Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Justin Hughes . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Justin , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you find your key vendor or vendors? Maybe you can share the backstory and share some context and the relevant details to help us understand why you chose them, why they chose you, etc.

I do most of the custom motorcycle work in house but i do outsource things like paint, powder coat, and exhaust fabrication. I want my business and name to be associated with quality, Therefore i am super particular with who i do business with. Finding the right team “team” hasn’t necessarily been easy for me. It’s been a process of trial and error in finding people that do great work, stay punctual, and have the artistic eye that matches my style. I have definitely learned the hard way that trying to find a deal will always end up sacrificing one (if not all) of those three things.

I like to be able to give out a general idea of what I’m trying to achieve, but at the same time, give the freedom to put their own style in and really make it their own. Artistic freedom is a big deal for me so i try to work with people that have similar styles or ideals to really make a bike come together. So shout out to the ones who have held it down with me so far!
Instagram handles: @roadrunnermfg @powderatx @moraspaints @artbygent

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Justin Hughes and i am the OG Cat Daddy/ Business Cat at Cat Daddy Cycles. Cat Daddy Cycles is a boutique custom motorcycle garage that i am running in south Austin, Texas. This is a fairly new business that i started mid-pandemic that is geared towards the custom aspect of motorcycles. I do full custom builds, aftermarket parts installation, engine builds, and pretty much everything in between.

Lately i have been working on a lot of Harley Davidson’s and i like to think i offer a different approach because i don’t necessarily follow the stigma that is associated with the Harley scene. I’m also really into motorcycle racing so i try to build bikes that are performance driven with form and function in mind. I got into motorcycles beginning with Japanese bikes and really like their adversity or adaptability. I kind of feel like i got the best of both worlds in terms of style, and i try to bring those aspects into my builds.

I want to build motorcycles of all shapes/ sizes and really create bikes that are unique. I pull inspiration from almost everything and i love to get creative with my designs. I am currently working a bike that pulls its paint scheme inspiration from from a sweater so i like to think i take an unorthodox approach to the whole build process.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I just recently had to pivot and take a step back from the maintenance side of the business. Its all been a learning process and I’m still figuring out where my time is best spent. I had been promoting maintenance services for some time, trying to generate more traffic as well as new clients. Recently though, i have found that my time is better used when focusing on the custom side of things.

i do still take in maintenance jobs here and there but i don’t promote myself locally like i used to. I definitely want to keep that door open for later down the road, should i decide to promote full services again. I have even been considering hiring a technician to focus on services solely. That way i can keep things fluent without turning anyone away.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I’m not exactly proud to admit it, but there have been several times that i was unsure if i could afford rent for the month. The first of the month would be days away and i would only have a couple hundred dollars left in the account. Nowhere near the amount that i was about to have to pay in bills alone.

There had been many times that i thought about giving in and picking up a part time job but something has always been there in the back of my head that tells me not to go back down that path just yet. I’m not sure if its chance, determination, or just dumb, blind, luck but i have managed to pull through every time. Even if it means pulling out a loan or knocking out some odd jobs to keep it going.

I feel (for now) my time should be absolutely focused on building my business. I’m really excited to see how far i can push things and grow as a brand. I believe that you have to be resilient as well as adaptable in your approach to things. It’s good to be able to keep an open mind so that when things change, you are able to change with them and continue forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: Catdaddycycles.com
• Instagram: @catdaddycycles
• Facebook: facebook.com/catdaddycycles

Image Credits
Photographers -Tony Moreno -Daniel Nguyen – Caleb O’Rourke