Meet Christopher Ryan | Leather Worker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christopher Ryan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christopher, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
Hard work without a doubt. Running a small business is a lot of work. It’s a 24/7 job. Being a sole proprietor everything is made by me, so staying organized as best as possible, and willing to put in the work are a few habits I look at as helping me succeed.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started working with leather over a decade ago as a hobby. I always felt the need to be creative. Working with leather gives me so many possibilities on what I can make. I’m constantly learning and trying to get better each time I make anything. When I started my business the majority of what I make are holsters. I use different exotic hides such as alligator, ostrich, stingray, caiman, shark, and Cape buffalo. This allows me to be a little more artistic. Each hide is different so it’s a challenge to make it work to fit what I need to make a proper and safe holster. There are always different challenges that come up. Learning how to make different products, learning what customers like and don’t like, improving designs to name a few. I personally make everything and take pride in putting in the extra work to make something beautiful that will last.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in a small town in the North Carolina mountains. It’s quiet, the people are nice, and the scenery is beautiful. Running my business along with having three daughters takes up the majority of my time. Having spent most of my life in larger cities where I am now is very different. I still enjoy taking trips to a bigger city, trying different restaurants and shopping. Nashville, L.A., and Miami are a few of my favorites.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have been very fortunate when I started learning leather craft. There are many resources available to help teach the art of working with leather. When I first started out I would read a leather forum daily and ask as many questions as I could. I would look for YouTube videos showing different techniques and learn wherever I could find info. In my experience I’ve found that people are very helpful when dealing with leather. Have met a lot of good people throughout my time. I also have tremendous support from my family. My wife and my father are always there for me to talk through ideas with and get feedback.

Website: www.mayhemleather.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mayhem_leather

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayhemleather

Other: https://mayhemleathercompany.etsy.com