Life & Work with Becky Russell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Russell.

Becky, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was dating my (now) husband, he started dabbling in leathercraft. He made wide leather cuff bracelets and watch bands (think Nixon in the early 2000s) and sold them mostly to friends and co-workers or word of mouth.

When we got married in 2001, he continued to grow this business and I began to help him. We sold on eBay, in retail stores, and eventually had our own website made. After a few years and starting our family it was time to close the doors and we got rid of most everything before a big move.

Fast forward to 2018. We had recently moved to Utah and my niece came to visit on her way to college. She was wearing an old leather bracelet that I had made a decade and a half previously. I said “I think I made that bracelet” and she told me how I had made it for her mom but that she loved wearing it. That planted an idea in my head that maybe I wanted to “start dabbling” in leather crafting again.

I started to make leather bracelets for family and friends and even sold a few. My sister told me that I should try making some leather earrings. I had no idea that was even a thing. But after some Google-searching and multiple Pinterest ideas, I made my first pair. It wasn’t the cutest pair, but I kept going. And that’s how it all began.

At first, I hand-cut each pair, but it was very tedious and time-consuming, and I ended up throwing more away than keeping them because they didn’t look perfect. After much frustration, I ordered some steel rule dies and eventually purchased a leather press, so I could hand stamp my earrings out, and have them look uniform.

I have expanded my leather to cork which is also incredibly lightweight. Last fall, I purchased a laser cutter/engraver which has allowed me to create even more shapes and use wood and acrylic with my designs.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not! After creating pieces that my friends and family seemed to like, I needed a way to sell my products. I had my sister create a website and hoped that with Instagram and the website I could grow my business. I am happy to say that my business has grown since that first website, but the growth has been WAY slower (especially in the beginning) than I would have ever thought.

It turns out, you can’t just make a product and then people show up and buy it. At least not for me. Sometimes weeks and even months would go by when I would have no online sales. I started to question if my earrings were even cute or appealing. Of course, I thought what I was making was special, but maybe my family was just telling me it looked good because they were my family. I signed up for my first central checkout pop-up market in January of 2020, the JeniBee Market.

And all of the sudden, people bought my earrings. Like a lot of earrings. So I started applying for more markets and tried out some Farmers Markets. I started signing up for shows right and left and the sales finally started happening. I probably signed up for too many in 2020, and in 2021 had to scale back some. There were just not enough hours in the day to be able to make, and also try to be present with my family. It can be a tricky balance.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in accessories, mostly statement earrings. I also do some hair clips, but I would say I am known as the “leather earrings girl”. I make really unique, beautiful, and fun earrings. I use a huge variety of different colors and patterns of cork and leather and cut them into different shapes, often pairing them with wood or acrylic pieces.

The fun thing about my statement earrings is they are often large but are super lightweight, so you can wear them all day. I am constantly creating new styles, giving my customers a way to keep their accessories fresh and fun. There are plenty of people who make beautiful statement earrings, but mine are definitely one-of-a-kind because they have a little “Becky” in each pair.

I am really excited about the collection I am working on right now, as it is slightly retro-inspired with a bit of 60’s & 70’s vibe.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I honestly have no idea! I love what I do. I love creating and love meeting other makers, business owners, and customers from all walks of life! I am going to keep creating and putting out new designs into the world as long as there is a demand.

Pricing:

• Most earrings are $10- $16
• I don’t want someone to not be able to buy my earrings because they are “too expensive”
• They are handmade, which is hard to come by these days

Contact Info:

• Email: benrikleather@gmail.com
• Website: benrikleather.com
• Instagram: @benrik_leather

Image Credits
Britanee Walker