Sara Montero Jiménez

I am a leather artisan. With my partner, Alex, we created “Artcuero” more than 10 years ago. We have made our passion our way of life. We are based in Madrid, Spain.

Nowadays we are trying to grow as a company focusing on leather craft. Our company is based in two pillars: in one hand our energy goes to transmit the leather craft through our trainings, both in person and online, because for us is really important to avoid losing this marvellous and ancestral profession. On the other hand, focusing on the product. We develop two lines: our own product, focused on interior decoration, and home, result of our creativity and knowledge; and exclusives works for other companies and private person. We are developing these two areas improving our digital skills and resources.

We have reached this point because of our passion for leather, our need of learning and improving. It is our way of life, so improving our work means improving our lives.

We outline our work searching for excellence, that is why we understand our work as an adaption into new technologies, improving our skills, and improving the way of communicating.

My business objectives are:

• To transmit the leather craft to the greatest number of people possible through our trainings. The idea is to reach as many people as possible. We are already implementing live online classes, video tutorials and lessons for free in our YouTube channel.
• To develop a line of products for home, high quality, the most sustainable possible, respecting the material and the environment.  We believe in Circular Economy, touching all parts, that means we consider:
• • The traceability of our leather and other materials involved.
  • The production processes. Each piece created is made by hand, one by one, taking care of details and finishing, providing then the biggest durability and quality.
  • Giving a good after sale service to our clients, including reparation service as well as recycling service.
• To develop a high-quality e-commerce. We are implementing a new website, more visual, clearer, with a good usability and with a shopping cart website.
• To improve Brand building. Good planification of contents, pictures, and video improvement. As well as improvement in Social media presence.

My learnings from the Crafting Business Programme:

• To organize the job, to establish priorities, to manage tools to facilitate the work organization, marketing, and finances. To know interested resources for artisans.
• The importance of knowing how to interpretate the numbers and to know to whom we want to reach.
• Nowadays our actions are determined by our objectives fixed by the numbers. We have an editorial calendar, more organization, more order, and control about what we need. We have improved in communication.  Our business model is clearer, and we have implemented new tools and resources that we did not know.

My 5 top tips that I have learnt on this journey:

• To organize the job, to establish priorities, to manage tools to facilitate the work organization, marketing, and finances. To know interested resources for artisans.
• The importance of knowing how to interpretate the numbers and to know to whom we want to reach.
• Nowadays our actions are determined by our objectives fixed by the numbers. We have an editorial calendar, more organization, more order, and control about what we need. We have improved in communication.  Our business model is clearer, and we have implemented new tools and resources that we did not know.
• You must know to whom you want to reach, why, how, when, and how many.
• Crafts has a long way to walk, the World is changing. If you want, you can.
• We do not look for specific clients, depending on each business line we have a different customer.
• We want a very good responsive web site, with e-commerce and with a communication leaded to what we offer.