Meet Miranda McIntire

Today we’d like to introduce you to Miranda McIntire.

Hi Miranda, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Having grown up on my family’s ranch near Breckenridge, TX, I have been around horses, cattle, and leather all my life! Therefore, I naturally need, want, and make quality leather products. I have participated in nearly every aspect of horse-related events: from cutting and show events to ranch rodeos, barrel racing, and roping – not to mention a year as Miss West Texas Fair and Rodeo Teen Queen. Currently, I ride as many of our horses as I can, work cattle when needed, and rope when I get the chance! I am a little spoiled regarding great saddles and tack because my uncle Ronald McIntire is a very talented saddle maker who has been in the business for over 45 years. I received my first handmade saddle for Christmas when I was two, and I am currently riding my sixth. I loved playing in his shop growing up, but I decided to make working with leather seriously while I was in my high school’s work program. I worked for another saddle maker at Tarleton State University, Wendy Allen. Working for Wendy was a great opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade from another woman. This increased my drive to learn about leather, tooling, and saddle making.

After graduating from college, I found myself back in my uncle’s shop, working with him and anyone else in the business to improve my technique. I gained experience working for other saddle makers and learned the importance of quality workmanship and the time it takes to make a piece that will last a lifetime. Having 24 years of experience working with leather allowed me to expand and start a wholesale line now sold in stores throughout the U.S. & Canada. I can spend more time with my daughters, do custom leather work, and employ amazing friends & family to help me along this journey! I am blessed to be carving out a business with my daughters by my side, and we love every minute of it!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have been very blessed with family, friends, and my business! Not so much in the man department, but that’s the rocky road part of the story. I have 2 beautiful daughters and a thriving business to show for it! Even though being a single mom for the past 10 years has been very hard, I wouldn’t trade any of the experiences or lessons I have learned.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have been doing leatherwork for over 24 years at this point in my life. And my craft has changed directions many times. Originally I wanted to be a saddle and tack maker and took many custom orders for belts, wallets, tack, chaps, and many other things. In 2007 and 08, I started painting the floral tooling I did, and everything took a turn towards that. The next thing I knew, I made some belts and tack for NFR qualifiers and several cutters. I had a feature in Western Horseman magazine, raising 2 babies and a business! A few years later, I had the opportunity to start my wholesale line for McIntire Saddlery. I started with some leather patch caps, earrings, and handbags at an apparel market in 2016, and here we are in our 7th year with so many more custom handmade items in the line from belts, wallets, leather patch caps, patch beanies, headwraps, cuffs, earrings, t-shirts, leather cream, and a whole scent line. The scent line has 23 scents in leather car scents, room sprays, melts, candles, and car coasters! I am proud of the business I have built and the quality products we produce in my shop outside of Cisco, TX! I employ around 8 – 10 local women who need a job that can be flexible with their children’s schedules; we all work together to make the products and ship them to the retailers to sell in their stores all across the U. S.

What would set us apart from others would be the fine artistry and details on every piece! Leather patches pass through several hands, from cutting it out to tooling or stamping to painting and on to the finish before they can even be glued and sewn on a cap. Every hand-tooled earring, belt, or wallet is expertly crafted and painted before it will pass on to the consumer. Our car scents, spray, melts, and candles are hand dipped or poured right here in my shop by a great group of ladies that care as much about the brand as I do!

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk-taking in business is usually a necessary evil. If you do not take the risk to buy the supplies, produce the product, and invest in yourself and your business, you will never know if you will get the reward of a successful product. My business has been a lot of hard work and a little risk. So yes, I have taken many well-educated risks to build a business, but never any that I haven’t thought long and hard about or consulted my parents or mentors about.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mcintiresaddlery.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcintiresaddlery/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcintiresaddlery

Image Credits
All images are by Natalie McFarland, McFarland Productions