questions of worth
September 19, 2019
photoessays
We recently hosted a dinner party at the workshop. Towards the end of the night I brought up my practice of always responding to the question "how are you?" with the truth. Two of my friends gave each other a quick glance and it turns out, one of them was really concerned with that question coming into the dinner. He had been having a rough go of things and didn't want to lie but didn't want to say anything to bring down the party.
Here's the thing - we are all WAY too good at making everything all or nothing. These seem to be the two options you're presented with: either saying I'm good/fine to which everyone moves on and ignores the premise or you have to complain that you're busy/tired/etc and everyone also ignores the premise and moves on. There's a way to be honest without seeking attention or pity (she says, hoping you remember that for the next paragraph).
It can be easy to share in times of abundance - when health, wealth or happiness are present. For me and for our company this time is not one of those times. By no means are we asking for sympathy - it simply feels poignant to share our thoughts on a time of contraction, some fear, and much not-knowing in the young life of our company.
We love designing for others, bringing customer that thing that’s utterly useful and cool as f*ck. Our project called Uphill Designs grew in size when we opened the doors of our Ballard workshop and showed customers the humans behind our legacy goods.
In May of this year, a $26M construction project began directly outside our retail doors. The road has been torn up and the area is officially bypassed when driving with google maps. We’ve stepped into a place with our business model where we're as unprepared as if going to war with a Nerf gun. And yet, we pivot, persist, and create. Throughout the past five years we've been able to fumble our way through most obstacles by a mix of sheer stubbornness, creative spurts & definitely some luck. Now, heavy machinery is working hard as hell to create the much-needed Burke-Gilman missing link and we’re looking inward to draw once more on the creativity and beauty of long-ass work days to pull through. Maybe luck has something in store for us as well.
And yet, at this moment, questions of value, skill, and worth run amok through our minds. There are many more questions than answers.
What makes a company worthwhile, how do we create and grow value beyond our workshop doors?
Can our business not just survive, but thrive knowing what we know now?
What don't we know yet that could impact as massively as the current obstacle?
We recently hosted a dinner party at the workshop. Towards the end of the night I brought up my practice of always responding to the question "how are you?" with the truth. Two of my friends gave each other a quick glance and it turns out, one of them was really concerned with that question coming into the dinner. He had been having a rough go of things and didn't want to lie but didn't want to say anything to bring down the party.
Here's the thing - we are all WAY too good at making everything all or nothing. These seem to be the two options you're presented with: either saying I'm good/fine to which everyone moves on and ignores the premise or you have to complain that you're busy/tired/etc and everyone also ignores the premise and moves on. There's a way to be honest without seeking attention or pity (she says, hoping you remember that for the next paragraph).
It can be easy to share in times of abundance - when health, wealth or happiness are present. For me and for our company this time is not one of those times. By no means are we asking for sympathy - it simply feels poignant to share our thoughts on a time of contraction, some fear, and much not-knowing in the young life of our company.
We love designing for others, bringing customer that thing that’s utterly useful and cool as f*ck. Our project called Uphill Designs grew in size when we opened the doors of our Ballard workshop and showed customers the humans behind our legacy goods.
In May of this year, a $26M construction project began directly outside our retail doors. The road has been torn up and the area is officially bypassed when driving with google maps. We’ve stepped into a place with our business model where we're as unprepared as if going to war with a Nerf gun. And yet, we pivot, persist, and create. Throughout the past five years we've been able to fumble our way through most obstacles by a mix of sheer stubbornness, creative spurts & definitely some luck. Now, heavy machinery is working hard as hell to create the much-needed Burke-Gilman missing link and we’re looking inward to draw once more on the creativity and beauty of long-ass work days to pull through. Maybe luck has something in store for us as well.
And yet, at this moment, questions of value, skill, and worth run amok through our minds. There are many more questions than answers.
What makes a company worthwhile, how do we create and grow value beyond our workshop doors?
Can our business not just survive, but thrive knowing what we know now?
What don't we know yet that could impact as massively as the current obstacle?
We reflect on hard-earned lessons and perspectives to inform our next round of decision making and strategy. And now, with a shrinking number of customers willing to brave the traffic delays, vanishing parking, and constant thrum of heavy machinery, we look for ways to put in great work for the clients we love. Our goal is two-fold, look hard at the value we’re purporting to offer, and distill it down into our website so that anyone who has connects with our space online feels the same sense of wonder and fun we work to create at our Ballard workshop. The other half of our project is you, the human on the other side of what we’re doing. We’re working on saying more and connecting more through our website, Instagram, and curated email lists. Just like our designs, we provide content and writing that means something to us, we think it will provide value to you, too.
If you'd like to hear more from us, here are two avenues.
All Things Uphill - Emails filled with mystery and wonder - you'll find new products, blogs, photos of Ragknarr, and news about our direction. If you’re ready to listen, we’re ready to dish
Workshop & Events Communiqué - We love sharing our craft through our leather-working classes. We host concerts, creative events, and screenings in to our space to connect incredible people (yes, you).
♥ mal
photos: keepers by kelly
We reflect on hard-earned lessons and perspectives to inform our next round of decision making and strategy. And now, with a shrinking number of customers willing to brave the traffic delays, vanishing parking, and constant thrum of heavy machinery, we look for ways to put in great work for the clients we love. Our goal is two-fold, look hard at the value we’re purporting to offer, and distill it down into our website so that anyone who has connects with our space online feels the same sense of wonder and fun we work to create at our Ballard workshop. The other half of our project is you, the human on the other side of what we’re doing. We’re working on saying more and connecting more through our website, Instagram, and curated email lists. Just like our designs, we provide content and writing that means something to us, we think it will provide value to you, too.
If you'd like to hear more from us, here are two avenues.
All Things Uphill - Emails filled with mystery and wonder - you'll find new products, blogs, photos of Ragknarr, and news about our direction. If you’re ready to listen, we’re ready to dish
Workshop & Events Communiqué - We love sharing our craft through our leather-working classes. We host concerts, creative events, and screenings in to our space to connect incredible people (yes, you).
♥ mal
photos: keepers by kelly
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questions of worth
September 19, 2019
photoessays
We recently hosted a dinner party at the workshop. Towards the end of the night I brought up my practice of always responding to the question "how are you?" with the truth. Two of my friends gave each other a quick glance and it turns out, one of them was really concerned with that question coming into the dinner. He had been having a rough go of things and didn't want to lie but didn't want to say anything to bring down the party.
Here's the thing - we are all WAY too good at making everything all or nothing. These seem to be the two options you're presented with: either saying I'm good/fine to which everyone moves on and ignores the premise or you have to complain that you're busy/tired/etc and everyone also ignores the premise and moves on. There's a way to be honest without seeking attention or pity (she says, hoping you remember that for the next paragraph).
It can be easy to share in times of abundance - when health, wealth or happiness are present. For me and for our company this time is not one of those times. By no means are we asking for sympathy - it simply feels poignant to share our thoughts on a time of contraction, some fear, and much not-knowing in the young life of our company.
We love designing for others, bringing customer that thing that’s utterly useful and cool as f*ck. Our project called Uphill Designs grew in size when we opened the doors of our Ballard workshop and showed customers the humans behind our legacy goods.
In May of this year, a $26M construction project began directly outside our retail doors. The road has been torn up and the area is officially bypassed when driving with google maps. We’ve stepped into a place with our business model where we're as unprepared as if going to war with a Nerf gun. And yet, we pivot, persist, and create. Throughout the past five years we've been able to fumble our way through most obstacles by a mix of sheer stubbornness, creative spurts & definitely some luck. Now, heavy machinery is working hard as hell to create the much-needed Burke-Gilman missing link and we’re looking inward to draw once more on the creativity and beauty of long-ass work days to pull through. Maybe luck has something in store for us as well.
And yet, at this moment, questions of value, skill, and worth run amok through our minds. There are many more questions than answers.
What makes a company worthwhile, how do we create and grow value beyond our workshop doors?
Can our business not just survive, but thrive knowing what we know now?
What don't we know yet that could impact as massively as the current obstacle?
We reflect on hard-earned lessons and perspectives to inform our next round of decision making and strategy. And now, with a shrinking number of customers willing to brave the traffic delays, vanishing parking, and constant thrum of heavy machinery, we look for ways to put in great work for the clients we love. Our goal is two-fold, look hard at the value we’re purporting to offer, and distill it down into our website so that anyone who has connects with our space online feels the same sense of wonder and fun we work to create at our Ballard workshop. The other half of our project is you, the human on the other side of what we’re doing. We’re working on saying more and connecting more through our website, Instagram, and curated email lists. Just like our designs, we provide content and writing that means something to us, we think it will provide value to you, too.
If you'd like to hear more from us, here are two avenues.
All Things Uphill - Emails filled with mystery and wonder - you'll find new products, blogs, photos of Ragknarr, and news about our direction. If you’re ready to listen, we’re ready to dish
Workshop & Events Communiqué - We love sharing our craft through our leather-working classes. We host concerts, creative events, and screenings in to our space to connect incredible people (yes, you).
♥ mal
photos: keepers by kelly
We reflect on hard-earned lessons and perspectives to inform our next round of decision making and strategy. And now, with a shrinking number of customers willing to brave the traffic delays, vanishing parking, and constant thrum of heavy machinery, we look for ways to put in great work for the clients we love. Our goal is two-fold, look hard at the value we’re purporting to offer, and distill it down into our website so that anyone who has connects with our space online feels the same sense of wonder and fun we work to create at our Ballard workshop. The other half of our project is you, the human on the other side of what we’re doing. We’re working on saying more and connecting more through our website, Instagram, and curated email lists. Just like our designs, we provide content and writing that means something to us, we think it will provide value to you, too.
If you'd like to hear more from us, here are two avenues.
All Things Uphill - Emails filled with mystery and wonder - you'll find new products, blogs, photos of Ragknarr, and news about our direction. If you’re ready to listen, we’re ready to dish
Workshop & Events Communiqué - We love sharing our craft through our leather-working classes. We host concerts, creative events, and screenings in to our space to connect incredible people (yes, you).
♥ mal
photos: keepers by kelly