Ryan goes solo on this episode while Becca is getting adjusted after her move to Indianapolis, Indiana. He talks all about running his small business on Instagram, including how he manages his own account and answering a number of your questions along the way. Today, we cover getting sales from Instagram, how Ryan built his following over time, benefits of using Instagram stories, product photography, and more. Thanks for sending us all of your pressing questions related to this topic. I wasn't ...
Jan 16, 2021•2 hr 17 min•Ep. 74
Ryan & Becca answer a listener question about the differences between an artist and potter. Isn't this one of the hardest questions to answer when a customer asks you whether you call yourself an artist or potter? We both relate more to the potter or craftsperson label, but can also see the appeal of calling yourself an artist as well. It differs person to person based on the work you make, what your work conveys, and your intentions behind it. We also discuss some more general topics around...
Jan 09, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 73
Ryan & Becca answer a listener question about whether to sell second quality pieces alongside your firsts. As you make more pieces, you are guaranteed to produce pots that have flaws and cannot be sold as a ‘first’ quality piece. You are now staring at pots piling up on your studio shelves that you have to decide whether it’s something you are comfortable with customers using on a daily basis or it’s better in the trash. We can’t answer this question of whether to sell those seconds or not f...
Jan 02, 2021•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 72
Ryan & Becca answer a listener question about how to set goals for the New Year. We both include yearly financial goals, but figuring out how to set goals outside of sales numbers can be tougher depending on where you want to take your business. We review some of our past years' goals and some ideas for you to consider when planning for your own business goals. Thanks for the question Sarah! Listener Questions On this episode: - When is Becca going to become a Hoosier? - What do you listen t...
Dec 26, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 71
Ryan & Becca answer a number of listener questions related to glazing this week. There's an endless amount to know about this complex part of the process so we hope you enjoy the questions, learn something, and enjoy the banter. Thanks for all your questions you've sent to us recently and let us know if you have more for us (glazing or otherwise). Glazing Questions: - Mixing or buying glazes? Why? - Best place to buy materials? - Best way to store materials? - Where do you find all of your g...
Dec 19, 2020•2 hr 1 min•Ep. 70
Ryan & Becca go through a wide range of electric kilns on the market to buy new and used. We start by reviewing the kilns we've each owned over the years before jumping into what's available now. There are so many options out there right now and we dive right into the specifics of a number of them (Skutt, L&L, Olympic, Amaco, & Cone Art) and how much you could pay for them new or used. We've only used a few of the kilns on this list, so take our advice with a grain of salt as you lis...
Dec 12, 2020•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 69
Ryan & Becca reflect on a recent Instagram post Becca shared (linked below) regarding chasing your creative dreams. The post reads "Choosing to not chase your creative dreams is not 'sensible,' noble, or selfless. It's a heartbreaking waste of your potential, your magic, your art." This conversation is pretty open-ended and shares our personal experiences related to chasing your dreams, timeline associated with it, and finding happiness. Being an entrepreneur/small business owner takes a cer...
Dec 05, 2020•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 68
Ryan & Becca go through a wide range of pottery wheels on the market to buy new and used. There are so many options out there right now and we dive right into the specifics of a number of wheels (Brent, Shimpo, Soldner, Laguna, Skutt, Speedball) and how much you could pay for them new or used. We've only used a few of the wheels on this list, so take our advice with a grain of salt as you listen. There are also many factors that go into selling any used equipment, but this is just our insigh...
Nov 28, 2020•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 67
Ryan & Becca answer a listener's question regarding taking care of our bodies as we work in our studios. We cover topics from prepping clay, table surfaces, wheel height, position at the wheel, loading kilns, and packing/transporting work outside of the studio. We lastly touch on our personal health & wellness routines outside of the studio. Listener Questions On this episode: - Glazings greenware pros and cons. I have only witnessed cons. What the f are peepholes and how are they used? ...
Nov 21, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 66
Ryan & Becca go in deep about the saturation of the ceramics market today based on a listener question. With the popularity of handmade pottery growing since social media is more embedded into our daily lives, new people are flocking to the medium more than ever! We discuss ceramic market saturation, marketing skills balanced with product quality, and how do you know when you're ready to start selling your work. Listener Questions On this episode: - A bit personal but for Ryan when working w...
Nov 14, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 65
On this episode, Ryan & Becca sit down for a conversation in Bellevue, Kentucky with Kelti Ziese from Coda Co and Nomad KY. Coda Co is a boutique that mostly sells home goods and local handmade art. Nomad KY is a labeled as "a gathering place" for a quick bite or drink. Both businesses are located on the main strip Fairfield Avenue of Bellevue, Kentucky. She shares some of her process as a wholesaler, hiring help, balancing inventory with multiple ways of selling, pricing your time, and star...
Nov 07, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 64
Becca reveals some BIG news regarding the future of 5 Lines Pottery. We've held onto this episode for quite a while as some of the specifics are still being ironed out. Enjoy and wish Becca the best of luck in this next phase! Listener Questions On this episode: - What is your biggest challenge when it comes to handbuilding and the wheel? Becca, are you in a relationship? Send us questions so we can answer anything you've been thinking about on a future episode. Send those through Instagram @whe...
Oct 31, 2020•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 63
Becca goes solo this episode to share about her recently feeling more content with her business as COVID has hit this year. It's been a challenging few years since Becca started selling pottery full time back in 2014. She examines how decisions can pile up to something we may not have envisioned early on in the business and how vital putting your mental well-being is for long term success. Enjoy this honest outlook on something many makers can relate to but may not be vocalized as much as it sho...
Oct 24, 2020•50 min•Ep. 62
Ryan & Becca bring you a special mid-week episode to talk all things #potswap2020 . We made a new Instagram account for all Pot Swap shenanigans @potswapofficial to help us with sharing everything now and into the future. Registration is free and open to the first 400 entries on Wednesday, October 28th at 8pm EDT. First come, first serve on sign-ups so set a reminder! Spots WILL fill up in a matter of hours (if not sooner)! We're enlisting some help from a select group of clay friends this y...
Oct 21, 2020•47 min•Ep. 61
On this episode, Ryan & Becca sit down for a conversation in Cincinnati, Ohio with Amy Boullé from Tryst Studios. We chat outside of Queen City Clay where Amy has her private studio. We chat about balancing home life with her family while dedicating time to making and growing the small pottery business. COVID has thrown a wrench in Amy's year (like most of us), but she's finding ways to adapt to selling online and reaching a new customer-base in the Pacific Northwest with her current batch o...
Oct 17, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 60
On this episode, Ryan & Becca have a conversation with Andrew Fegler, the solo small business owner of That's So Andrew. Our discussion is driven mostly from a listener question related to how to use Instagram & Facebook for marketing. There is so much that goes into marketing period and social media marketing is a new world of its own, with each platform having unique pros & cons. Andrew shares some great insights how he uses Instagram & Facebook separately to grow his brand and...
Oct 10, 2020•1 hr 48 min•Ep. 59
Ryan & Becca discuss finding a cohesive style and design with your work after a question from Jodie at @mudslinging_pottery . It's tough to explain exactly what dictates your personal style, but it doesn't hurt to ask your peers. We share a lot of examples of fellow clay artists to explain some different ways to separate yourself from others and figure out your own style. It's such a long process and documenting your growth through social media is a good way to see the evolution. Listener Qu...
Oct 03, 2020•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 58
Becca recorded this conversation without Ryan's knowledge (it's okay, she told him at the end). They chat about the motivation to continue showing up in the studio every week, whether there is a sweet spot follower count for having a sell out restock, Ryan's sales income during the pandemic in relation to last year, and more (there's even some cat talk). Enjoy this candid conversation and a little peak behind the curtain. P.S. Get yourself a friend who you can chat with about this kind of stuff ...
Sep 26, 2020•33 min•Ep. 57
Ryan & Becca answer a listener questions about whether someone new to clay should still take classes at their community studio after coming into some equipment for their home studio. We didn't realize how much you get for your money at a community studio until we listed all of them out. Each maker has a unique personality and needs for their making process. You have to choose what environment and equipment are required for you to make your best work, progress, and get your monies worth. List...
Sep 19, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 56
Ryan & Becca discuss how Ryan balances his full time job while slowly growing his side pottery business. Lots of you may be having to balance out a side hustle while having a day job and it's really hard to find a balance, along with all the other commitments. As you grow your small business, it's typically all on your shoulders how you handle scheduling, finding time to make, and keeping up with all the behind the scenes tasks that small business owners have to keep track of. Listener Quest...
Sep 12, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 55
Ryan & Becca are comparing aspects of three social media platforms (Tik Tok, Facebook, & Instagram) to start this episode. The rest of our discussion came from a question we received on the topic of branding & marketing your business. Your branding extends from your social media, online orders, your work, in-person shows, and much more. Lastly, in celebration of hitting our 1 year anniversary of hosting Wheel Talk on August 22nd, Becca sent Ryan a couple gifts. We share what he recei...
Sep 05, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 54
Ryan & Becca are back for another question and answer episode with clay, small business, & personal questions. We haven't done a rapid fire episode like this since Episode #6 - 21 Questions . Enjoy, have some laughs, and get to know us a little more. Listener Questions Send us questions so we can answer anything you've been thinking about on a future episode. Send those through Instagram @wheeltalkpodcast or email us at wheeltalkpodcast@gmail.com . Thanks for joining us and we would love...
Aug 29, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 53
On this episode, Ryan & Becca share an amazing conversation with Tara and Matt Brault, the husband & wife artists behind Pitch Pine Pottery. We discuss their journey from Massachusetts to New Mexico, growing their online pottery business, balancing the business and relationship as a husband & wife team, and the struggles along the way the past few years. We absolutely loved having them on and feel it will be very relatable for you creatively & personally. About their work: "Our w...
Aug 21, 2020•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 52
Ryan & Becca get into a listener's question about considerations when thinking about selling wholesale. Contracts, deposits, pricing, minimum wholesale orders, sales tax on wholesale, and way more are covered on this episode. There's so much that goes into thinking about wholesale, but you can build confidence in your products, understand how long it takes you to make them, and do the best you can to over-communicate with your wholesale clients. PS: We previously spoke with Rebecca Prowse fr...
Aug 15, 2020•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 51
On this episode, Ryan & Becca chat with Curt Hammerly from Hammerly Ceramics, located in Westminster, Colorado. Curt works full-time in his storefront/studio with multiple employees to support his production cycle. He primarily makes functional wares with expertise in 3D modeling, 3D printing, slip casting, and vast array of eye-catching glazes. We appreciate his insights on running a growing small business, his making process, and managing his growth these past few years. Look out for Curt'...
Aug 08, 2020•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 50
Warning: Nerd Alert!! Ryan & Becca chat today about how they diversify their income in their pottery business and a little bit outside of that as well. There are lots of ways to spread your income around within the pottery business, from selling at shows, teaching, galleries, etc. Having multiple streams of income during these past few months has saved many of us small business owners as we weather this COVID storm. This one gets into some deep financial talk near the end that we thoroughly ...
Aug 01, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 49
Ryan & Becca answer a listener question at length on today's episode. Justin Patterson (@justcooperson) asks about studio essentials when moving from a community studio to a home studio. Some clay studios have limitations on the clays, glazes, tools, or open hours that can make you consider whether a home studio set-up is for you. While community studios eliminate a lot of the complexity on your part because nearly everything is provided for you (equipment, clay, firing, glazes, etc), you ar...
Jul 25, 2020•49 min•Ep. 48
On this episode, Ryan & Becca chat with Aaron Kleinhelter, a recreational clay artist from Louisville, Kentucky. He's recently moved to Washington state and currently focuses on creating figurative mugs, which he calls "muglyz." They are very odd and unique pieces that people either seem to love or hate, as with most art. Aaron's background in ceramics is very basic, only a few classes in high school and two intro classes in college. Aaron currently works full time as a Head Distiller in Spo...
Jul 18, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 47
Ryan runs solo on this episode to speak to his new normal these past few months. Adapting to the current reality of very few in-person shows, online sales increasing, and ramping up the social media marketing has given many small businesses like ours new challenges to face. I've decided to keep moving forward, catching up on some studio projects, and experiment with new forms/clay in the 'down-time' so I don't become static. It's up to you where your business goes in times like these and shiftin...
Jul 11, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 46
Ryan & Becca briefly address the happenings around the United States these past few weeks before jumping into the topic for today. Afterwards, we discuss Ryan's first in-person art show in Cincinnati, OH during the COVID pandemic at the Westside Market on June 6th. The feasibility of outdoor events are still up in the air for the coming months, but protocols are going to be different for the foreseeable future if/when they happen. With brick and mortars around the country allowed to open bac...
Jul 04, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 45
