Metal Manipulation began over 7 years ago, whilst we both had pretty mundane full time jobs. Leigh was working as fabricator/welder for a local firm and I worked in education. We had never envisioned that the request to create a chain lamp for a friend all those years ago would bring us to where we stand now!
Spending weekends creating chain lamps in a garage at home, to supply many local outlets and galleries in the area to be sold on our behalf.
We will always remember the feeling when we received the call of our first sale! The excitement and buzz of knowing that people liked our work was great. We would celebrate the success with a coffee and cake, enjoying the rest of the day together grinning like Cheshire cats.
Before long with Leigh's creative mind ( trust me it never rests) we had built up enough stock to now venture into the world of trading at makers markets at weekends. This was also an exciting new experience not only meeting like minded makers but listening and watching people engage about our handmade pieces gave us a huge amount of satisfaction.
We had very little equipment or experience regards the way we presented the lamps, if you look all the way back on our photos on our Facebook, you will see some pictures of the first stand set up and you will see what I mean... a little different to what it is now!
So fast forward a few years... we came to the conclusion we had something, something we both enjoyed and could do together. Nervously but a little excited we both made the leap to leave our full time jobs and completely focus on the business.
I'm not going to lie and say it has been a smooth run, at times it has been extremely difficult with the amount of hours we have put in has been tiresome. You could say it's in our veins as we are still going today?
Personality wise leigh and I are very similar in the way of always striving for more,and wanting to do better! Bounding off from one another we always seem to find the solutions to any dilemmas we are faced with.
At times it can be exhausting when I see the calendar full of events leigh has booked throughout the year squeezing them in between orders already stacking up in the diary.
Anticipating the stress that is involved with the years schedule , Sometimes I question this self employment malarkey, it would be much easier to work for someone right? Regular pay, fixed hours, payed holidays etc...
Then a strong sense of our achievements kicks back in! No! Not in this world would we now give up what we built with no help from others.
The experiences we have encountered on our journey has been phenomenal in so many ways we are constantly learning and along our path we have met so many inspirational people and so blessed to have done so.
We are definitely not mentors in any shape or form, but I can only urge you to follow your dreams! Hard work pays off. If you want something go for it! Don't doubt it, give it everything, Never give up your passion!
Dedication and commitment will take you to where you want to be!
Always look forward.
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