Ashlee Potter - Owner + Leathersmith, Wandering Ash Tree
Ashlee is the one-woman show behind Wandering Ash Tree, a leathersmith business striving to create durable handmade goods that are accessible to all. She built her business out of a camper van, creating and selling leather goods at markets and shows in more than a dozen cities. Ashlee’s inspiring story includes overcoming daily obstacles to make what she calls “companions for all your life’s adventures.” We love her products—but we love her passion for quality transparency, and accessibility even more.
The Basics:
Hometown: St. Charles, MO
Current city: New Smyrna Beach, FL
Alma mater: N/A
Degree: N/A
Very first job: Barista
Hustle: Owner + Leathersmith, Wandering Ash Tree
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
Nellie Bly was such a force, in a day when women weren’t seen as capable equals. She really dove into her work. Why just write about something from afar when you get into the thick of it? I love that about her.
A book you can read over and over again?
Looking for Alaska, by John Green
Favorite road trip album?
A song that makes me just want to hit the road and take the world by storm is Run by Delta Rae
Go-to coffee order and/or adult beverage?
Black coffee or floral latte
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle.
Wandering Ash Tree is a one-woman show, so I do it all: designing and creating product, ordering supplies, finding and booking markets, making coffee at odd hours, social media, etc. It’s a lot—but that’s where you have to start. Pre-pandemic, the majority of my business was done at in-person markets in more than a dozen cities across about five states. Each of my products is created entirely by hand and without machines, so daily, I would be cutting out leather and hole punching to prep for stitching, which is something I could do anywhere. My camper van was loaded with all of my display and mini workshop supplies—as well as a bed—so I could travel and create and sell as I went. This meant hand-stitching in coffee shops, at my shows, in rest stops, parking lots, everywhere. When I say Wandering Ash Tree is built on and for the road, I mean that literally. In 2019, I worked 65 market days and drove 33,000 miles. This type of fast-paced business definitely allowed for consistent content for my social media. A lot of my online business work has been done in coffee shops across the eastern United States. So, I’m sending a big “thank you” to the country’s baristas.
When did your interest in leather crafting start? What was the first piece that you created?
In 2015, I spent five months wandering Europe, during that time I got to experience the leather markets in Florence. Growing up I’d always had an appreciation for fine leather goods—especially satchels and journals and leather bound books that smelled like adventure and comfort all wrapped up in one. The leather markets were wonderful and I wanted everything. The problem, however, was that I was living out of a backpack and couldn’t afford most of it. So I left Florence with a tiny journal for my father, a pretty low quality bag for myself, and a determination to learn how to make the things I wanted. The first thing I made when I got home was a refillable journal, and that exact design still remains one of my best sellers.
What was the process like when you decided to create your own business? What were some early obstacles that you overcame in your journey?
When I made my first few products I was still working full-time at a coffee shop. Within a month or two, my products were in two stores on the little historic Main Street where I lived and worked. But that same year, my health went downhill, and I finally got doctors to take me seriously. I was in a hospital or specialist’s office on an average of four days a week. It became apparent that standing was an issue for me and I was slowly pushed out of the workforce (or carried, as I was prone to collapsing). My hobby became my lifeline, and a way to create my own income where I was in charge of my schedule and could stop and be in control. I sure picked a physically demanding one for someone who has physical limitations—but I’ve always been hands-on. Wandering Ash Tree was born out of passion, but it was just as much born of grit and necessity. The work I do is hard even for an able-bodied person, and I’ve relied heavily on the maker community over the years. When I first started doing shows, my sister came to almost every show with me, and friends stepped in when she couldn’t. When I moved to Florida for the market scene, I found good people who have helped me carry my tent, loaded my van when I’ve passed out, brought me ice and even helped customers when I’ve been unable. This is a solo business, but I couldn’t do it without the community around me. Even if I sometimes get frustrated with my body for not doing what I need, I am very proud of what I built out of a dark situation.
What objectives do you strive for in your daily tasks? Why are those important to your work?
Quality first and foremost. I want the products I make to last; for someone to buy a journal, passport cover or bag and for it to hold up to years of use and abuse. Leather products, if crafted properly, will get better with age. They become extremely personal extensions and that’s what I want—not to make passive pieces, but to make companions for all your life’s adventures, big or small. Another very important aspect of my business is transparency. People want to know who makes their stuff; they want to see how it’s made and why and feel involved in the process. This is especially important to me as a disabled business owner. My customers see the good and the bad; they are there with me through the triumphs and failures, the good and bad days. They celebrate with me when things are going well and support me when they aren’t. A lot of the way I physically make things has to be altered. and I enjoy sharing the ways in which I adapt. My hands are a problem spot for me, and also my important tool. I have trigger finger on every single finger on both hands, I don’t have full grip strength, and when I make a fist, my hand gets locked in that position—sometimes my hands get stuck shut and won’t open. Many of the leather tools commonly used are not safe options for me, so sharing my alternatives is exciting to me. Every item I make is truly a labor of love. I don’t share these things for pity—I share them because these are the daily realities I face, and because it makes people feel safe and seen. I often receive messages from people saying that they didn’t think they’d be able to do XYZ because of their disabilities, and now they’re going to try or that they started doing something a way they saw on my page and it’s made things safer and less painful for them. I love that. I want people to look at my page and think “Wow! Maybe I can do that! She has good days and bad days, and it’s ok to have both and not be ashamed of either.”
How have your past professional and academic experiences and lessons prepared you for the work you do today? How have they not prepared you?
I did not go to college—let’s get that part out of the way. In high school, I was an eager overachiever and I’ve always been academically minded, but after graduating I did one semester at a community college and found that I wanted to learn in a more hands on-way. So I went to Costa Rica, which laid the foundation for everything. On a slightly sadder side of that decision, I could feel my health and body failing and had no answers as to why, so I didn’t want to put off the things I wanted to do in case my ability to do them waned, which turned out to be a good move. In high school, though, I was the head of so many after school programs in both academics and art. Leadership was always a comfortable role for me and experiences in school and eventually in management helped me feel comfortable running my own business without relying on a boss. My work history is pretty focused in food service. I worked at the same local coffee shop from age 16-25, and during that run I also worked as a bartender, bar manager, bouncer, and some seasonal retail work. The majority of being a business owner is handling the public and customers, and I have a hell of a lot of experience to prepare me for both the good and the bad that come with it.
How has being a woman impacted your professional experiences? What can we collectively do to support and empower women in your industry today?
Did you know that leather is apparently a men’s craft? I didn’t either, but don’t worry—dozens of men have let me know. Being taken seriously as a woman in any business situation is an extra hurdle. From men coming into my booth and telling me it’s so nice that my boyfriend lets me sell his products for him to them getting all the way to the point of handing me money before asking “oh wait, is this wallet for men?” I’ve heard it all. It’s a leather wallet. If you’re a man it’s for you, if you’re a woman it’s for you, if you’re neither or both, it’s for you as well. Women led brands need to be supporting and advocating for each other. There is nothing I love more than seeing my fellow women succeed. We already know we have to work twice as hard doing the same thing—so using our hands to prop each other up rather than pulling each other down is indispensable.
What’s one thing you’re proud to have accomplished in your career thus far?
At the beginning of 2020, I got the incredible opportunity to leather wrap the handrails of a huge staircase in a beachfront Ritz Carlton in Miami. Not only was it the biggest and best paying job of my career, it was also the most physically trying. Every person that lives, works, and visits those condos will get to see and use that handrail. It involved two weeks of 8-19 hour days, 400 feet of hand stitching, and over 30,000 individual stitches. It is grand and beautiful, and I hope very much to get to do more of that work in the future. There was an extra layer of accomplishment in doing a staircase specifically. I have a neurological condition that affects every vital part of my body, and stairs are a particular limitation. I have trouble walking up them without passing out; I’m not even supposed to live anywhere with stairs—doctor’s orders. So to tackle this beast of a grand staircase was really big for me. And because of the extra things I think about as a disabled woman on stairs, I made sure that not only was the handrail beautiful, but it is also an added safety feature. I chose the stitch type I did because it creates extra grip. Every inch of that handrail has been tested with full body weight force downward.
Which of your creations is your personal favorite? Which has been the best-selling?
My two everyday carry products are my wristlet and slim wallet. The wristlet is something I made for myself before adding it to my repertoire, and I’ve been using the same one for 3+ years now. It has a removable strap so I can use it as a wallet in a larger bag if I’d like and the slim wallet fits perfectly inside as well. My product line is meant to work together and be versatile. The slim wallet is one of my personal favorites, and indisputably my best seller.
Who are some women in your field that you look to for inspiration?
There are so many women working with leather out there, even if it’s a little harder to find us, and I am so impressed by them. A few in particular that I’ve been excited by lately in no particular order: Melco Leather does breathtaking hand tooling. This is a whole different skill on top of stitching and creation. Her guitar straps in particular are my favorite. Mae Leather Goods marbles her leather, which is beautiful and unique and fun. Not only does she create and sell her products but she also offers how-to guides on marbling and sells marbled panels to use to make your own stuff. Any time someone has opportunities to share knowledge and collaborate with other leather workers they get extra stars in my book. Lov Leathers makes handbags with a western boho style, and I love the pops of color. Leather Imagined does gorgeous whimsical handbound leather journals, and I could watch her process videos all day.
How do you rest, recharge, and find inspiration?
I read a lot of books. Lately one of my favorite things has been to take my van and park it by the ocean or somewhere else beautiful, make coffee, and read a book with a view.
Career and/or life advice for other babes?
Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do. I know that sounds pretty basic, but people are always trying to put limitations on others, make sure you’re not putting them on yourself. Is there a skill you want to learn? I guarantee there are YouTube videos, blogs, or other people who can help you learn. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people who inspire you, and don’t be afraid to be bad at something.
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