Notes from Chris

Episode 1089

Chris Cavallari has been making luxury pens and leather accessories since 2016. These pens are classy and handmade, carved from hardwood, with beautiful wavy designs in multiple colors. The leather accessories include cuff bracelets, wallets, and notebook covers. They’re tough and beautiful, looking like something a woodsman from Maine would carry.

As a longtime pen collector, at some point Chris got hooked on making his own. He didn't plan to turn this into a business, or even a side hustle—at first he was just looking for a hobby.

For some reason, he thought he’d have more time to learn a new trade and revisit his love of leathermaking, in which he’d first earned a Boy Scout merit badge, just as his son was born. Maybe that was his first mistake… but fortunately it turned out well in the end.

He started with just $600. It covered the basic leatherworking tools, pen blanks, pen hardware kits, and a side of leather.

He sold his first pens to family members in January 2017, just a few months after he started producing stock. Chris’s mom used several of them as gifts for friends, who ended up ordering some of their own. Then, his wife brought some of his pens to work, and he got a few more orders. The leatherworking happened in a similar fashion. Chris started by making products for himself, things he'd wanted to use. It began with a notebook cover. Then, when he needed a new wallet, he made one. People noticed, asked him where he got them, and he had himself more orders.

Although he hadn't started with the intent to sell, there was a demand for what he was making. So he set up a store on Etsy, calling it The Acadian, and slowly began making sales to strangers.

From there, Chris set incremental goals for himself. The first was to earn $1,000 in a month. Then he upped that to $3,000. That's how he approached everything: slow, gradual improvements rather than trying to find a secret growth hack.

In 2017, its first year, The Acadian made $4,000. Not bad for something that had just started as a hobby.

But the biggest change for The Acadian happened in January of 2019, when Chris was laid off from his day job. Suddenly, this thing that had been a hobby and a way to make extra money had become his only source of income.

It was time to get serious. Chris wasn't a fan of the control that Etsy exerted over his platform, so he made his own store on Shopify.

He went from a narrow focus on pens and items he used himself to a broader offering. That scope includes belts, bracelets, money clips, combs, and more. All with the same careful attention to detail and rugged aesthetic as when the company started.

Remember how he made $4,000 in its first year? Now, in 2019, in its third year, he’s now set to make over $20,000.

But it's about more than the money. At its core, The Acadian is a love letter to Maine and its rugged, adventurous culture.

Chris has big plans for 2020. Now that it's his full-time gig, he's going to give it the attention it deserves. He plans to work from a dedicated space, whether that's renting a workshop or building one on his property. Next will be hiring an employee to help with processing large orders.

And it all started with a merit badge.

 

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  MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Acadian: Check out Chris's online store and products at his website.
• Chris credits the Pen Turners Association and Leatherworker.net as resources that helped him.
• Chris uses Shopify to sell his work. (use the link to start a 21-day trial and get 10% off for an entire year!)
• Looking to sell your artwork or products? Check out online marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon's Handmade.

  SEE ALSO:

• Craftsman Creates $350,000 Hustle from Handcrafted Leather Products: A leather craftsman starts a successful, multiple six-figure side hustle after being inspired by the tannery he works at for his day job.
• Lifestyle Change Leads Two Brothers to Open Leather Shop: When health issues end a construction career for one of them, two Canadian brothers start an online leather shop selling high-quality goods.
• Shoe Designer Runs After $1 Million Challenge: “Why can’t dress shoes look great and perform well at the same time?” This runner and industrial designer was irritated, so he set out to find the sole solution.

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

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