Ep 625: Iterating for a Target Audience with Will Donovan (Part Two!)
Send us a textThe internet loves to talk about that magical “six figure business” milestone, but what if hitting that revenue number doesn't actually change your life the way you think it will? What if the real transformation happens when you stop chasing someone else's definition of success and start building systems that serve your actual goals—even when that means making decisions that feel uncomfortable or unconventional? In part two of our conversation, Will Donovan pulls back the curtain on what six figures really means as a business owner, how he navigates the complex world of copyright when creating fantasy-inspired work, and why strategic paid advertising became a tool only after he had proven organic growth. Turns out, sometimes the most sustainable path forward might require letting go of the romantic notions of what it means to be a "real" maker and embracing the frameworks required to build the business you need that actually supports your life. In this episode: Will's work @donovanpotteryFull Show Notes & Resources can be found at makersplaybook.com/podcast-----Find Community member Alisha @alishahagenartInterested in joining Alisha inside of The Community? Learn more about the perks of membership and sign up at: makersplaybook.com/community-----Love this podcast? Support an episode! Click here to learn more. Follow The Maker's Playbook on Instagram @themakersplaybookHave questions about the show or want to say Hi? Email us at: podcast (at) makers-playbook (dot) com
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Ep 624: Iterating for a Target Audience with Will Donovan
Send us a textAs makers, we often start with a vision of success that's more fantasy than strategic roadmap—believing that if we just work harder at making our beautiful pieces, it will somehow lead to a sustainable business. But what if the path to actually thriving as a creative is in repeatedly narrowing your focus, rather than doing more and more? What if doing less is actually what allows you to find that magical venn diagram intersection of what you love and a specific audience who desperately wants it?Will Donovan's journey from nearly abandoning ceramics to building a six-figure fantasy-themed pottery business reveals how iterating toward a precise target audience—rather than trying to please everyone—can transform both your creative satisfaction and your bottom line. But don’t be fooled! The need to evolve your definition of success, even when it means letting go of traditional expectations (or some of the hands-on making) is no easy process. As always, it all comes down to your unique definition of not only what success looks like, but also what type of life you actually want to live.In this episode: Will's work @donovanpottery-----Find Community member Alisha @alishahagenartInterested in joining Alisha inside of The Community? Learn more about the perks of membership and sign up at: makersplaybook.com/community-----Love this podcast? Support an episode! Click here to learn more. Follow The Maker's Playbook on Instagram @themakersplaybookHave questions about the show or want to say Hi? Email us at: podcast (at) makers-playbook (dot) com
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Ep 623: Side Sauntering with Melisa of MWY Pottery
Send us a textAs makers, many of us feel pressure to choose between our creative passions and a more traditional career - but what if that's a false choice entirely? What if taking your craft seriously doesn't require abandoning a career you are equally passionate about? Melisa's journey from taking her first clay class as a 40th birthday gift to creating what she calls a "side saunter" shows us how blending our different worlds can actually make both richer. Could embracing your own pace and connecting your creative work to the career you already had be the key to building a sustainable making practice that enhances rather than competes with all of life’s other demands?Melisa's work can be found @mwypotteryFeatured in this episode: Check out our Community member, Alisha's work @alishahagenartLove this podcast? Support an episode! Click here to learn more. Follow The Maker's Playbook on Instagram @themakersplaybookHave questions about the show or want to say Hi? Email us at: podcast (at) makers-playbook (dot) com
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Ep 622: When 90% of Your Revenue Comes from Pottery Alone with Heidi Fahrenbacher
Send us a textRecently there's been a lot of talk around whether or not you can make a full-time living as a studio potter, and most stories you'll hear about those who are seen as "studio potters" involve teaching regularly, running workshops, providing rental space for other artists, or maintaining multiple income streams beyond just making pots. But there are a few potters out there who truly make their living from the literal things they make - and Heidi Fahrenbacher, of Bella Joy Pottery, is one of them. Heidi's journey from financial rock bottom to paying herself a steady salary reveals how facing your worst business fears head-on can actually become the foundation for a more sustainable practice. In this conversation we talk about how sustaining this kind of practice isn't about finding the perfect sales channel or mastering every platform, but about learning to simplify, set boundaries, and recover from the inevitable mistakes that come with building any creative business. Heidi’s experience reminds us that sometimes the most valuable business skill isn't avoiding problems altogether—it's learning how to bounce back from them with better boundaries, clearer priorities, and the confidence to keep making the work that lights you up.Resources in this Episode:Heidi's InstagramLove this podcast? Support an episode! Click here to learn more. Follow The Maker's Playbook on Instagram @themakersplaybookHave questions about the show or want to say Hi? Email us at: podcast (at) makers-playbook (dot) com
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Ep 621: Can You Make a Living from a $45 Mug?
Send us a textCan you make a viable living from creating a wheelthrown mug that you charge $45 for? According to a video currently racing around the internet, the answer is no. But is that true? According to some of the past potters I've talked to here on the podcast over the last 4 years, that answer would be no, that's not true. In fact, they are making a living for their entire households.On this episode we dig into 4 particularly important things to consider when it comes to definitive statements like this one and whether or not you can actually make a living with the work you make: 1) The early-stage career reality check, 2) The crucial Market Fit Venn Diagram we all have to find a solution for, 3) How it is actually possible to make a living from a handmade $45 mug, and 4) A tiny bit of tough love to connect it all together. Ironically, and unplanned, the full version of the shortened video I'm referencing in this episode also mentions how the first thing you have to figure out how to do is take good photos of the work you make. If you do need help taking better photos of your work, you can now access the Maker's Photography Styling System and The Maker's DSLR Masterclass whenever you need it! Click here to learn more. Love this podcast? Support an episode! Click here to learn more. Follow The Maker's Playbook on Instagram @themakersplaybookHave questions about the show or want to say Hi? Email us at: podcast (at) makers-playbook (dot) com
A podcast where we talk all about what it's really like to make a living from the things you make. Featuring candid interviews with other ceramicists and makers, as well as helpful business tips to make your side-hustle into a life-giving, viable business.
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