Meet Shantel Mickens | Handbag Designer & Leather Crafter

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

Hi Shantel, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I started my business without any consideration for how I will manage my time. It was pretty messy. In my efforts to multi task family life, small business and a job, there were projects and chores that would often go unfinished for long periods. I had found this new passion in leather crafting and I was obsessed. Until one day I went to open a new checking account and presented my driver license as ID and was informed that it had expired! OMG! How did I miss that! It was then, I knew I needed to get a grip on my day to day. I realized that discipline and consistency are important factors in every waking moment. Time will pass whether or not a task is accomplished. I began to see how important it is necessary to maximize the hours in each day.

I began with to do lists for all aspects of my life. Then I carved out a specific time frame each day to work on my business. To this day I feel a sense of accomplishment each time I cross something off the list. As my business grew I took this to the next level by charting out my projects; creating basic patterns and templates to save time on future projects, determining the amount of time it takes to complete. Now that I established “work hours” for my business, I needed to be the most productive during that time.

Time management is not only good for business. It is a crucial factor for a healthy lifestyle. My to do lists cover all aspects including self care, family dinners/entertainment and date nights. Keeping in mind that the list is not a schedule relieves any pressure about when tasks are completed. Life feels good and I don’t stress over things that I can’t control.

I am self taught and did not go to school for design or business. The need for time management came to me as the most logical approach to work life balance. Eventually, I enrolled in a few online business and craft courses and, ironically, re-learned that work life balance is key to any success.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a handbag designer and leather crafter. I’m self taught and have a keen eye for textures and colors and strive for the most stylish yet practical designs. I find that leather is an excellent means of expression. Despite, what some may believe, the use of leather actually lowers our environmental impact. Consider the value of durability; how quality leather products are used for longer and may reduce the number of replacements over time. Durability is the most important characteristic of a sustainable product. My design process is focused on durability, craftsmanship and creativity. Not revolutionary but pragmatic and sensible; made to be used a lot.
Consumers are increasingly sensitive to the use of animal skins for accessories and apparel. However, leather is a by-product of the food industry and genuine leather hides will always be available for re-purposing. If not, this will also contribute to the massive amount of global waste that concerns us all.

I’ve spent many years honing my skill so that I can create high quality, durable, and stylish bags and accessories. It certainly was not easy, I’ve made many mistakes, suffered injuries and lost hundreds of dollars trying to find my lane on this bumpy road. In order to overcome challenges, I’ve learned that keeping your emotions in check is very, very important. I was blessed with thick skin. I have a talent for not taking things personally (even when I should, lol).
The only thing in business that hurts my feelings is spending hours working on a piece that, once completed, doesn’t meet my standards of quality or is lacking in some way. Big box manufacturers would actually discard the item. Doray Unlimited does not engage in this type of waste. The item would go on my to-do list for re-styling and eventually becomes available as an awesome one-of-a-kind, high quality design.

My work started out as an outlet. Life was handing out one raw deal after the next. The time I would spend sewing allowed me to stop thinking about things I couldn’t control; it relieved stress. Strangers would often inquire about my designs. so I began taking orders. I quickly learned about sales taxes and secured my business name and tax ID. The business aspect of my work was initially hard to grasp but I realized that challenge and discomfort will always coexist with joy and success. Being passionate, persistent and consistent in my business has gotten me to where I am today. Like many, I set standards for myself and feel I have much further to go and more to learn. However, I am so happy that my business consists of me doing what I love to do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I always encourage friends from out of town to visit New York during the summer. I know NY summer heat can be sweltering but NY is so HOT in the summer! The Summer Streets line up is always awesome and full of street fairs and free concerts around the city. We would visit the Highline and Hudson Yards. It wouldn’t be my choice but we may take in a Broadway play if my guest wants or has never had the experience. We would certainly visit a museum exhibit. MoMa and the Brooklyn Museum always have really cool exhibits. We’d go to Jordan’s Lobster in Oceanside for an awesome seafood dinner. We would go to Jones Beach boardwalk any evening for random live music. Another top choice would be Coney Island Friday night fireworks. Lastly, we must attend a @Soulsummit party before they go home.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I owe any success to my grandmother. As I mentioned earlier, I am self taught. I did not go to school for fashion design or business. To keep me busy when I was a child, my grandmother gave me scraps of fabric and put me in front of a sewing machine. She gave me stencils and paints and beads and anything crafty that she could find. She gave me opportunities to create, that were not available to most children in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, NY. She was supposed to be a traditional stay at home mom but she could not be hindered from dressmaking and alterations. I was her assistant to help handle voluminous fabric, pin patterns and cutting fabric. I enjoyed the “work” so much. Fast forward to me now a big girl, mom, wife and entrepreneur. I can’t express how valuable all the crafty skills are in everyday life. Ingenuity is needed as we navigate all of life’s challenges. I believe creativity is ingenuity.

I also owe some credit to my biggest supporter, my husband. 9 years ago, I had done a lot of sewing and various crafts but never worked with leather before. One day he went to a flea market and brought home a gorgeous calf-skin hide. He said “Look what picked up today. You can do something really cool with this!” That’s exactly what I did and I haven’t stopped since.

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