CATELLIERmade
Castle Rock, Colorado
Ryan Catellier: Photo by Michael Smith
Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do:
I make Leather and waxed canvas goods for everyday use.
I've always loved making things, even as a little kid I would make things out of just stuff laying around the house. It's in my blood. So when I was looking for a wallet, I decided to just buy some leather and make one myself. The business just grew from there.
I'm a father of 4 boys under the age of 9 and married to the woman of my dreams.
What is your signature style / item? How did it become so?
Simple and classy. I wanted my products to be durable and stand the test of time. If you look at one of my wallets or bags 20 years from now I expect them to still look desirable to anyone.
What makes your business unique to the industry?
I actually don't believe it to be that unique in style. However, I do expect my products to last a lifetime.
What's been your biggest roadblock when it comes to business and how have you been able to overcome?
Balancing family time with the little boys, growing the business and trying to scale in a manageable way has been the biggest challenge overall.
I've grown the business debt free which forces challenges on myself that wouldn't be there if I took out loans.
It's been really important to be very present for the boys as they grow and while they are young. It would be so very easy to get lost in the business and allow that to really run my life. However, I'm the only one in the world that can be dad to them. I also only have a small window of time with them while they are young. This is the most important time of their life that I have with them and the business will scale once they are all in school.
Obviously COVID-19 has been a big suck! My products are luxury goods and when people are worried about paying rent, buying a wallet or bag rightfully get pushed way down the priority list.
How has your business had to adapt amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic? What are you doing to navigate the situation?
This has had a huge impact on my business. Father's Day Sale was far better than expected, yet my sales are way down for the year.
I'm thankful that I've always grown the business debt free so I'm not worried about paying those types of bills. Many of the goals and ideas I had for this year had to be put on hold.
I've focused more on building inventory and dreaming of other ways to grow once this is all over.
What is your favorite part of what you do?
I seriously love making stuff. I can't get enough of the smell of leather. I love the way my hands feel after a long day of making leather goods.
It's incredibly satisfying to see people use and love the products I make.
What is your *must do* local activity?
One of my favorite things to do is to take my wife to Death and Co. at the Ramble Hotel off Larimer for a drink, then walk across the street to Cart-Driver for amazing pizza and the best bread and butter you will ever eat, seriously, it's amazing!
Where to find Catelliermade:
Website: www.CATELLIERmade.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catelliermade
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CATELLIERmade/