Even though I love fashion and crafts, I never really expected to be a full-time leatherworker. It all kind of started on a whim: I got a leather tote bag from my husband as a gift. And I was so enamored by this beautiful, handmade object that I signed up for a weekend workshop to make my own. I got there, and the instructor just so happened to be the woman who’d made my bag! I became obsessed with leatherworking right away. I started doing it as a hobby, then started posting pictures, and then people started commenting, like, “I want one!” So, eventually, I went all-in and invested in this industrial sewing machine and all the serious tools to do this full-time.

I love handmade, small-batch stuff because it’s so unique. Like, I can only pump out so many bags, and each one will always be a little bit different. So everyone who buys my bags will have a one-of-a-kind.

For me, handmade is making things by and for your community. You’re supporting small businesses in your area—people who aren’t trying to get rich, just make a living and keep their community thriving.

Then there’s the environmental side: I get to control everything that goes into my bags, from the source of the leather to the style of tanning to the hardware. Leather gets a bad rap—which I totally get—but it’s ultimately a byproduct of the food industry. So I feel good about using something that might otherwise go to waste, rather than creating something made of plastic. And because these pieces last a lifetime, they’re much more environmentally friendly than a series of throwaway fast fashion bags.

I’ve always loved to ride a bike. It’s calming. It’s therapeutic. I love the sights and the sounds of moving through the air at cycling speed, rather than blasting by with the windows closed. But there are a lot of hills and beaches and trails where I live, which is amazing! But you end up being dead when you ride more than five or ten miles.

Having the Vado now, I don’t really have to worry about the hills anymore. It’s easy to jump on and get to the beach for lunch when I only have an hour. And when I want to go into Santa Cruz, I don’t have to worry about losing steam halfway there or showing up super sweaty and exhausted to a meeting.

People still have a hard time with e-bikes, and I feel like I was one of those people. But now that I have one, it feels like I’m progressing with society in a fun way. It makes me want to go further and actually makes me want to ride more.

I took it out recently to deliver local orders, and it was magical! I had it on Turbo mode the whole time. I was flying! I got there right on time, and I wasn’t stressed or tired. I definitely plan to deliver more of my orders by bike from now on!