Annie Williams has been a wakeboarding instructor, a seamstress, a bouldering-bag designer, a musician—but it wasn’t until she began working in leather that she felt in her element. “It’s really weird—as soon as I sewed into it for the first time, I was like, ‘This is the most amazing material!’” she recalls.

It took Annie some time to master leather, but a bullheaded sensibility kept her going until she had made a name for herself in Nashville. Now, she works from one of the city’s oldest flour mills in a warehouse workshop that a friend organized. “She has this vision of a really well-curated space that is able to host gallery events, with small businesses like craftsmen and artists working there,” Annie explains.

Bringing a pared-down, honest approach to every clutch and wallet that she makes, Annie still finds time for some renaissance-woman multitasking. Next up? Building homes and cabins on the 15 acres she and her architect, gardener, skateboard designer, and rock climber husband now own. But don’t worry: Her leatherwork isn’t going on the backburner anytime soon. —carlye wisel

annie-williams.com