Working Overtime is a series profiling shop owners who are just as passionate about their day jobs as they are about their Etsy shops.
When Captain Lance Lockhart isn’t working on his Etsy shop, you’ll likely find him flying high at 35,000 feet. The Mesa, Arizona-based pilot splits his time between traversing the US for a major commercial airline and running Wyldebyrd Art, a creative small business inspired by his day job. Using repurposed aircraft materials, he creates one-of-a-kind decor and gifts for aerial enthusiasts.
While Lance has been piloting planes for 28 years, his journey as a creative maker started just a few years ago. He and his wife, Jamie, set out to decorate their two sons’ rooms, but struggled to find authentic pieces that reflected the boys’ interest in airplanes. That’s when Lance realized—he had all the tools necessary to bring his own aviation-infused designs to life.
Living outside of Phoenix, he knew many retired aircrafts were stored in the area and he was familiar with suppliers who sold airplane parts and equipment. He also had the technical skills, having worked as a carpenter for his parents’ air taxi service, and nearly three decades of first-hand flight experience. He started collecting raw materials at yard sales, through Craigslist, and from “aviation boneyards,” or storage yards where retired airplanes are recycled or scrapped. Then, Lance set up shop in his garage and got to work.
It wasn't long before his new endeavor took off, largely thanks to support from his fellow airline employees. “I’d carry 60 pieces with me in a pencil case when I went to work and be sold out after a three-day trip,” says Lance. “People would meet me in the jetway and then chase me down to buy my items.” After exploring a few selling platforms, Lance landed on Etsy and opened Wyldebyrd Art in 2015.
Read on to learn how Lance navigates running his own business alongside his high-flying career.
Lance’s unconventional schedule means he often works double duty. “Every single day I’m active [in my Etsy shop],” he says. “I put product photos on my phone before I leave so I can create listings on the Sell on Etsy app.” Lance typically flies in four-day blocks, reporting to the base as early as 4:30am and as late as 9:00pm. On these 10-12-hour workdays, he responds to Conversations between flights or from his hotel. His shop assistant, Candy, fulfills smaller orders while Lance travels so that he can focus on more complex custom requests when he’s back in Mesa.
On his days off from flying, Lance prioritizes time with his family. He eats breakfast with his kids, six-year-old Lucas and nine-year-old Judah. After he drops them at school, Lance heads to the workshop. From there he might work on a custom order or drop packages off at the post office. “Sometimes, I go to my cabinet where I keep airplane parts and equipment, and start assembling things in different combinations,” he says. “I love that process because I really get to work with my hands.”
Lance displays his smaller items in a transparent carrying case while he’s in transit. If a traveler’s store-bought luggage tag breaks at the airport, Lance can provide instantaneous support with his collection. When he picks up Judah and Lucas from school around 2:30pm, Lance is deliberate about transitioning out of the business mindset to be present with his family. “If I overextend myself, I’m not doing anyone any favors,” Lance says. “One more sale can wait until tomorrow.” He stops looking at emails, social media, and statistics. Instead, he spends the afternoon and evening playing sports with his sons, cooking dinner, or doing laundry.
Before he launched Wyldebyrd Art, Lance was already helping cultivate a sense of community at work. He started an Instagram hashtag for his fellow employees that boasts nearly 7,000 posts to date. It’s been the perfect way for workers to connect across the country, and for Lance to make himself available as an approachable leader.
Having a creative business helps Lance develop even more tangible bonds. “The success of Wyldebyrd Art is all through emotional connections, transparency, and authenticity,” he explains. “I connect with people and their stories, and that story we’re telling together attracts a lot of like-minded folks. It’s that goodness that lifts people up.”
He also recognizes how valuable each and every customer is, whether they’re on board one of his flights or chose to purchase one of his original designs. “I’m responsible for my crew, my passengers, and my customers,” says Lance. “If I don’t communicate with them in a healthy way, it’s 100% my responsibility.”
One of Lance’s most common custom order requests comes from buyers seeking items created from a plane that holds a special place in their hearts. He even has a “unicorn” list of rare parts that customers have asked him to keep an eye out for. Lance also frequently creates gifts for employees who have reached milestones in their careers. “I get to acknowledge people: the new hires, the student pilot, the flight attendants, the aviation enthusiast, the retiree,” he says. “I get to be a part of people’s success and their stories. It makes me feel like the ice cream man, or Willy Wonka. Who doesn’t want that?”
At the end of the day, deepening his connections within the airline community is what makes Wyldebyrd Art such a rewarding venture for Lance. After learning that one of his flight attendants was in chemotherapy for breast cancer, he made her a custom luggage tag stamped with one of her favorite quotes to show his support. “I don’t care about the multi-thousand-dollar sale,” Lance explains. “For me it’s about planting seeds in people’s hearts with something tangible that they’re going to remember forever.”
Photography by Ashley Guice
How do your products create connections within your community? Share your story in the comments below.
Words by Tess Duncan
Tess Duncan is an editor for Etsy's Seller Handbook. She enjoys taking 35mm photos, admiring long Furbies, and staying up too late. She's never met a chocolate chess pie she didn't like.
