We were lucky to catch up with Hunter Allen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hunter, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

One of the largest risks I have taken was the one to start my own business. To have faith in myself, that I can create a well respected business that can provide for my family and myself. At the time I started my business I was rather lost in life and what I wanted. I knew I wasn’t happy with the traditional grind of a nine to five, I wasn’t happy feeling like my thoughts and ideas were not heard. I quit my last “job” right at the beginning of covid and didn’t really have anything lined up for work, I just knew I had to get out of what I was doing on a day to day basis. I worked for a garbage disposal company for about three days, in which i quickly asked myself again, “what are you doing?” I quit work there and picked up where I left off on a school project that I was truly passionate about. I am blessed enough to live in the same town as my parents, so me and my girlfriend at the time moved in with them. I started to work everyday to develop a website, product, and look for means of selling the product that I make today. I was able to find a small retail location in my home town of Blowing Rock, NC. After about a year we were able to move out and into our own little home. I am still in my little retail location and I am actively looking for a larger location to expand my business. Me and my now wife are still living in our little home, creating a family, and hoping to find a larger home before long!

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 Hunter Allen and I own Grounded Works a small business that supplies high end leather items such as: wallets, belts, bags, and more. Often people ask me if I only work in leather, I primarily work in leather, but I feel what sets me apart is that I try to put a twist on all my designs. A lot of my product includes materials you wont usually find in similar items such as titanium, stainless steel, nylon webbing, and more. I am so happy to report that I have a business that now has consistent returning customers. I credit this to the effort that goes into making each item we supply, striving to provide the most quality materials for our product, and doing out best to source our materials domestically here in the USA. The definition of Grounded is to be “well balanced and sensible.” This is what I aim for in all aspects of my business.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think people who are non creatives, or those who may have never taken the time to make something with their own two hands struggle to understand the effort that goes into the items created. Often conflict to some degree might arise on the price point I have on my product. I have seen both ends of the spectrum where people think my pricing is crazy and I have also had people tell me I don’t charge enough for what I do. I try to have a respectable price point while also paying respects to myself, by rewarding myself with what I believe I deserve, for the years of knowledge and understanding I have obtained in my trade. There is also a level of a moral responsibility I believe that goes in to each item we purchase on the daily basis. All of us purchase items from all over the globe, but it is important to consider where it is these items come from and whose hands are grasping our money.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think what helped me build my reputation is when I finally narrowed down exactly what it was that my business does. I focus on everyday carry items such as : Wallets, bags, and more. That is the absolute focus of my business. That being said, I still break off the beaten path a little. I am partnered with companies that utilize my design experience for their customers, this work along with other side jobs still falls under the operations for what I do in my main work flow. At first I struggled because I was taking nearly any job to create a form of cash flow. Doing this can really set you back rather than forward. I am still guilty of this here and there, where I find myself taking on jobs or custom work that I don’t really want, but I see the potential money to be made so I go against my gut and except the job. Through these experiences I have come to find my extent as an individual for work load and acknowledged that sticking to the main course of action can generate more money. Its hard for people to use you when they don’t know what you do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.groundedworks.design/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grounded.works/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GroundedWorksdesign/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuRMQUbDxNUJGERwZwoMEPA