Russell Montgomery shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Russell, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Currently my days start with 1-2 hours of admin work (emails, banking, accounting, etc.), which is broken up by knife sharpening and conversations with my business partner. Then I usually get an hour or so to work on handmade knives, this can be interlaced with answering the phone and helping customers, and back to making knives. A 30 minute lunch and back to where I’m needed, for everyone else to take lunches. The second half of the day basically looks like the 1st. More admin, following up on different projects and suppliers. And Hopefully I can get another hour or more of working on knives again.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Russell Montgomery and I run a full service Knife Shop in the Heights area of Houston, TX called Serenity Knives. We make knives by hand, both full custom design and knives in stock and ready to be purchased. We sharpen all knives, ours and any other brand, and most every edged tools. At Serenity Knives we also sell manufactured and handmade knives from other makers, both kitchen knives and pocket knives. We also refurbish most types of knives, including full restorations of full tang knives, buffing and polishing, etc.
We are all here because we genuinely love knives. No matter what brings you into our showroom your knife or knife needs will be our focus.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
My surrogate Father, Bert Claridge, taught me the most about work. My work ethic, and so much of what I do was learned from him. From cleaning your tools after using them to storing them properly and so much more. I met Bert at 12 years old or so, and we hit it off immediately. He became the most important person in my life for years. The range of what he taught me spanned so many different categories and subjects.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Simply put, yes. There have been a couple of times where I almost closed Serenity Knives. Running a business can be stressful, and thankless, and all the things that come with those can add up and really bog you down. Whether it is the debt adding up, or unforeseen challenges, it can be hard to stay positive and simply keep going forward. It is times like that when having a solid support system is key. A business partner, a life partner, a hobby to help forget about it all for a while. Any and all of it helps. Then you go again.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes. What you see is what you get. I am honest, to a fault sometimes. I share my feelings good or bad, and they are usually on my sleeve. I may tame myself down a bit at times, but it is still very much me.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. How do you know when you’re out of your depth?
I know I’m out of my depth when I get that little hit of anxiety, I usually will know it’s coming because I don’t have the information, knowledge or answer on hand. There is change and growth that is expected then there are those other types that surprise you and you have to work through the ins and outs of those. And that can take time. What I do is try to slow it down, don’t make rash decisions. Take the time to process what you need to, and make a calm informed choice.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.serenityknives.com
- Instagram: @serenityunlimited
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenityknives1
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/serenityknives
Image Credits
All photos taken by Serenity Knives
