We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tim Hawk a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tim thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I’m a big believer in Quality. I’m totally fed up with products that are meant to be disposable and what that actually teaches people. You pay for what you get and I understand that may not be in people’s budgets, but it’s time to quit supporting companies that don’t care about longevity.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started leather work around 2008, with no plans of turning it into a business. After years of making stuff for friends and family, it organically happened. I’ve never done anything remotely close, to how satisfying the craft is. I’m a huge supporter of small businesses and buying American. I source 80% of my leather and tools in America. Sometimes I have to use over seas companies for things, but I still like to shop small from them, as well. I’m a maker of Leather Goods that Last and that was the plan from day one and still holds true.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I bought a Tandy Leather start up kit, to make myself a Belt, because I was tired of buying Big Box store Garbage. My Family and Friends saw what I was doing and really encouraged me to take this to the next level. I started up a Facebook page and started doing small Pop Up’s, to be seen. That grew and grew and turned into a full time job about 2020. Don’t get me wrong, I had to have a couple of day week job on the side, to deal with the ups and downs of doing this. The market has definitely slowed down, but it’s giving me some time ti think and re brand.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The customer is not always correct, is a valuable lesson I learned. Of course in some situations that is correct, but in this journey doing what you love is transparent to people and that’s why they come back.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @HawkLeatherGoods
• Facebook: Hawk Leather Goods
• Other: HawkLeatherGoodsPNW on Etsy