Wheel Talk

Ryan & Becca share advice about hosting your own 2 hour workshops. Becca has been hosting a number of these recently and has so much to share! Questions include: how much should I charge, what’s reasonable to complete in 2 hours, and how should I structure the class. They both have some good life updates to share as well. Enjoy! Resources #240 - Mobile studios What would you do if... you sent...

In this episode, Ryan and Becca answer a few listener questions before diving into the topic of preorders. Inspired by an Instagram story series from @themugmaiden , they discuss Ryan's experience as a customer of a preordered ceramic piece. They also explore the ins and outs of selling preorders, including tips for success and scenarios where offering preorders might not be the best option....

Ryan and Becca return for the third chapter of the podcast book club, diving into Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon. Joined once again by Taylor Swilley, they explore key takeaways and connect the book’s themes to their own lives and businesses. We'll announce our next book club selection later in the year with plans to release the episode in...

In this episode, Ryan and Becca recap their time at the Cincinnati Coffee Festival, comparing sales, discussing what changed from last year, and exploring the new items Becca introduced. They also share highlights from Ryan’s recent trip to Brooklyn, New York, where he visited Etsy headquarters and attended the in-person Etsy Holiday Pop-Up event in NYC, while enjoying new tiki bars and stand-up c...

Ryan and Becca chat with Sarah Hussaini of Not Work Related about the challenges of growing her ceramics business in NYC. Sarah shares her journey of hiring and trusting others to maintain quality, balancing high overhead costs, and prioritizing sustainable growth. She also discusses how she evaluates large opportunities, using her Instagram as a portfolio that’s led to exciting collaborations. Fo...

In this episode, Ryan and Becca recap their time at the Michiana Pottery Tour before answer a few listener questions. Questions include handling commission inquiries and the best way to turn them down, business startup basics (registering a business name and setting up a bank account), and pricing for custom wholesale requests, like adding a stamped logo to mugs, and how to account for the extra w...

In this episode, Ryan and Becca tackle a range of listener questions, offering valuable insights for potters with varied years of experience. They start by sharing their experience with mystery boxes—how many pieces to include, what types of pottery work well, and why they’re such a hit with customers. The discussion then shifts to kiln firing programs, where they weigh in on their preferred setti...

Ryan & Becca are back with a special episode all about #PotSwap2024 , our 7th year hosting this global event! We’ve got some exciting changes this year, and we’re covering all the details in today’s episode. Registration opens on Sunday, October 13th at 12 pm EDT and costs $5. It’s first come, first serve, with 1,000 spots for USA/Canada participants and 200 for international participants , so...

In this episode, Ryan and Becca welcome Jackie Head, a ceramic artist based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jackie shares insights from her journey through her BFA at Indiana University Bloomington and her MFA at Alfred University, as well as her experiences in ceramics residencies. Now a working artist, Jackie discusses her large-scale installation projects, including those involving over 600 identical...

In this episode, Ryan and Becca catch up on Ryan's recent shows and his soda-firing workshop, while Becca shares details about her upcoming workshop. They also dive into a discussion on this year's sales trends so far. Later, they shift focus to the topic of the day: Ryan's recent struggles with a couple of problematic glazes. They explore potential causes behind the issues, brainst...

Ryan and Becca welcome Delvin Goode of D Goode Art to share his creative evolution while balancing a military career the past 20+ years. We discuss his experience getting an MFA from Fort Hays State University while still serving before getting into his process as well, from blending wheel-thrown and slipcasting to his evolving use of mixed media. Since retiring, he's elevated his experience...

Ryan and Becca return for another chapter of the podcast book club, diving into Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. They’re joined by Taylor Swilley—voice actor by day, potter by night, and cat snuggler in between. Together, they explore key takeaways from the book, discuss thought-provoking concepts, and highlight areas that didn’t quite resonate. Don't miss our next...

Ryan and Becca are back to finish their chat with Aleatha Aiken-Sherrer. Aletha flips the interview a bit and starts asking the hosts questions as we get deeper into topics ranging from commission orders to developing a style to being prepared for a busy show schedule. Enjoy! ----- Find more about Aleatha's business below----- Instagram - @aleathabean Website - https://aleathabean.etsy.com/ F...

Ryan and Becca welcome back Aleatha Aiken-Sherrer from Aleathabean to chat on a range of topics. Aletha has some insights on using a cheap Amazon pottery wheel to sustain her business the past few years. We also get to hear more about how Aletha lives with Crohn's disease the past few years and how it impacts her business. Come back next week for the rest of our conversation. ----- Find more...

Ryan & Becca get into an interesting discussion sparked from a human psychology thought experiment Ryan had recently. We get into the weeds about the differences between those who are flexible focusers ("spaghetti brained") and priority focusers ("box brained"). The discussion ensues and provides some context to how both Ryan & Becca manage their businesses, relationshi...

Ryan & Becca tackle a listener question today about the importance of having a cohesive style in pottery. Two Sisters Pottery includes a sibling duo creating work in varying styles today. We discuss the balance between creative freedom and branding, offering insights on how diverse styles can coexist within a single pottery business. Thanks for listening! Listener Questions On this episode: -...

Ryan & Becca discuss some lessons learned after Ryan recently listened to some of The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. They specifically focus on the idea of the entrepreneur, the manager, and the technician and dive a little bit into franchising as the author explains as well. We share some insights related to our own businesses as we converse. We plan to have another book recap in our epi...

Ryan & Becca finish up our conversation with Tzipporah from Sipor Ceramics to hear more about packing for a big international move and a big project she's hosting this August. Tzipporah is bringing together 5 artists for Modern Clay: A Live Virtual Summit to help attendees learn a range of topics from wheel throwing, hand building, surface decoration, and small business development. We fi...

Ryan & Becca welcome back Tzipporah from Sipor Ceramics to catch up on what's happening with her virtual workshops since we last talked. Virtual teaching was in it's very early stages the last time we talked in August of 2023 for Tzipporah and she's come a long way since. In the midst of balancing family life and the business, she's moving out of her home & studio with...

Ryan & Becca are back after a long time since their last Q&A episode nearly a year ago. They answer many of your questions related to business, studio practice, and a few random ones. Thanks to everyone who continues to send us questions on Instagram and by email! Listener Questions Send us questions so we can answer anything you've been thinking about on a future episode. Send those...

Ryan and Becca are back with Jordan Kloppe, owner of Bluebird Clay, for part two of our discussion. He shares more about new product development, manufacturing challenges, experiences at pottery conferences (Clay Con West & NCECA), fulfilling orders efficiently, building a small pug mill, and the future of Bluebird. Thanks to Jordan for chatting and the listeners for tuning in! ----- Find more...

Ryan and Becca introduce listeners to Jordan Kloppe, new owner of Bluebird Clay. Bluebird is a name that’s been around our industry for decades and are most known for manufacturing pugmills, clay mixers, and Soldner pottery wheels. Jordan shares his outsider perspective as he recently purchased the business, brings it into a new era of manufacturing, and some speed bumps he’s encountered so far. S...

Ryan & Becca come ready to chat all about what's involved in moving out of a studio, no matter the size. I think we can all agree, moving sucks! Both have experience in moving to larger and smaller studios over the years. With Becca's recent move, she's got a lot to say about selling equipment, tools, clay, etc so someone else can get a second life out them. We also aren't...

Ryan and Becca welcome back Link Henderson, the owner of Kentucky Mudworks and Dirty Girls Pottery Tools, for part two of our conversation from last week. They discuss switching to Shopify as a sales platform, running marketing campaigns/sales throughout the year, online and print resources for staying up-to-date on changes in our industry, and some fun questions to finish things up. Thanks for li...

Ryan and Becca welcome back Link Henderson, the owner of Kentucky Mudworks and Dirty Girls Pottery Tools, for an in-depth conversation. They discuss the significant adjustments Link's businesses have made since their last chat 3 years ago, particularly in response to the uncertainty surrounding raw materials. Link also shares insights into their rigorous product testing process before shippin...