brainstorming about ways to increase the average income of leatherworkers

[Peter Ellis]

If you are running a successful leatherworking business, what advice do you have for people who are struggling? We have been brainstorming about ways to increase the average income of leatherworkers, and your observations and experiences can help others. If you are not earning the income you would like to have, what issues are holding you back? If you don't depend on leatherwork for a living, what obstacles do you face trying to break even? What would assist leatherworkers in general to earn a better price for their products?

Johanna

I'm not close to "running a successful leatherworking business" and am in the general category of hoping to break even before too terribly much longer.

I know that in my case there are very specific things that I need to do to improve my opportunities.

I need a website, I need to take PayPal and credit cards.

I need to design a distinctive logo and maker's mark and put that logo out in front of people and that mark in all of my work.

I need to invest in certain equipment to allow uniform quality of production (in my specific instance I really need to have dies made for certain of my pieces so I can consistently cut the same complex shapes and save lots of time while improving consistency)

I need to evaluate my market and my product line and adjust appropriately at both ends. There are markets I'm not in that I need to access with my current product line. There are products I am not yet producing that I need to get out in markets I'm already in.

All of those things really sound like work and really, I do the leather more for enjoyment than for money. To me it's a hobby/addiction that needs to pay for itself, at least partially.

So that means that the fun parts - working out a pattern, tooling the designs, forming the pieces - turning that flat piece of cowhide into something else entirely - all of that stuff, well, it tends to push the work type activities off to one side. I've a full time job, so the time for everything related to the leather business is limited.

For me to make the Business successful, I have to sacrifice time that I would rather spend making things to the needs of being a Business.

I'm also very new as a "business", registered for only a couple of months now. It takes about 2 years for a new business to develop recognition, reputation, and start getting a real sense of whether or not there is a market for what they are doing. So I know that my doing about a grand in one month of part time work with no advertising and no established reputation really isn't all that bad. Not anywhere close to good enough to quit the day job, but

For me, it's the Business side of things where I need to pay attention and focus on doing what must be done. The Leathercrafting side of things needs attention and focus and is a constant learning process - but it's the *fun* part that I'm doing whether I'm getting paid or not.

I think for many people looking at trying to make any kind of hobby into a business, they share that problem. Focus on Business, because that's the hard part and the part filled with pitfalls. The craft is the easy part.

Peter

[abn]

You may not be at your goal yet, Peter, but it sounds like you have a good start *plus* a detailed action plan for getting where you need to be. Kudos to you for thinking that out, and thanks for sharing it with the rest of us. Lots of wisdom in your words there.

Regards, -Alex