Search & SaaS | Beyond the Workbench #23

Search & SaaS | Beyond the Workbench #23

Are you spending money on tools you forgot you signed up for, chasing search terms that will never convert, and doing work that someone else should own? In Episode 23, Odin and Magnus take stock. Odin walks through his belt bar and brand activation business and what it means to sell a solution rather than a product. Magnus breaks down SEO for makers: why targeting broad search terms is a losing game, and how Google Business listings and descriptive reviews are the most underused tools a small shop has. The back half covers software subscriptions, what to keep, what to cut, and why regular auditing matters. If you have been saying yes to everything and wondering why nothing feels like progress, this one is worth your time. TIMESTAMPS: 01:00 - Busy Season Check-In 08:30 - Letting Go of Sunk Costs 15:15 - Declutter Your Space 23:00 - Belt Bars and Activations 35:00 - Sell the Solution 38:00 - Stop Chasing Broad Terms 44:30 - Find Your Real Customer 51:00 - Reviews That Actually Work 01:01:00 - Apps Worth Keeping 01:44:00 - AI and Authentic Voice --------------------------------------------- LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd [https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] All Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/ [https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/] FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench [https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/ [https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] HOSTS: Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleather [https://www.instagram.com/odinleather] Michael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus [https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus] Beyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com [http://www.learnleathercraft.com]), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making. New episodes are released on the first and third Thursdays of every month. Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] Edited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/ [https://instrumental.media/] #BeyondTheWorkbench #Podcast #Leathercraft #LeatherWorking #Entrepreneurship #MakerCommunity #SmallBusiness #MakerBusiness #BusinessStrategy #SEO #DigitalMarketing #MakerLife

Paving Your Own Way w/ Aaron Heizer, Maker's Leather Supply | Beyond the Workbench #22

Aaron Heizer built Maker's Leather Supply from a $10,000 purchase into one of the most recognized names in the leather supply world, then sold it. The more interesting story is how he did it: by just being himself. Odin and Magnus sit down with Aaron to trace that journey. It starts with Army retirement and a difficult custom work customer who pushed him to pivot. From there, Aaron talks through building an audience through unpolished YouTube videos, live odd lot leather sales, and teaching classes before anyone else in the space was doing it. The conversation also gets into pricing and self-worth, and why so many makers undercut themselves before the customer even has a chance to say no. Featuring Aaron Heizer of Maker's Leather Supply: https://www.instagram.com/makersleathersupply/ [https://www.instagram.com/makersleathersupply/] TIMESTAMPS: 01:00 - How It All Started 05:50 - Buying Maker's for $10K 11:30 - The Customer Who Changed Everything 17:12 - Why He Loves Teaching 20:03 - Authenticity Before "Influencer" 25:00 - Mystery Box and Odd Lot Sales 30:44 - If You're Not Growing, You're Dying 35:04 - Targeting the Right Audience 37:00 - Price It Like You Mean It 45:15 - Building a Brand Worth Selling LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd [https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] All Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/ [https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/] FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench [https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/ [https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] HOSTS: Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleather [https://www.instagram.com/odinleather] Michael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus [https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus] Beyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com [https://www.learnleathercraft.com]), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making. New episodes are released on the first and third Thursdays of every month. Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] Edited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/ [https://instrumental.media/]

Tame Your Time w/ Matthew Gaddy | Beyond the Workbench #21

Most entrepreneurs stay busy all year and still can't explain where the time went. In Episode 21, Magnus sits down with Matthew Gaddy, a longtime friend and productivity coach, to talk about why that happens and what to do about it. The conversation covers goal-setting, breaking big plans into actionable steps, and how to recover when you miss a deadline without derailing the rest of your year. Matthew also walks through why the greatest enemy of great is usually something good, and how to figure out which things on your list actually deserve your attention. If you have ever taken a look at things halfway through the year and wondered how you got there, this one is worth your time. TIMESTAMPS: 01:00 - Matthew's Background and How He Got Into Coaching 06:20 - Reactive vs. Proactive: Why Busy Isn't Productive 09:50 - How to Set Goals That Actually Mean Something 14:00 - Breaking Goals Down Into Actionable Steps 20:00 - Deep Work vs. Short Bursts: Using Your Time Well 26:15 - When You Miss a Deadline: How to Adjust Without Derailing 30:00 - Magnus's MentorBot and AI for Accountability 33:25 - Prioritizing Goals: The Warren Buffett Method 37:30 - Saying No to Good Things to Protect Great Ones 45:00 - Closing Thoughts and Encouragement for 2026 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd [https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] All Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/ [https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/] FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench [https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/ [https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] HOSTS: Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleather [https://www.instagram.com/odinleather] Michael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus [https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus] Beyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com [http://www.learnleathercraft.com]), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making. New episodes are released on the first and third Thursdays of every month. Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] Edited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/ [https://instrumental.media/]

What's in a Name? Building a Brand That Outgrows You | Beyond the Workbench #20

Should you name your business after yourself, or build something that can outlast you? In Episode 20, Odin and Magnus dig into one of the most common questions in the leather community. Odin recaps teaching three classes at the Prescott leather show, Magnus shares news from a company cruise and a new job, and the two talk through hiring, retention, and what it actually looks like to let someone go for their own good. The main topic comes from a question sent in by Jay Whitman Leather on Instagram. He wants to build a brand, not a person. What follows is a practical conversation about legacy, risk, and who really owns a brand once it is out in the world. TIMESTAMPS: 01:00 - Prescott Leather Show Recap 07:30 - Teaching Business Classes at Shows 11:15 - Patreon Calls and Workbooks 13:00 - Magnus's Cruise 23:15 - Magnus's New Job 25:00 - Retention and Letting People Go 35:00 - Don't Fear Who You Hire 37:40 - What's in a Name? 44:20 - Artist Brand vs. Business Brand 50:10 - You Don't Own Your Brand WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/pcqwO0uLK_U [https://youtu.be/pcqwO0uLK_U] LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd [https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] All Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/ [https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/] FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench [https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/ [https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] HOSTS: Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleather [https://www.instagram.com/odinleather] Michael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus [https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus] Beyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com [https://www.learnleathercraft.com]), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making. New episodes are released on the first and third Thursdays of every month. Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] Edited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/ [https://instrumental.media/] #BeyondTheWorkbench #Podcast #Leathercraft #LeatherWorking #Entrepreneurship #MakerCommunity #SmallBusiness #MakerBusiness #BusinessStrategy #BrandBuilding #MakerLife

Know Your Numbers w/ Angie Benefiel, Holland Leather | Beyond the Workbench #19

Tax season has a way of making even the most passionate makers stop and question entrepreneurship. In Episode 19, Magnus sits down with Angie Benefiel: the leatherworking CPA. The two have the honest conversations most of us have been avoiding. Angie brings a rare combination: a leatherworker running her own brand (Holland Leather) who also works with accounting for a living.The conversation covers what actually separates a hobby from a business in the eyes of the IRS, what deductions most makers are leaving on the table, and how to think about bookkeeping when your materials come in hides, and your inventory does not fit neatly into a spreadsheet. They talk through entity structure, what an audit really looks like, and why tracking your mileage alone could be worth more than you think. Following the conversation, Odin reflects that much of this applies directly to scaling a leather business, including the ongoing challenge of managing inventory without tying up all your cash on the shelf.This episode was timed intentionally for early March, as many makers are working to figure out their taxes. Whether you are just getting started or already running a shop, there is something here worth hearing before you file.Disclaimer: Nothing in this episode is tax advice, rather conversations about accounting. If anything from these discussions resonates with you, we encourage you to discuss it with your tax professional. Featuring Angie Benefiel of Holland Leather:https://www.instagram.com/hollandleather/ [https://www.instagram.com/hollandleather/] TIMESTAMPS: 06:35 - Hobby or Business? What the IRS Says 09:14 - Steps to Make the Shift to Entrepreneur 12:12 - Home Office, Phone & Internet Deductions 16:16 - QuickBooks, Xero & Spreadsheets: What Works 20:39 - Cash Sales & Barter: It's All Taxable 22:57 - What Actually Happens During an Audit 26:34 - Angie's Sheridan Classes Breakdown 32:47 - LLC vs. Sole Proprietor: Which Is Right for You 38:42 - Mileage & Other Overlooked Deductions 43:35 - Tracking Inventory as a Leather Business LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd [https://open.spotify.com/show/1boT5ABgRjIDEGyi7bEbjd] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-workbench/id1816987809] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] All Platforms: https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/ [https://www.beyondtheworkbench.com/] FOLLOW BEYOND THE WORKBENCH: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.instagram.com/beyondtheworkbench] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench [https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondtheworkbench] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/ [https://www.facebook.com/p/Beyond-the-Workbench-61576775047322/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@beyondtheworkbenchpodcast] Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] HOSTS: Odin Clack - https://www.instagram.com/odinleather [https://www.instagram.com/odinleather] Michael Magnus - https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus [https://www.instagram.com/magnusopus] Beyond the Workbench casually dives into the world of leathercraft, entrepreneurship, and modern maker life. Hosted by Odin Clack (full-time leatherworker and retail owner) and Michael Magnus (leather marketing expert and founder of www.learnleathercraft.com [http://www.learnleathercraft.com]), we explore everything from personal project updates to marketing strategies, retail challenges, and the business side of making. New episodes are released on the first and third Thursdays of every month. Enjoying the podcast? Please share it with someone who you think would find value in the conversations. If these conversations have helped your business and you're interested in supporting the show, visit our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench [https://www.patreon.com/beyondtheworkbench] Edited and produced by Instrumental Media: https://instrumental.media/ [https://instrumental.media/] #BeyondTheWorkbench #Podcast #Leathercraft #LeatherWorking #Entrepreneurship #MakerCommunity #SmallBusiness #MakerBusiness #BusinessStrategy #Bookkeeping #TaxTips