How I Built My Leathercraft Business Debt Free
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- čas přidán 11. 06. 2023
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How I Built My Leathercraft Business Debt Free
Almost 16 years ago I made my first wallet, spending about $38 to buy materials. Since then it's been my full time job, but I've never been in debt to run the business. In this video I show you how I've scaled my business to make white label products for other businesses, using those orders to build my workshop in a debt-free way. Working for yourself is stressful enough, and there will always be ups and downs with money. By growing organically and only using the profits you make from your leathercraft business to reinvest, you'll be able to comfortably work without worrying about looming debt.
Happy Crafting :)
Stop being so worried about how you look dude. Every video you say something about it. We want to see your work. You're great at your craft. We don't care about your appearance.
I agree, you don’t have to be self-deprecating ( unless it’s for comedic effect 😊 ), but much more importantly, my friend, you are quite handsome and have amazing skin. If you’re concerned, I would take a day to visit a salon and have them style your hair and beard in a way that compliments your face shape and pre-existing good looks! You’re already a 10/10!
THIS coming from a cisgendered married man. Cheers! And thank you for the content!!!!
I agree 100!
That is exactly how I got into my 3D printing business. I came up with an initial design "at work" that folks wanted in my niche market but I did not own my own 3D printer yet. So I figured out the math and if I could get 20 guys to spend $40 each, I could cover the printer, materials, and shipping and in the end I would come out with a 3D printer.
Within 15 minutes I had 60 orders. Now it's nearly a decade later and my side hustle makes me an additional 20k/year.
Nice to see your face after so many years. You really helped me getting into leathercraft and starting my own small business. Thank you for everything!!!
I discovered you 2 years ago. You are the reason I began this craft last month. I piled up tools and all since 6 months, and now I have everything to begin small projects by hand. I am currently super hyped and super passionate about it thanks to your amazing videos and amazing tips and ideas.
All the best to you, and I am really happy you now show your face. You seem so friendly!!
Me too
Good luck, I encourage you to pursue your dream and don't give up, you may find it a struggle occasionally cos there is so much to learn and some learning will be with mistakes. But keep on going. more power to you. A leather belt is a good project to begin with, very simple and fairly straight forward. Aussie saddlemaker here (39 years a saddler).
Good luck, I encourage you to pursue your dream and don't give up, you may find it a struggle occasionally cos there is so much to learn and some learning will be with mistakes. But keep on going. more power to you. A leather belt is a good project to begin with, very simple and fairly straight forward. Aussie saddlemaker here (39 years a saddler).@@artambo1249
Good luck, I encourage you to pursue your dream and don't give up, you may find it a struggle occasionally cos there is so much to learn and some learning will be with mistakes. But keep on going. more power to you. A leather belt is a good project to begin with, very simple and fairly straight forward. Aussie saddlemaker here (39 years a saddler).@@helenharrington8837
One of the best leatherwork channels. I am always amazed at the behind the scenes info that is provided.
I always love how transparent you are with everything. Some other leather workers are very hidden, but you never shy away to help new people. Keep up the awesome videos, you make me want to reach out to companies and ask now.
Cort your videos are so helpful and informative. it is great to see someone making money doing this while hand sewing it all. gives me hope, thanks and keep it up brother
I have been in leather craft for 2 years now. I take the summers off and usually star crafting in october till april. I enjoy the handsewing and making my own patterns. Your information is very usefull. Starting to refine certain products that i will make.
Debt free, business builds slowly but has a foundation which is solid, if a down turn in the economy, the business will survive cos no loans or overdraft repayments. American author C W Ammen wrote books years ago on foundry work, In one - Casting Brass by Ammen, he wrote a saying I have never forgotten in the following thirty years - 'Keep is small and own it all'. This video presenter is on the money - a stress free business model! From an Aussie saddlemaker with no debt and no overdraft.
Lots of great information there, it’s much appreciated.
Also nice to see your face, it’s comforting for people to know who is speaking to them.
Great to see your workshop and some of your equipment, a great film and as always a great product.
Thank you, kind regards, Chris, from UK.
Outstanding demonstration of how to start a leather business. Doing it Debt free and understanding how to scale up your business could take a couple years or about 25 minutes with this video. You’re the best!
Who cares how you look, you are an excellent craftsman and have the best leatherctaft channel on CZcams. Theres no need to be self conscious, you are a normal looking dude. Anyway, i love your channel, keep up the good work!!
So nice to see your face again! I love the personal touch you put on your videos. Thank you for taking the time to explain how you do things - it's fascinating!
Your channel is the reason I have started my own little workshop! Thank you for the inspiration and tips!
I like to stitch exactly like your couch setup there, except it's always 50/50 if my cat is going to calmly chill and watch or become determined to catch a needle. I couldn't imagine with three! Maybe they cancel each other out and play amongst themselves.
They'll have their days for sure but I do the whole "mama cat blow in their faces" thing to train them not to, and now that they're all a bit older they're pretty good at knowing it's a no-no. But I do roll all the waxed thread trimmings into a ball and let them play with it at the end so they kind of know if they behave they get a toy to rip apart at the end haha
Absolutely loved this little peak behind the curtain. Thank you for giving that to us. ♥
Thanks Eric, you gave me the confidence to start my leather journey. I so enjoy your tutorials, you make it so easy to follow 🤗
When my husband was deployed and I was snowed in with a new baby, I "watched" Sense and Sensibility 3 times in a row as I sewed and crafted. I've always croched/knitted/crafted finger fiddly crafts with a show or movie on. Why does that seem to make the work go by so much faster? Thank you for your superb tips on building your business! I'm getting into pottery as my kids are getting into leather craft and I'm all about making crafts pay for themselves. Thank you for the encouragement to try some white label projects!
I appreciate your relaxed style and success tips and business sense for leathercraft.
Your apologetic view of your shop is not necessary; we are the guests in your place! Thanks Man, you are a true craftsman.
Stumbled on your video today in my massive search for leather craft videos as i start with wallets. Love how real you are. And the end product looks winderful. Nice job on the assembly line. Henry ford would be proud.
Thanks for the inspiration. I recently moved and now I have to get my shop set up again and start banging it out.
Just to add I also have purchased a few of your patterns and absolutely worth every penny.
I love that you’re sharing more of yourself and your life (and the leather stuff obvs 😂) 👌
Awesome video. This channel got me started in my leather crafting and I've learned so much. Thank you and keep up the great work🙂
Nice to see you back. Hope all is well. Looking forward to more from you@
I just started leather work little over 3 weeks ago and since then I've made three tri-fold wallets, a passport wallet, two lighter holders, and a dog collar. All out of crappy PVC leather for practice. But because of your techniques that I've watched, especially saddle stitching without a saddle pony, I can say that I am a bit more confident to try on actual veg tan leather. My plan is to open an Etsy shop with different types of wallets to get started. Then I want to transition into leather dog harnesses that look like leather armor. I already have the patterns for them and such, but not the confidence yet. Thank you for your videos that you've posted and will be posting. You've helped out more than you know. :)
Good luck, I encourage you to pursue your dream and don't give up, you may find it a struggle occasionally cos there is so much to learn and some learning will be with mistakes. But keep on going. more power to you. A leather belt is a good project to begin with, very simple and fairly straight forward. Though dog collars are also good and there is a demand for these. Aussie saddlemaker here (39 years a saddler).
Great vlog style video and great to see how you do it. Thank you for sharing!
Boy Scout Kit from the 60’s vibe is such a dope aesthetic! Love the videos been watching for a while.
Welcome back. Thanks for sharing real honest videos.
I’m new to your channel, but I’ve watched a lot of your videos, always great content! How did you find your bulk order customers in the beginning? Did you just go to shops and ask what they needed? Did you take samples of your work?
I really enoy how your present your work now, a very good turn!
Welcome on you way the the Million ;)
I'm so looking forward to come back to your channel the day i will have the time to make my own whatever!
Meanwhile, i'm watching every episodes you share.
Thanks
Dude! Welcome back. I love your work, I have 5 of your wallets!
Thanks for the tips!
Got into leathercraft around covid time ,as I always had a interest, but never the time...now I've grown a good amount of tools and skills, plus patterns. .I've just done my first market, and I found by not being greedy I took a fair days takings....Shall be attending next market, and start selling online .... ..By not being greedy folk will get your name out .., as folk want items at a decent price, because cost of living..After all a happy customer is a return customer
Hey Eric! Loving the business ish side of the videos, and great to hear your back. Was watching the video and wondered where you get your magnesium dies! Thanks!
great look into your business. I will use this as a reference whenever I need to get encouragement when things get a bit tough. you have a calm demeanor and I am a big fan of your content. If you ever are open to be interviewed for a blog, podcast or video I would love to do it. Thank you.
You have been so informative and entertaining as well. Thank you.
Hi. I'm so grateful for the insights shared on a very brilliant approach to starting/doing (not only) a leather business. I've been hoping to start off a business of my leather (and other) skills. Your approach to it has given me a direction in which I can head. Thanks.
Good luck, I encourage you to pursue your dream and don't give up, you may find it a struggle occasionally cos there is so much to learn and some learning will be with mistakes. But keep on going. more power to you. A leather belt is a good project to begin with, very simple and fairly straight forward. Aussie saddlemaker here (39 years a saddler).
Hi Eric, I’ve been following along for a few years now. Our son, an Eagle Scout as of last year, got into leatherworking several years back as one of his merit badges. I was buying him supplies as his love of leatherworking grew into giftmaking for friends and family, with the occasional sale to friend of a friend. In the last year, as a high school senior (just graduated), he hasn’t had much time for leatherworking and nor have I, but we still love watching your videos with every intention of making a few small items, mostly for personal use. One day, I hope to make something somewhat large for either my husband, son, and/or self. Anyway, sorry for the ramble, I truly enjoy your soothing and kind voice and your laid back method of teaching. I also love that you are very practical in regards to supplies and tools (many of us “hobbyist” can’t afford a mega tricked out leather crafts workshop). Thanks so much and look forward to more of your videos! :-)
Hai ,
🙏
It looks like your product is very good and the way that you built your business is a road of genius.. I look forward to seeing more of your videos to learn how I can "create". Take care of yourself.
Excellent business startup content. Thank you! ✨
Very interesting video. Always learn a ton when I watch one of your videos. The card sleeves are a great design.
This was an invaluable video, thank you. I'd love it if you could discuss how you set your prices, from when you started to now. For example, when you were starting and experimenting and learning, did you price things just at material cost? At what point did you start to make a profit? How did you do your research for what products to make? Family and friends input first, then put for sale? Or just put for sale? Online, or did you take things to markets? Etc. I'd love to hear more on the business side of things. This video was fantastic.
Hi he has done an episode on this topic it’s really good I want to rewatch it myself
Bought several of your items for my wife. She loves them. I need to get something for myself.
Thanks for the great advice!
You could have made a cardboard template the same as the leather cutout, except with a square to drop in the magnesium stamp. That would have saved time as well.
super informative! More videos like this!! I'm trying to start the business side soon and watching videos like this is just another form of "mentor-shipping?" (don't even know if thats a word haha). I found my niche, I just need to start filing the paperwork haha
I really like this style of video. You should do it again sometime. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the next video.😊
I plan to! It was a lot of fun making a more vlog-style video, never thought there'd be much to vlog about in leather but I'm happy to share the daily ins and outs :)
Another option to help with being debt free or even upgrading your tools is to resell things on the side. I buy undervalued items from places like Facebook Marketplace and relist/sell them for the true market value. The profit is set aside for the tool or machine I want to buy and the initial investment is used to repeat the process. Granted I am still a hobbyist but I am building a quality set up that will retain value. I also started the reselling journey with a zero dollar investment as I sold an Item I got for free, and continued to roll the profit into more flips that produced higher returns.
Absolutely love your work and one those cats!!! Freaking love them
Thanks for this!
Is it be possible to integrate the stamps in the die set like a slot to put in the stamp, it would be a lot more quicker plus it would need any adjusting and aligning the stamp
As always great video and advice, hope all is well.
I came here about 3 years ago to learn how to make a real leather wallet for myself, I watched learned and made my own wallet (and a few more for gifts to friends and family) Thanks for your help.
PS: it is not easy to get motivated to do leather work, It is enjoyable watching you though.
Oh man, I love your cats! Also, great video!
WOW! The face reveal!!! It's been a minute, but it's always nice to watch your content and learn from it.
Awesome information, love all your videos. !!!!
Glad you had a good break and glad youre back now
I love the new style of video!
This dude is seriously dope. Keep doing your best brother.
My man loves leather so much he even got leather cats
Brilliant advice. Thanks buddy
This is great information, thank you
A dye pen with a 50/50 mix of Tokonole and water would speed up your burnishing and you wouldn't need to dip your finger in the Tokonole bottle. :)
So I feel very, very dumb but I just learned people do this haha - I just switched from gum trag about a year ago, going to load up a fresh pen tonight and give it a go :)
Love it I always stitch watching the tv or CZcams
Thank you for this video! By the way, how big are the holes in the leather when you use the card sleeve dies at 2:33? Thanks!
your my inspiration...thank you for sharing...from Malaysia
@Corter, enjoy watching your videos and am learning lots. Thanks! Can you tell me where I can get one of those RED dense boards for under your cutting, pounding etc.? They seem to be alluding me! Thanks :)
I have followed your channel for years and I am so excited to see your new style of teaching. You share so much with us and it is very appreciated. Can you give tips on how to find white label jobs? Thank you
Thanks for sharing.
Nice job as always.👍.
I love stitching on the couch. Sometimes the cats try to play with the thread, though.
There's something very nice and meta about stitching up a wallet while watching you stitch up some wallets while watching true blood :)
Fantastic video. I have been working with leather for years but only recently started to sell it, and have missed out on a couple white label opportunities just because I didn't have the knowledge and tools yet. So thank you for this! How do you go about getting the magnesium dies? Who would you recommend?
Loved this video. Had a question about those wallets. Do you just handsew without gluing the edges first?
Love the video so I'm learning do you by dies for the bags you make and by buy the Hyde I can't seem to find prices on Hyde I look on weaver and Tandy but for wallet I need either 3 or 4 oz Hyde correct
Super smart way to invest in yourself! Do you save the small oval cutouts from the wallet? The fact that they are exactly same shape and so consistent, I could see those being turned into earrings. Could be just plain pieces, or some super small stamp on them or even a little bit of tooling with some color.
Вы очень крутой и смелый человек! Может быть и я найду когда нибудь такого же клиента)))
Happy that you got some good rest and a reset.
Thank you you are so good
Very interesting, thank you.
great job
Just magic mate.! Australia say hello.!
Thank you very much.
I 👍 leather. True leather.
Does Texas Custom Dies make your logo stamps or do you get them from someone else? Love your videos and Thanks!
I was going to ask about where you get your mag dies as well!
When you had the customers logo stamp made, did you charge actual cost or is there a markup?
Thank you for these videos, my "shop" is a work table and an arbor press on a desk in my living room, soo I can definitely relate. Your channel gives me a lot of hope on being able to make leathercraft a full time career.
My first "shop" was a $99 ikea table that I still use to this day as a little breakfast table! That's all it takes to get started, you'll get there!
Good luck, I encourage you to pursue your dream and don't give up, you may find it a struggle occasionally cos there is so much to learn and some learning will be with mistakes. But keep on going. more power to you. A leather belt is a good project to begin with, very simple and fairly straight forward. Aussie saddlemaker here (39 years a saddler).
Nice work
Ive always wanted to get into leather working. Do you use white label job boards to get these jobs or do you use some other means to find them? Ive heard of the white label boards being pretty decent but wasnt sure
I was wondering if you could check out some of the new leather BuckleGuy released. Maybe even some of the other leather they have had for a while. I recently bought some Korba Buffalo Calf from them. It pretty nice leather. Thinking about making some journal covers out of it.
Absolutely! If you go back a few videos I've made a few things out of Korba - the last project was the oracle wallet, I think the title of the video is "magic wallet" or something similar. Lovely stuff! I try to make something out of all their new releases, I have some La Bretagna next on the list - it's beautiful stuff!
you’re amazing i love you’re work. do you think i could start by selling lighter cases?
CATS😻😻😻thank you for doing the video. i am a beginner but instead of die cuts I’ll use a laser
I like the videos where you show your face. you are a very nice guy and I enjoy watching your videos.
Another great episode man
I have only been in the craft 2 ish years was kinda a hobby that got me through all the Covid lockdowns my rule is I need to sell something to buy something but I can’t stop giving things away for free I see people and always get the urge to give them a wallet or keychain
I would like to make some money but scared about charging and knowing what my time is worth
I remember you have done an episode of this I must re watch it
If anyone else has tips for pricing small leather goods or who has been in my boat who would like to make money for new or better tools but keeps giving away stuff for free
Please tell me how you started to charge
Fantastic information and ideology
Wow interesting thank you
I got an offer to make trophy belt buckles. I was able to get the money to pay an extra set of hands to help me. We made buckles for a Bow hunters camp. It gave us a great start.
I've been a jewler for 25 years.
Looks like the CNC laser machines like the Glowforge will make dies a thing of the past.
I was thinking that too. People are even using the lasers that cost under $500. Plus the added advantage of being able to burn/etch designs, logos, and text onto the leather with the laser. BUT, I've noticed that people are still willing to pay more for hand cut, hand stitched, hand stamped leather goods.
Very useful video. Thank you for all this informations...The website of the tools that you put in the description box does not contain dies with hole punch ..I am looking for dies with hole punch .please may you tell me about the site that manufactures them. Thank you.
Texas Custom Dies makes my dies, they're all custom made to spec so you design the die and they make it for you. Buckleguy sells some stock pieces, but if you want to go custom you've got to make the pattern for them to follow - you can draw it, do it on the computer, however you'd like. They're very easy to work with :)
@@Corter Thank you for the reply, and thank you for this very beautiful video.. I rarely see a video like this.. . Its content inspired me a lot... You brought us into your beautiful workshop and we saw your face... your beautiful dogs.. and also the beautiful machines and how to work... I really benefited a lot.. by the way, I am from Africa and we do not have such useful machines... but we try not to stop About work and creativity... and sometimes we make machines ourselves... My best wishes 🤗
@@Corter Thank you for the reply, and thank you for this very beautiful video.. I rarely see any video like this.. . Its content inspired me a lot... You brought us into your beautiful workshop and we saw your face... your beautiful dogs.. and also the beautiful machines and how to work... I really benefited a lot.. by the way, I am from Africa and we do not have such useful machines... but we try not to stop About work and creativity... and sometimes we make machines ourselves..... My best wishes 🤗
It's kinda cool to see some canadian craftsmanship.