It’s Okay to Evolve

A collection of leather keychains finds a home in the "Graveyard Bin," where unsold products are stored.

When I first started building Legacy Leather Co., I thought I needed to do all the things — make all the small goods, chase every trend, post on social media constantly, and please every customer who walked by my booth.

But over time, I’ve let go of a lot of those assumptions.And honestly? It’s been freeing.

1. “Everyone is waiting for my next post.”

Nope. They’re not. It’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind if you’re not constantly sharing updates, but the truth is: you have to earn attention again and again. You’re not failing — you’re just not the center of everyone’s universe (and that’s a good thing).

2. “Everyone sees the same mistakes I see.”

As a maker, I remember every movement of the blade, every stitch, and — unfortunately — every mistake. But over the years, I’ve learned that I’m not the best judge of what stands out. I’ve developed systems to get real feedback so I can separate personal perfectionism from what actually matters to the client. Most of the time? They don’t even notice.

3. “The customer is always right.”

Kind of. If a client is working with me on a custom piece, we’re in it together — it’s a collaboration. But if someone walks up at a craft fair and tells me my $150 belt should cost $20 because they saw one at a big box store… they’re just not my customer. I’m selling locally crafted, heirloom-quality goods. That’s not the same product — and that’s okay.

Learning to Let Go

When I started this journey, I thought I’d be mass-producing small items to sell at shows and online. But it didn’t bring me joy. I don’t want to churn out thousands of keychains and bracelets — I want to make meaningful pieces that tell a story.

I still “mass produce” in some ways — I make a lot of knife sheaths for Nine Point Knives — but that’s different. That partnership inspires me. Dominic and I push each other to get better, and he gives me room to try new things. That’s not production — that’s collaboration.

And to any new makers out there — or even to my past self — I’d say this:

Do what inspires you.

If that’s chasing trends and making fast-turnover items, awesome. Just know the landscape: it moves fast, and you’ll need to move even faster.

But if you’re like me — slow, intentional, stubborn in all the best ways — you might be better off creating your own lane.

I live by this:

Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

I’m not trying to chase trends.

I’m trying to set them.