Meet Stephanie Brown | Owner of Ox & Pine Leather Goods Co.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephanie Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
People are definitely one of the most important factors to our success. I like to say that people are our greatest asset. Learning to hire, train, and give feedback to team members has been crucial to growth. There’s no way I could do it all by myself, so I’m grateful to have learned (and I’m still learning) these lessons. People skills encompass a lot of aspects and the more you practice and develop those, the better everyone can work together as a team to accomplish so much. And like I mentioned, I’m still learning and will be forever. These are skills that will always continue to develop and you don’t ever stop practicing them.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
It was several years before I started my business that I found my love for leatherworking and bookbinding. I took my geeky hobbies and turned them into a business. I had no idea that I would enjoy being an entrepreneur so much. We’ve been in business for 10 years this year! And it’s been a journey full of turns and roadblocks to get here. Challenges have ranged from suppliers being late with material to knowing how to handle feedback for a team member. To overcome challenges, you have to be willing to keep going. You don’t always solve the problem in the right way and you have to be willing to keep learning so you can improve. I’ve made plenty of mistakes where I have to walk it back and really live in the consequences. I’ve learned and grown that way though.
What really sets us apart is the quality of our products and the customization and personalization options that we offer. It really makes something special to be able to put your initials on it or to put the name of a loved on a special gift for them. And being able to choose the size and color and other options for your leather goods allows it to be just the way you like. The customization and personalization really make it your own. Our customers are very sentimental and will share the stories behind the leather goods they purchase from us, and I love to hear those stories.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Honestly, I love low key and hanging out at home! I would probably choose a fun outing each day with my best friend and then do things at my house. I would definitely take them to Hutchins to eat real Texas BBQ. We’d visit downtown McKinney to see all the fun stores there. We’d visit the Stockyards in Fort Worth. We’d enjoy a movie at the Moviehouse & Eatery. We’d go grocery shopping for all the ingredients for delicious meals and desserts that we’d make together. We’d spend oodles of time talking. We’d watch movies at my house. They have kids, too, so we’d both appreciate the downtime together.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband has been my biggest supporter! He listens to my challenges and celebrates my wins. It’s his support that has helped me move forward through the hard times, and he’s there to celebrate wins with me. We’re a team so my successes are his and his are mine. We love making plans together and spending time with our kids as a family. It’s the support and belief in me that really helps me.

Website: https://oxandpine.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oxandpine/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oxandpine/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oxandpine

Image Credits
Stephanie Brown, Ox & Pine