Meet Scott Hays | Veteran, Owner of LB Leatherworks.

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

Hi Scott, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
As I have grown older, one of the most valuable lessons I have gotten out of owning my own business is patience. It really doesn’t matter how fast you would like something to happen, I’ve learned to just accept that the majority of the issues I may come across aren’t that important

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
making handcrafted leather items is a challenge in its own right. Leather is one of the most unforgiving mediums I have worked with. If you make a cut in the wrong place, your dye ends up in some place it shouldn’t, your tooling is off; the is no fixing it. I was never a perfectionist, but leatherwork will put you in your place if you are. At the same time, it is one of the most gratifying mediums when you put that last stitch in or have the final coat of finish applied.

There isn’t much in the world that we use everyday that can’t be made out of leather. Some things probably shouldn’t be, but the options are endless. Coming up with a new design for a piece is extremely satisfying. Knowing that somewhere, someone is going to have a smile on their face when they receive one of your pieces as a gift.

I often tell people that I provide that one thing you didn’t know you needed until you saw it. In the case of leather, see it, feel it or smell it. These products are very tactile and for some, the smell of leather is intoxicating.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m pretty sure with a week to spend, we would hit O’Dell’s and New Belgium Breweries and then just spend an evening or two roaming around and visiting other local breweries. We would need to spend 2-3 days in estes park and Rocky Mtn National Park. Spend time hiking or possibly a horse back ride.
Spend a day going up the Poudre Canyon, having to stop to do some fishing along easy access locations.
Would definitely take them to Vern’s in Laporte. Even head up to Horsetooth and catch a few sunsets.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It might be a cliche’ but I need to give a huge shoutout to my wife Lisa and although they are both deceased, my mother and father.

No matter what I was doing, mom was invested 100%. While I was in the military mom would show up wherever we were stationed to help out with arts and crafts shows. That woman could sell goods like no one I have ever seen. My father would always check in and see how things were going. You learned with dad that he never offered advice. Even though I would try to get it from him, he would always ask you the right questions to make you come to the answer yourself. You knew you had been had when he said “sounds like you already have the answer.”.

My wife is an absolute saint. Having put up with deployments while I was serving, then several health issues; she was always there. I know I haven’t always been the easiest person to live with, but she has stuck with me through everything that has gone on in my life. She does play the devils advocate when I produce a new item, or ask for her thoughts on how something could be improved.

I have received more support than I deserve from those three individuals. As crazy of a plan I might have come up with, they were/are there to support me. They also make sure I am keeping my feet on the ground before those “great plans” have a chance in implode on me.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hays.scott/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095016135599

Other: lbleatherworks@outlook.com