Beyond the Workbench

Building a business gives you a chance to figure out what you want from it. Sometimes, that means choosing a different direction.Parker Lichfield joins Odin and Magnus to catch up on his years building Stock & Barrel, the opportunity to start a motorcycle business with his dad, and the lessons shaping what he wants to do next. Having built businesses with very different demands, Parker shares how he thinks about growth today and why a bigger operation isn't everyone's goal.They compare notes on creating content for fellow makers versus reaching customers, and how the stories behind handmade work become part of why people buy it. Parker also shares what he's learning alongside other craftspeople through Crafted Brand Lab. It's a conversation about making deliberate choices, giving yourself room to change, and building a business that supports the life you want.Featuring Parker Lichfield of Crafted Brand Lab:https://www.instagram.com/crafted.brand.lab/TIMESTAMPS:04:46 - Starting Stock and Barrel in 201207:39 - Serving Two Customer Bases09:01 - Building Motorcycles With His Dad16:13 - Clarity on Who You Are25:59 - Factories Scale Volume, Artisans Scale Trust32:41 - What Is Crafted Brand Lab?41:03 - Story Gives Your Work Meaning43:05 - Find Your Maker Archetype47:17 - What Do You Really Want?56:25 - Check Your Ego and Listen---------------------------------------------LISTEN TO THE PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjdApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastAll Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbenchTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbenchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbenchHOSTS:Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleatherMichael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopusBeyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making.New episodes are released twice a month on Thursdays.Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbenchEdited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/#BeyondTheWorkbench #Podcast #Leathercraft #LeatherWorking #Entrepreneurship #MakerCommunity #SmallBusiness #MakerBusiness #BusinessStrategy #BrandBuilding #Storytelling #ArtisanBrand

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...That said, every year he finds time to tool the championship belt for a tamale eating contest in Lewisville, mostly for the challenge of it. The two discuss the value of putting work in front of people who would never walk into a leather shop and the non-monetary compensation that can come from community involvement. Not every project has to pay, but you should be honest about why you said yes. Odin shares that lesson learned the hard way.Leathercraft Business Mastermind interest form:https://forms.gle/m7jjm314NjkTQhir5TIMESTAMPS:00:09 - A Month Between Episodes02:37 - The Boot and Saddle Maker Show08:26 - New on Learn Leathercraft11:08 - The Tamale Eating Contest Belt13:04 - Know Why You Said Yes17:41 - Don't Lie to Yourself19:56 - Lessons From Subscription Boxes26:07 - Leave Yourself Time to Play28:04 - Adding Leather to Everything35:10 - Leatherwork for Film and Theater---------------------------------------------LISTEN TO THE PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjdApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastAll Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbenchTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbenchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbenchHOSTS:Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleatherMichael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopusBeyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making.New episodes are released twice a month on Thursdays.Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbenchEdited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/#BeyondTheWorkbench #Podcast #Leathercraft #LeatherWorking #Entrepreneurship #MakerCommunity #SmallBusiness #MakerBusiness #BusinessStrategy #SaddleMaking #LeatherTooling #CraftBusiness

Odin admits he relearns this one every year.Back-to-school has both hosts juggling football, volleyball, and theater to find a night to record. Magnus took his family on a slow road trip through East Texas, one-way glass bathrooms included, and his history-hating daughter loved it. Three months after the cats found new homes, his great aunt is rested and healthier, and even his son kind of misses them.Odin's shop ran out of its branded packing tape because finding a new supplier was less fun than tooling a belt. Magnus owns up to sinking 20 hours into a class search app when a few marketing emails would have done more. The money, Odin says, is made in the office.Then Cedar Breaks Cowboy Co. writes in. He turned around 25 covers in a week and a half, sent the invoice, and learned payment would take 30 days. Odin would have asked about terms before starting, because once the product ships, the leverage is gone.Leathercraft Business Mastermind interest form:https://forms.gle/m7jjm314NjkTQhir5TIMESTAMPS:00:18 - Finding a Night to Record08:16 - Remember Why You Started11:34 - The Cats, Three Months Later14:05 - Seven Habits and Mission Statements19:27 - Mission as a Decision Filter23:56 - Using What You Already Have28:34 - Money Is Made in the Office32:38 - Kanban Boards for Everything45:16 - Know the Terms Up Front55:42 - Send the Invoice, Then Work---------------------------------------------LISTEN TO THE PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjdApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastAll Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbenchTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbenchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbenchHOSTS:Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleatherMichael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopusBeyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making.New episodes are released twice a month on Thursdays.Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbenchEdited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/#BeyondTheWorkbench #Podcast #Leathercraft #LeatherWorking #Entrepreneurship #MakerCommunity #SmallBusiness #MakerBusiness #BusinessStrategy #Kanban #PaymentTerms #CraftBusiness

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. The classes surfaced the same three sentiments over and over: a hobby that got expensive enough that a spouse asked it to pay for itself, knowing you should be posting but not wanting to be on camera, and owning more leather than you will ever cut. Under all three sits the same question, artisan or business owner, which is a spectrum and not a fork. Out of those conversations comes a small mastermind group built around goals and accountability. The form below is gathering input on schedule, format, and price. Leathercraft Business Mastermind interest form:https://forms.gle/m7jjm314NjkTQhir5 TIMESTAMPS:01:05 - No Time to Catch Up02:28 - Learning Better From Someone Else05:57 - Why Niche Classes Fill Slower10:23 - New Faces at the Show11:46 - A Designer, Not a Tooler15:22 - Inside the E-Commerce Class22:25 - The Mastermind Group Idea34:09 - Artisan or Business Owner37:59 - Three Things Everyone Wrestles With46:45 - Lasers Getting Less Taboo --------------------------------------------- LISTEN TO THE PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjdApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastAll Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/ FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbenchTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbenchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench HOSTS:Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleatherMichael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus Beyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making. New episodes are released twice a month on Thursdays. Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench Edited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/ #BeyondTheWorkbench #Podcast #Leathercraft #LeatherWorking #Entrepreneurship #MakerCommunity #SmallBusiness #MakerBusiness #BusinessStrategy #LeatherShow #Ecommerce #CraftBusiness

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 paid out the first quarterly dividends to the makers selling on learnleathercraft.com, which is something to be quite proud of. Odin reports back from Weaver Leather's Maker Camp in Ohio, where almost nobody knew who he was and that turned out to be the best part. A doorbell hanger class became a sewing machine lesson for 30 people who had never touched one. The back half gets into Don Gonzales's apprenticeship program and grading projects on margins, not looks.TIMESTAMPS:00:31 - When Life Interrupts Everything07:11 - Setting Goals That Survive Reality08:44 - Paying Out the First Dividends12:07 - Overestimate One Year, Underestimate Ten17:17 - Inside Weaver's Maker Camp22:14 - Nobody Knew Who I Was23:17 - Teaching Thirty People to Sew27:53 - Getting Out of Your Silo37:59 - Grading a Project on Margins48:38 - Heart of Texas Classes Explained---------------------------------------------LISTEN TO THE PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjdApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastAll Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbenchTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbenchFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbenchHOSTS:Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleatherMichael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopusBeyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making.New episodes are released twice a month on Thursdays.Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbenchEdited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/#BeyondTheWorkbench #Podcast #Leathercraft #LeatherWorking #Entrepreneurship #MakerCommunity #SmallBusiness #MakerBusiness #BusinessStrategy #MakerLife #WorkLifeBalance #CraftBusiness