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
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Ep 620: Protecting Your Artistic Voice with Martha Grover
Send us a textWhat happens when we approach our artistic development not as lightning-bolt inspiration but as intentional practice—exploring the minute details that fascinate us while carefully choosing which external voices we allow to influence our work? Throughout her 23-year career, Martha Grover has done just that, and the iconic look of her distinct thrown and altered porcelain vessels reveals how a pragmatic approach to the mystical journey of finding your creative voice can often be the most sustainable approach. In this episode, Martha shares the realities of being a studio potter in 2025 and how that actually looks like balancing her time between many different roles. Whether it be teaching workshops, running a community studio or maintaining her own making practice, Martha demonstrates how “success” for artists today often means deciding what is enough rather than giving in to constant growth. Even when you have a 101 person waitlist. Could the clarity to set these boundaries be what allows your unique artistic voice to thrive both creatively and financially?Resources in this Episode:Martha'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 619: Building a Creative Practice Across Continents with Eva Champagne
Send us a textAs makers, we often believe that stability - often in the form of continuous access to the same studio and materials - is essential for building a creative business, but Eva Champagne's nomadic journey reveals a different path. Throughout our conversation, Eva shares how she's built a ceramics practice while constantly relocating - from Florida to the Virgin Islands, Bali to Montana, and numerous residencies in between - by prioritizing experience and adaptation over permanence. Despite the challenges of restarting with new materials, kilns, and glazes in each location, Eva embraces this constant reinvention as part of her creative process. Rather than seeing her nomadic lifestyle as an obstacle, she's transformed it into a strength, connecting with ceramic communities worldwide and developing a unique artistic voice that thrives on curiosity and discovery. Could insatiable curiosity and a willingness to constantly try new things be a new approach to unlocking something new for your own creative journey?Resources in this Episode:Evas' 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 618: A Journey to Gallery Ownership with AnnMarie Cooper of Good Earth Gallery
Send us a textAs makers, we often envy others' seemingly polished creative lives without seeing the winding path they took to get there. AnnMarie Cooper's journey from gallery employee to pottery gallery owner, cohorts program manager, and shared studio founder reveals how real artistic careers evolve through countless iterations - from taking community college classes and working in an 80-square-foot backyard shed to finding her voice through unexpected owl designs. Her story reminds us that the current stage of any maker's journey was built on multiple transitions, space adjustments, and boundary-setting exercises that responded to both creative and family needs. Behind every Instagram-worthy studio or established gallery lies years of gradual growth, experimentation, and community-building that transformed initial passion into sustainable creative practice.Resources in this Episode:AnnMarie 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
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.
México