My Business is FAILING. 

Appreciate you being honest and transparent, I also got a bit burned out.

If you quit leatherwork I hope you keep making videos. I just found you and I'm hooked already

I love your work girl! Keep up the good work!❤❤❤

Thank you so much Turbo. There are very few leather crafters out there that would put out something so heartfelt and honest. It’s super important for people to hear things like this as it may help in making better purchasing decisions in the future. Everyone loves a new shiny/sexy/popular tool and it’s super hard to resist them! Plenty of big accounts out there laser etching their logo on to standard stuff and putting a premium price on it. Their logo doesn’t make it a better tool or you a better crafter. ❤

So glad I stumbled across this vid. Nothing but respect for your openess.

Sending you love and positivity. I found your channel just a few short months ago and appreciate watching what you create and the marbling tutorials you did! I also love your quirky designs - quirky rules. Fingers crossed for the best with surgery and i would be happy with anything tutorial wise - love watching others processes.

I’ve made the same mistakes, especially with investing in tools, etc., and that’s why I love your channel. Thank you for keeping it real! ❤

Thank you for your vulnerability and transparency. I needed this video today

It's so valuable to pause once in awhile and evaluate what you're doing...personally and in your business. I think you're on the right track in adding videos to your offering. It can be simple builds or complex tooling projects. Good on ya pal.

Thank you for keeping it real. Good Luck with your surgery, rest up and I look forward to your return. Sometimes we just have to stop and regroup…..

Thx for your honest, practical & wise words. And most important, I hope your surgery goes or went well.

So much respect for you! I'm sorry to hear about your struggles, but I believe that the struggle will make you much stronger in the end. Wishing you a speedy recovery and I will definitely be waiting for more of your awesome RU-vid content.

This is EXACTLY what I needed right now, I have been very stuck as to the direction to go with my leather crafting. Your words came at the perfect time. Thank you so much! May we all thrive in our own individual lives😁

Love this video so much! So informative and helpful.

Thank you for honestly sharing your insights and experiences. As a hobbyist/novice I appreciate you; Corter; Viktor George, and others sharing your knowledge and experiences. Most are "keepers" of the flame and not "sharers" of it. I try to remember Brad Meltzer's words "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” Thank you for all you do. Wishing you the best. V/r Jack (Salty Badger Leather)

You've always inspired me, thanks for the sage advice. So glad you're making videos again!

Huge respect for putting yourself out there and being so heartfelt and honest with us! It's been such a pleasure to have gotten to know you the last couple of years and truly treasure our friendship beyond words! I'm looking forward to seeing you grow in this space once you're done with your surgery! You got this, I believe in you, Turbo!

Thank you for always keeping things real !!! You have helped me so much I appreciate you and get better soon after the surgery keep on rocking my friend

Thank you for putting yourself out there and sharing. I wish I had the time to make videos but I just don't right now. It is hard to pull it all together these days for what is required to sell online. Leather is my evening and weekends job outside of the daily IT work. Social media has a tendency to be a soul sucker. Know that most folks are supportive, and here, and chugging away the same as you so you are not alone. Good luck with the surgery! - Anna B.

Such a great video Melissa! So informative and helpful.

Keep up these great videos! so good.

Good advice, thanks for caring. Good luck with your surgery, looking forward to more tutorials.

thank you for sharing melissa! great vidoe, i appreciate your honesty. sending good energy for an easy recovery from surgery!!

Never quit your day job.. any business that sells something that no one needs is at risk of going under at any time. A lot of people I know that work in the arts have other sources of income. A friend of mine makes $10,000 custom pool cues. He's very famous and people offer him more money to cut in front of others customers.. he still relies on his main company in construction. Leather crafts was dead prior to Covd then everyone quit their day job to make wallets. Lucky for me all those fancy tools I've been wanting will be dirt cheap pretty soon..all my tools I got that way in 2010 when the economy crashed.

Thank you for finding the courage to share your experiences in the craft, your business and thoughts on the impact of false narratives pushed through social media regarding tools or products that don't bring the promised value to the average hobbyist and small business owner. This craft needs Dad Hands as much as Dad Hands needs the craft... ❤🤟

Thank you for being so real!

This was a good chat! Heard ever word!! ALOT of relatable topics! Good video 👍🏻👍🏻

Great video! I noticed that during the pandemic everyone got into leather working also . Iv been a hobbyist since 2014 and would like to make this a full time thing but with a full time job that pays the bills it’s hard to warrant right now. I hope everything goes well for you!

Excellent video and always appreciate your honesty. Keep it up, you're always inspiring me to be better at the craft.

Thank you for helping us newbies. Best of luck with your surgery and super excited to see the Halloween wallet in route!

Thank you for sharing!!!

I wish you the best!!!!

Hey Melissa, great video. I hope you get back to healthy before the spring. I'm still at the beginning stages of leatherwork and you are 100% correct about the market being saturated. There seems to be a lot of folks out there making wallets, purses, belts, earrings, wrist bands and what have you out of leather. I'm still trying to find a niche or some way to make my stuff stand out from the very prolific background. I'm hoping that everything works out well for you as you and Eric are two of my favourite crafters. As a tutorial, I personally would like to see something on design work. How do you take an idea and turn it into reality? What size works? What sort of stitching and allowances should I make? That sort of thing. Thanks

This is so relatable for so many crafts. There is a time and place for investing in the expensive tools, but I've been learning to push the limits of what can I create with what I have right now. The limitations can drive us crazy, but also unlock skills we wouldn't have developed otherwise. I'd love a video or two on your dollar store displays! They are super clean looking! And I think thats another thing we creatives get suckered into spending a ton of money on when we want to foray into the craft market world.

Please! 💡💡💡 Dwain Watts Swivel knife🤓! There just isn't any information out there. Swivel blade vs fixed blade, I think you can really get views and he might work a click for discount sort of thing✌️. I pray your surgery goes well! Hugs & Prayers

I can relate with a lot of what you were talking about. At this point its just a hobby because of other commitments (work and family), but I hope someday to make it more than just a hobby. I love your openness of very real struggles that a lot of us deal with. One thing you for sure have going for you is your quality of work. Love what you do, and how you do it. Keep making cool things! As far a what id like to see in a future video... I find myself tooling a piece because its what i want and or like, but its always too big or thick to turn into a wallet or other item. I would love to hear some thoughts on what could be done with larger (8''x11'' or so 6-9oz) tooling designs. I was framing them, but I don't have any idea what to do with some of this stuff. Maybe a video highlighting alternative uses for tooled pieces? I dunno maybe thats too specific or just a "me problem".

You just came up on my feed and I enjoyed your presentation so I subscribed. Just some thoughts, If you make the same things as everyone else, you will have a lot of competition and many of them will be hobbyists driving down the prices just trying to make their money back on their supplies. My wife did filet crochet (fine thread doilies etc) and at every craft show were some ladies selling these things at what the thread cost them. You can not compete against these people so don't try. Find a Niche product that only a handful of people are making for, preferably a market you enjoy so that you can enjoy talking with your clients. If your a professional anything you buy should help make you money. A sewing machine saves time and time is one of our big expenses. Buying bulk leather you will never use is throwing money down the toilet. An engraver I follow made the point that there are Very good engravers out there who are starving and average engravers who have more work than they can complete. The ones with the work market them selves. They engrave a knife and send it to a gun or knife magazine to be a giveaway etc. Give to your local Charity auction, People who attend these things have money and spend it. Its even better if the event falls in your niche. IE an auction to support an horse rescue and you sell tack, Attend if you can and market yourself while there.

Thank you for the video, It is always helpful especially since I am doing bits as a hobby with the dreams of being self-funding eventually :) UK based, moving to the US soon so it'll be interesting how it is in the US UK always has issues with tools and material costs makes it crazy hard where I am. Again thank you for your great insight and some wonderful tips and help from your videos. Glad I found the channel and all the luck for expanding the channel!

I love the transparency, in this social media world it is rare. But you said that also where everything is highly edited. I have my leather thing account on Instagram but other than that i don't really like it. But it seems to be necessary for this craft. You have always been one of my biggest inspirations, and will always support you. Eric has been such a huge help with his patterns and videos. I'm still a newbie in my mind, and very small time. I did get a regular job because i went down that credit card path and need to pay so that off. You are such an amazing artist, and genuine person that you will be able to bounce back from this pause. Thank you for all you do for me without maybe even knowing it. ❤ 22leather

Great video!! I wish this video was out before I watched all those damn LKG videos back in the day when I started. Granted I did luck out and get a few super awesome knives that will last me my entire life, but I totally wasted money and time. One thing that leather work has done for me is gotten me out of my comfort zone and the ability to meet new people like you! Super fortunate to have buds like you and all the others I’ve made through this journey, like where else can you get beveling advice and mental health tips all in the same conversation from someone you randomly met on the internet through leather!?!?! 😂🎉😂🎉😂

I always appreciate your honesty and helping other people. I'm from the UK and whilst only been at it 3 months I looked into the leather industry to find its non existent over here. Massive shame but you accept and look elsewhere.

It sounds like these “Influencers “ are a bad influence. Also many of them get materials, equipment and tools for free from big companies. If this high end tools you have are failing after three years may still be better than those cheaper ones that would only last months. I personally don’t buy patterns, I guess I have the gift of looking at stuff and figuring out how to build it. Many people are in your shoes, they see the “success “ of others, it looks easy, when in reality real life is though. You are right, social media is deceiving, so many channels show so many followers but when you average the views against it doesn’t make sense at all. I like watching videos like yours because I learn so much from them, I would find satisfaction on making something rather of buying something. And is all free!

👉Missing information on you tube. (Swivel knife with swivel blade💀) Hey, just found you when I was looking for information on swivel knives. You use one with a swivel blade!!! I've been looking for two hours for information on the Dwain ??? Swivel knife and I saw you actually use one!

Wait... so i shouldnt buy that ten thousand dollar laser cutter? haha. Great video :)

Sooooooo.... Which tools/machines/supplies do you feel were not the best use of your monies?

I mean i feel your pain but im gonna have to disagree with alot of what you are saying because ive been doing pretty well since i figured out. "you just got to be a little different" i checked out your store and while your craftsmanship is excellent your patterns are VERY VERY basic and tooled wallets arent for everybody. its not the influx of people that started crafting bad wallets during the pandemic its the fact we are already selling to a niche market of people that are willing to spend more then 10 bucks on a wallet from Walmart. you have to give them a reason to spend that extra money. Start by offering more color choices and ditch the tooling unless someone wants it special. i love tooling but its just more work that will make your stuff more expencive and that will make less people interested.