Staying motivated

[Kolby]

Hey, i havnt made a buisness out of this but i generaly dont like doing custom orders for the simple reason that there is a deadline and someone who has an expectation of how the product will turn out. I try to create things that only i want to make, like a journal cover or key chains and only than offer them to people. That way they know exactly what they will get and i already know how the product will turn out. Hope this helps.

[jpetty]

3 hours ago, Kolby said:

Hey, i havnt made a buisness out of this but i generaly dont like doing custom orders for the simple reason that there is a deadline and someone who has an expectation of how the product will turn out. I try to create things that only i want to make, like a journal cover or key chains and only than offer them to people. That way they know exactly what they will get and i already know how the product will turn out. Hope this helps.

I think that is the biggest lesson learned.  Its one thing to sell something I have made (past tense), seems completely different to be "on the hook" to provide an outcome.  

[bermudahwin]

One is where you are responsible to yourself, the other is a reversal, as you are responsible to a customer.

When you get recognised as the best, people will accept creativity takes longer than they expect.

My bane is "bread and butter stuff" that pays for day to day, but is oftentimes boring, when I'd rather be doing a one off expensive thing.

Thankfully I had "know the break even point" drummed into me.

If the bread and butter stuff becomes tedious you get disenfranchised too, so keep it keen, with betterment or improvements, as Fredk said.

I am always astonished at how much higher than  "generally acceptable" my minimum standard are, so people are usually content with goods.

Most of all, enjoy as much of it as you can. Also living in a country that has a good market for western goods must be a godsend. I am a tad envious.

Edited November 20, 2018 by hwinbermuda

[Kolby]

14 hours ago, jpetty said:

I think that is the biggest lesson learned.  Its one thing to sell something I have made (past tense), seems completely different to be "on the hook" to provide an outcome.  

I completely agree 

[chrisash]

Just think of the bored people out there doing jobs in say a city with hour or more crowded transport to and from home doing exactly the same job day in day out year in and so on

Then think about being your own boss working from home, or nearby, maybe with a nice view, working the hours that suit you, doing work you enjoy.

Do you still need motivation?

[bermudahwin]

3 minutes ago, chrisash said:

Then think about being your own boss working from home, or nearby, maybe with a nice view, working the hours that suit you, doing work you enjoy.

But Chris, I spend all day talking to the music player, and for some reason its replying in French at the moment (honest), sometimes I miss the contact of working in a thousand plus employee organisation, hence keeping the consulting options open, and boy do they want to buy leathergoods when they find out you make them.

It can be bittersweet, but if I had to do one, I'd opt for the less well paid leathergoods option.

[rodneywt1180b]

I'm not sure my advice applies.  Leather is an added thing for my canes and I don't make an actual living at it.

If you're making a living doing something you actually love like leatherworking then great! you're already ahead of the game.  Looking back. making money doing something you enjoy-no matter how tedious the routine stuff seems-is better than doing a job you despise just because the money is good.

Congrats on that multiple order!  I love custom orders in general.  I always learn something new from them.  Take making 4 identical cases by hand as the challenge it is and enjoy the process.  Who knows, those briefcases might become a bread and butter item for you.

[Jbrandon]

One of the best things I ever did was quit a job I absolutely hated. 

I too sometimes struggle with multiple orders because it can get monotonous but if you keep several projects going at once you can start on one while waiting for another to dry. That's the only way I've found it to be profitable especially if you look at how much you make in leatherwork per hour. Having multiple items in progress helps me to be able to have some variety. 

Just yesterday I was working on three identical custom ordered pancake knife sheaths. By the time I finished tooling the second one, which wasn't very intricate, I was bored with it and the third one I had to talk myself into doing. I love it when someone comes to me with something I've never done before.  Even though those tend to take longer because I have to start with nothing more than an idea or picture but that's part of the art.