haven't had is how you have developed commercial business. I better explain a little bit what I mean. I recently, through a friend of a friend, and a lot of sample work produced, have gotten a small monthly comission from a niche company that builds high end stuff for Musicians. They have been using strap handles purchased through a company like, but not, Ohio Travel. They've had a lot of problems with the stitching, and spring metal clips, etc. So I showed them what I could make for them, and they've given me the go ahead to start making 30-40 a month.

This gives me some for sure paydays. and filling up my schedule is definitely what I want in order to make this an actual living. I've read several times here about some regular commissions the saddle guys get to do on the side, like a hundred tooled belts for a regular customer, and other hints at some commercial jobs people use to supplement their work.

I'm assuming you basically have to be a working leather shop, not necessarily big, but have the capacity to perform larger scale work or maybe even a regular side job youv'e geared up for that produces regular income.

Soooo.....How many of you have this kind of work? How did you mange to get the original work? What have been the trials and tribs of having these contracts. Any ways, hopefully you get what I'm driving at. I could use the experienced info on this work, I definitely want to add more.

Edited November 6, 2008 by rdb

[bruce johnson]

I got hurt one winter and didn't have much going. I started doing a little more leatherwork than the hobby and make for myself stuff. I got some award orders from local rodeo and equine groups which is sort of like wholesale. They want it as inexpensive as they can get it. I made all the rookie mistakes - price based on comparison instead of time and materials, beat any price to get an order, spend time in your shop instead of making money on fewer orders. That did lead to some resellers wanting to do some consignment, which I didn't do. I wholesaled to them. I did the old halve the retail price the other guys were charging, which also lead to some negative pricing deals. Don't do this.

A few years later it did lead to some inquiries from better resellers though through word of mouth. People that would pay me what my time and ability was generally worth then. I got orders for 30 belts, 20 spur straps, 10 planners at a whack deals. I got hooked up with an interior decorater. Orders for 30 leather covered toilet lids, 40 double lightswitch covers, stuff like that. I got better at pricing and eventually paid off some pretty hefty medical bills. The upside was I could buy some nice tools and equipment, they paid back in time savings, and could start paying me back. The downside was I still have/had a day job, was a single parent at that stage and never missed an event, and spent a lot of long nights and weekends in the shop. The scenery never changed. When you have 30 toilet lids to do exactly or pretty much the same - it wears on you. I would batch them all and do each step on all of them before going on to the next step. It sometimes took two weeks before you could look and see the first one finished. I got the advice to only do a batch I could finish in 5 days so I could "see" the progress and the end in sight. Do 12 a week and three of something else just to mix it up. Break the mindset of assembly line work. I got to do a lot of different things, that was good.

The issue with wholesale and awards are that you can make a steady check. You can burn out if you don't keep it mixed up. Try not to neglect a higher paying single order to do three smaller things at wholesale rate that take more time. Allow time for higher paying stuff, and allow for time off. There are other guys here who do a lot more of this than I did, and higher end. Hope they will chime in too.

[rdb]

Thanks Bruce! Exactly the kind of stuff I need to understand.

I guess all us "artists" are the same...we hate repetitive work...lol

It was interesting to see the chain, and how one thing led to another and different job. It's like mining. Follow the vein, and then one day, it disappears. That's kind of the way things happen to me, too. It would be nice to figure a way to not be so susceptible to the winds...