Beyond the Workbench

After a month away, this episode of Beyond the Workbench is a more casual, candid conversation, catching up and discussing what has been taking up most of their attention recently. Odin shares his experience from the Boot and Saddle Maker Show in Wichita Falls, floored by a first saddle that looked like years of work, and now a corner of his shop is waiting for one of his own. If he only had time....

Not every job that pays is worth taking. Neither host can find a night to record. High school sports and a slow trip through East Texas turn into a conversation about what a break is for. Magnus also gives the update on his great aunt, three months after the cats were placed. Then it turns to where the hours go. Odin ran out of branded tape because finding a new supplier was less fun than tooling...

The show was busy enough that almost nobody got the catch-up time they came for. In Episode 29, Odin and Magnus recap the Heart of Texas Leather Show in Waco: classes back to back, a line at every booth, and apology texts afterward from friends who never found a free minute. Both hosts also noticed a shift on the floor, younger faces and makers coming at the craft from outside traditional tooling....

Sometimes the plan gets interrupted by 32 cats. Magnus spent two weeks helping his 81-year-old great aunt's pets. His projects stood still while he did it, but it was all for the best. Odin saw a shirt that read "Life be lifin'," and it became the frame for the episode: what happens to your goals when summer, family, and an emergency all land at once. The goal line is yours to move. Magnus also pa...

Most people think they need an audience. What they actually need is a community. Steve Van Plew, a TV editor turned leatherworker and host of the Leathercraft Community Podcast Show, joins Odin and Magnus to talk about why he built his show around community instead of audience, and what that distinction actually changes: storytelling that builds trust, vulnerability that makes people relate, and a...

Chasing someone else's success is a losing game. In Episode 26, Odin and Magnus get into what it actually looks like to measure your business on the right terms and the right timeframe. The episode covers a summer check-in, corporate leather classes as a revenue stream, and why the front door of a retail shop tells you almost nothing about how a business is actually doing. Magnus brings in a conce...

Most makers can tell you what they make. Fewer can tell you who they're making it for. Odin and Magnus sit down with Jasper Knight, a saddle maker and production leatherworker from Idaho they met at their Sheridan business class. Jasper runs knife sheath manufacturing out of a 15x15 shed, builds saddles out of a semi trailer on his property, and makes leather holsters for toy cap guns that he...

In Episode 24, the hosts are in Sheridan, Wyoming for the Rocky Mountain Leather Trade Show. Before the drive in, a stop at a hat maker's studio and a high-end interior design shop turned into a real conversation about pricing, audience, and why the right room changes what your work is worth. At the show, the debut competition delivers its usual mix of inspiration and humility. The episode closes...

Are you spending money on tools you forgot you signed up for, chasing search terms that will never convert, and doing work that someone else should own? In Episode 23, Odin and Magnus take stock. Odin walks through his belt bar and brand activation business and what it means to sell a solution rather than a product. Magnus breaks down SEO for makers: why targeting broad search terms is a losing ga...

Aaron Heizer built Maker's Leather Supply from a $10,000 purchase into one of the most recognized names in the leather supply world, then sold it. The more interesting story is how he did it: by just being himself. Odin and Magnus sit down with Aaron to trace that journey. It starts with Army retirement and a difficult custom work customer who pushed him to pivot. From there, Aaron talks through b...

Most entrepreneurs stay busy all year and still can't explain where the time went. In Episode 21, Magnus sits down with Matthew Gaddy, a longtime friend and productivity coach, to talk about why that happens and what to do about it. The conversation covers goal-setting, breaking big plans into actionable steps, and how to recover when you miss a deadline without derailing the rest of your year. Ma...

Should you name your business after yourself, or build something that can outlast you? In Episode 20, Odin and Magnus dig into one of the most common questions in the leather community. Odin recaps teaching three classes at the Prescott leather show, Magnus shares news from a company cruise and a new job, and the two talk through hiring, retention, and what it actually looks like to let someone go...

Tax season has a way of making even the most passionate makers stop and question entrepreneurship. In Episode 19, Magnus sits down with Angie Benefiel: the leatherworking CPA. The two have the honest conversations most of us have been avoiding. Angie brings a rare combination: a leatherworker running her own brand (Holland Leather) who also works with accounting for a living. The conversation cove...

What does it look like to chase an idea with everything you have, even when it does not fit the mold? In this episode, Odin and Magnus sit down with Dennis Forrester, founder of 21 Grams and creator of the Tattooling machine, to talk about what happens when inspiration hits and you refuse to let fear talk you out of it. Dennis's story starts with a therapist telling him to find a hobby. No pre...

In this episode of Beyond the Workbench, Odin and Michael draw on their tech and product backgrounds to talk through what it actually looks like to launch something new. Using the launch of LearnLeathercraft.com as a real-world case study, they explore how early decisions take shape, how ideas move from concept to something usable, and why clarity around the problem you are solving matters more th...

What does it take to scale from a teenage hobbyist to running a manufacturing brand with a seven-person team? How do you shift from craftsman to founder without losing what makes your work exceptional? This episode explores the mindset shifts, leadership lessons, and strategic clarity required to pursue something truly exceptional. In Episode 16, Nate Walker shares how he built Lost Dutchman Leath...

How do you plan for a new year without drowning in an endless to-do list? This episode tackles the challenge of setting meaningful goals versus just staying busy, and why crossing things off your list before you even start might be the smartest move you make. In Episode 15, Odin and Michael dig into strategic planning for 2026, exploring the difference between goals, tactics, and busy work. Odin s...

How do you build influence while staying true to yourself? This episode explores ego, identity, and what it takes to create genuine community in the leathercraft world. In Episode 14, Brandon Corral of Swift Hammer Leather shares his journey of studying human attention, mastering social algorithms, and building spaces where artists can actually connect. From his cross-country move to New York to t...

What does it take to create a retail space that sells, even when you're closed? This episode explores the strategy, psychology, and practical lessons behind effective merchandising for small business owners. In Episode 13, Rachelle Clack (COO of Odin Leather Goods) shares how she built merchandising skills from the ground up, not from formal training, but from being an intentional customer and...

What do you do when motivation disappears and even getting to the workshop feels impossible? This episode explores how community connections, brain chemistry, and simple habits can help makers push through creative blocks and stay motivated. In Episode 12, Odin and Michael catch up after a busy season to discuss recent leather shows, including Dallas M.A.D.E. marketplace and the expanding leather...

What does it take to carve out a unique space in the leathercraft industry and scale a home-based business while working as a firefighter? This episode explores finding your niche, building a team, and staying creative when you make your own rules. In Episode 11, Justin Fitzwater shares how he built Fitzwater Leather by focusing on the fire service niche—creating custom badges, plaques, and gear f...

What if your biggest mistakes are actually your best teachers? Odin and Magnus explore how failure—both at the workbench and in business—often leads to the most valuable lessons. In this episode, we dive into the value of failure in craft and business. From Michael's recent attempt to make a belt to lessons learned through trial and error, we explore how mistakes can lead to growth, creativity...

How does a craft rooted in tradition adapt to a changing world? Ryan King of King's Saddlery joins Odin and Magnus to explore the tension between honoring the past and embracing the future of leatherwork. In this conversation with Ryan King, we explore timeless lessons passed down through generations at King's Saddlery, while confronting the realities of a changing industry—from the declin...

When should a maker shift from custom work to production? And what does that transition really look like? Odin and Magnus have a casual catch-up conversation about the tough choices that come with growing a craft business. In this episode, we dive into preparing for Q4, handling bulk orders, and deciding when to say no to custom work. We break down the differences between wholesale, bulk, and whit...

What do corporate sales and custom saddle making have in common? More than you'd think. Jeff Bean of CJ Bean Saddlery joins Odin and Magnus to share how the principles of good salesmanship translate directly to craftsmanship and business success. In this conversation with Jeff Bean, we explore lessons that carried over from corporate sales to saddle making: why listening matters more than pitc...