Blacksmithing, Community, and Betting on Yourself with Jordan & Rachel Jackson

In this episode, Jamie visits Night Owl Iron Works, a blacksmithing and leatherworking studio, gallery, and gathering space in Rutherfordton, NC, to talk with co-owners and partners Jordan and Rachel about what it takes to grow a craft business from a backyard shed to a building they now own in downtown. Jordan and Rachel share: How Night Owl Iron Works began as Jordan's late-night side hustle in a shed in the woods while he was a single dad and hairstylist, and how Rachel slowly crashed the party as a friend, client, and eventually partner in life and business The leap from zero rent to their first $200/month shop next to a pawn shop with no bathroom, long before there was a playbook for how to start a blacksmith shop in Western North Carolina What it was like for Rachel to be laid off from a corporate job, show up at the shop in tears, and hear Jordan say: you work for Night Owl now, and how they gave themselves two months to make it work How a conversation with their town manager led them to Mountain BizWorks, what it meant to have a lender treat them like a person, and how that relationship helped them buy their building and weather both the pandemic and the aftermath of Helene What owning their space changed: making decisions on the fly, building an outdoor space, painting when they feel like it, and dreaming about using this building as a launchpad for the next maker-owned business The evolving mix inside the building: blacksmithing and leatherworking classes, workshops, a gallery, events, and bar service, and the growing role Night Owl plays as a space for locals and visitors to gather, make, and connect Rachel's journey into leatherworking, from I'm not a maker and a $12 Amazon tool kit to falling in love with a craft she never thought she could do, and why being bad at something for a while is essential to learning How they think about growth now: navigating lower foot traffic post-Helene, working with a business coach, and planning seasonal product launches so they can keep building without burning out This is an open, honest conversation about betting on yourself when it doesn't make sense on paper, learning to ask for help, and building a life around craft and community. If you've ever wondered whether you're a real artist, questioned whether you can responsibly take a big risk, or needed a reminder that you don't have to build your business alone,this episode is for you. Learn more about Night Owl Iron Works: https://nightowlironworks.com/ Connect with us: https://www.mountainbizworks.org/craft-your-commerce/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craftyourcommerce/ This podcast is produced by Parkway Studios. Original Music is by Hannah Kaminer.