Travis Makes Money

Make Money by Selling Leather Bags


Listen Later

Dave Munson is the founder of Saddleback Leather Company, a brand known for building rugged, overbuilt leather bags designed to last 100 years. What started in a small Mexican leather shop grew into a globally recognized business with collaborations alongside Toyota and Martin Guitar. Beyond business, Dave and his wife Suzette also lead Love 41, a nonprofit supporting communities in Rwanda, Mexico, and Texas. His adventurous life has included escaping an assassin, surviving danger in Mexico, and building a family-owned business that became a worldwide success.

On this episode we talk about:

  • How Dave turned a need for a durable book bag into Saddleback Leather

  • His first scrappy sales tactics involving homemade signs on his Land Cruiser

  • Moving to Mexico, surviving an assassin encounter, and navigating unexpected dangers

  • How eBay became the platform that validated his business idea

  • The importance of striving to be the best and building products that sell themselves

    Top 3 Takeaways

    1. Sometimes a successful business starts with solving your own problem—in Dave’s case, creating a bag he couldn’t find anywhere else.

    2. Exceptional products don’t just sell; they create demand from day one by being designed to last and built with integrity.

    3. To stand out as an entrepreneur, choose to be the best at something—even in crowded markets—through expertise, quality, and relentless improvement.

      Notable Quotes

      • "I told the leatherworker, I want my grandchildren to fight over this when I’m dead."

      • "My first marketing sign was just a sheet of paper taped to my Land Cruiser—‘Cool leather bags for sale.’"

      • "If you’re going to do something, don’t blend in. Try to be the best at it."

        Connect with Dave Munson:

        • SaddlebackLeather.com

          ✖️
          ✖️
          ✖️
          ✖️

          🚀 Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.

          🚀 Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.

          🎁 Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis

          Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

          ...more
          View all episodesView all episodes
          Download on the App Store

          Travis Makes MoneyBy Travis Chappell

          • 4.3
          • 4.3
          • 4.3
          • 4.3
          • 4.3

          4.3

          384 ratings


          More shows like Travis Makes Money

          View all
          The Knowledge Project by Shane Parrish

          The Knowledge Project

          2,686 Listeners

          Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount by Jeb Blount

          Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount

          584 Listeners

          48 Hours by CBS News

          48 Hours

          10,744 Listeners

          The Rachel Hollis Podcast by Three Percent Chance

          The Rachel Hollis Podcast

          16,652 Listeners

          Bedros Keuilian Podcast Show by Bedros Keuilian

          Bedros Keuilian Podcast Show

          2,293 Listeners

          Going West: True Crime by Dark West Productions

          Going West: True Crime

          10,803 Listeners

          On Purpose with Jay Shetty by iHeartPodcasts

          On Purpose with Jay Shetty

          27,378 Listeners

          My First Million by Hubspot Media

          My First Million

          2,653 Listeners

          The Trent Shelton Podcast by Trent Shelton Companies

          The Trent Shelton Podcast

          5,841 Listeners

          The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

          The Mel Robbins Podcast

          19,574 Listeners