What happens when your entire market disappears, almost overnight?
In this episode, Eric sits down with Jesse Meyer of Pergamena, a Hudson Valley tannery with family records of working animal skins going back to 1550. Jesse is one of the only commercial parchment makers in the United States, and his story is a masterclass in what it really takes to keep a legacy craft business alive.
You'll hear how a shop that once supplied leather for bowling shoes and piano action leather watched demand collapse when synthetic substitutes (like Ultrasuede) took over, forcing Jesse and his father into an uncomfortable question: shut it down, or reinvent everything. Jesse's answer came from an unexpected place: his background as a sculptor, his obsession with making a "perfect" material, and a willingness to chase niche problems other suppliers wouldn't touch—from rare-book restoration to historically accurate leathers for specialty projects.
If you're a tradesperson or craft business owner, this conversation delivers practical lessons on pricing, diversification, building a pipeline, outsourcing intelligently, and staying nimble when business turns.
In this episode, we cover:
-Why parchment isn't paper—and why it's still in demand
-The pivot that saved a multi-generation shop from going under
-Filling "weird niches" as a survival strategy for small craft businesses
-How to price experimentation without losing your shirt
-Why detailed cost tracking (even if it's painful) changes everything
-What to outsource (bookkeeping/accounting) vs. what to keep in-house (authentic storytelling)
-The hidden upside of education: workshops that create lifelong customers
-The hardest problem ahead: staffing, apprenticeships, and keeping rare skills alive
Connect with Jesse / Pergamena: https://www.pergamena.net https://www.instagram.com/pergamena_ny/
Visit: 11 Factory Street, Montgomery, NY
How to get clients & customers for FREE! https://youtu.be/V5V0Kgvpoe0
Support the Podcast & Join the Community: https://the-workbench-society.circle.so/checkout/the-workbench-society
