The Joys of Being a Maker

Have you ever thought about working wherever you want, whenever you want, and however you want? No one telling you what to do and being as creative as you dare? That’s the life of a maker and artisan. Nothing is perfect and there are some downsides, however there are many more upsides.

What I enjoy most is making people happy. I see it when someone purchases a knife from me in-person, when they send a nice email, or when they post a review on my website or my Google Business profile.

Most of my customers purchase my knives as gifts. So it is especially nice that they are getting enjoyment out of gifting, and another person is getting enjoyment out of receiving. It is especially prevelant on 25 December every year when many of my knife boxes are opened on Christmas morning.

There is a lot of pride in creating something tangible for someone else - something they can use and treasure. And being able to do it around my lifestyle is a real bonus. If I want to work at night or on the weekends I can. If I want to take a day off and go kayaking I can.

I enjoy the challenge of running my own business and steadily watching it grow. It requires discipline and hard work, as is any business. The two main challenges for me are keeping on top of paper work and securing a regular supply of materials - carbon steel in particular.

In a world where almost everything is mass produced consumers really value something that is unique and hand made. This offers good long-term business and financial security. AI can’t replace an artisan.

If you take the plunge and turn your hobby into a business there will be worrying times, and it will be hard graft. But the joy of being creative, being your own timekeeper, and watching peoples enjoyment will be well worth it.