A trio of Hamilton entreprenuers get creative in starting their own companies

Nerdbiskit

Catnip-filled tacos and pizzas for kitties, and customized pillows with cartoon faces are a few of Lisa Bell’s creations.

“Basically it’s plush and print treats for geeks,” says the 32-year-old Hamilton maker who designs under the handle Nerdbiskit. “It’s sort of tongue and cheek, kind of cute and funny pop culture type stuff, memes. Anything that sort of makes you laugh.”

Bell, a creative designer and art director by day, started making items like slogan buttons for fun while she was going to school for illustration.

It turned into making gifts for friends, selling a little, and escalated from there, she says.

The bulk of Bell’s sales used to be at makers’ markets — in the past, she would be at one every month — but now custom orders have taken over.

Her hand-sewn portrait pillows are typically given as a gift: for a wedding, anniversary or birthday. For those, Bell asks for four or five photos of the subjects so she can get an idea of who she’s creating.

“Hair style is really important. I gotta nail that hair,” she says. “And then colour choices … and then eye placement and mouth placement is important.

“I just have to cartoonize them, basically.”

Bearded Nomad

It was a case of not being able to find what he was looking for.

Jacob Daisley started growing a beard about two years ago after being inspired by the facial hair trend he spotted on Instagram, but couldn’t find the grooming products he needed to take care of it.

“I asked my wife to get me some … but it was really expensive, so I was like ‘I’ll just try making it on my own,’” the 28-year-old recalls.

He was already a maker, having built creations with reclaimed wood, but concocting beard balms, oils and waxes was new territory.

“It took us so long to figure out how to do it,” the Hamilton native says.

Alongside wife Christine, Daisley eventually perfected the recipe using a double boiler to gently melt the ingredients — beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter and vitamin E.

The products are all scented using essential oils, creating woodsy, citrusy and floral aromas.

“It’s a touch on the nomad kind of feel,” he says.

The couple sells their products — including soaps and tattoo salve — online and in stores in the Hamilton area such as Canoe Trading Co. and Anise Apothecary in Burlington. They also frequent craft shows and markets.

They hope to expand to more stores and increase their selection to appeal to women, too.

Archer Boards

Dave Archer’s custom-made skateboards can hit the streets but they are also snazzy enough to hang on walls.

His skateboards, longboards and minidecks are hand-painted creations, featuring a range of designs that include music, movie and pop culture references.

A landscaper by day, Archer started making boards three years ago after a knee replacement slowed him down and he was looking for something to keep him busy.

His son was getting skateboards shipped in from out West — a move Archer says he considered pricey given the buyer wasn’t able to see or touch the product before making the purchase.

A firm believer in trying everything once, Archer decided to give crafting his own boards a shot. In his basement and his garage-turned-wood-shop, he glues together seven layers of Canadian maple veneer and forms them using moulds.

At first, he made up his own colourful stains to finish the boards, but this year he started painting his own images on them. “It just woke up my imagination.” Archer says he mostly sells his boards at local craft markets because he enjoys the interaction with customers.

“I just like meeting the people … it makes me happy to do it that way.”