Heather Bonecutter shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Heather, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
During Renaissance Festival season, time is at a premium. This means late nights, long drives, and short deadlines.
After loading out at the Sterling Renaissance Festival, we had to go directly to our next show, the Maryland Renaissance Festival and get the booth ready to open the next weekend.
In about 72 hours, we did a significant booth remodel, including building two walls and finishing them out, painting two signs, and several smaller projects. Then the work of setting up our products could start.
We were still putting product on the shelves on opening morning, but patrons only saw the incredible results.
We never could have done it without the help of our employee, Kara. We’re proud of what we accomplished in such a short time with so few people.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Skapa Leather, owned by spouses Ginny Guedes and Heather Bonecutter, is a leatherworking business that specializes in Medieval and Renaissance cosplay.
Ginny started working with leather about 17 years ago, first making collars and leashes for dogs, then transitioning to cosplay when her then brother-in-law decided to leave the industry.
When Heather joined the business in 2019, the two worked together to improve processes, streamline production, and expand product lines while maintaining their goal of making handmade, high quality products.
Skapa Leather has grown significantly in the last three years, which was accelerated by the purchase of a booth at the Maryland Renaissance Festival and the addition of Chad Patterson, who brings more than 20 years of experience to the team.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
When it comes down to it, the thing that builds and destroys bonds in people is integrity, or a lack thereof.
When people intentionally and habitually act with integrity, it builds trust and respect. This can be doing what they say they will or standing by their beliefs. When people don’t act with integrity, it erodes trust.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of failure can be paralyzing in business.
We’ve made some huge changes recently that have set us up for a period of growth, but it was terrifying. Buying a larger property with more workshop space is the best choice we could have made, but we did it with a full awareness of what could happen if there is a downturn in the economy and people stop spending money on cosplay.
More often than not, you have to do the thing that scares you the most, taking that leap of faith, in order to grow and achieve your dreams.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
We absolutely try to live authentically both while representing our business and in our personal lives. We carry the same values through both and stand by them.
Sure, we have our rehearsed scripts that we use with customers, but they come from who we are and have been workshopped as quick responses. We strive to have real conversations with people and show our true selves.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
Some nights we’ll be out in the shop working on a project together, eating snacks, and listening to music. We sing, laugh, and talk. It feels like we’re the only people in the world and all that matters is in that room. We’re on our own schedule and doing what we want to be doing.
Those are the best nights.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://skapaleather.com
- Instagram: @skapaleather
- Facebook: Skapa Leather
Image Credits
Skapa Leather, LLC
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
