Ep 622: When 90% Of Your Revenue Comes From Pottery Alone With Heidi Fahrenbacher The Maker's Playbook podcast

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Ep 622: When 90% of Your Revenue Comes from Pottery Alone with Heidi Fahrenbacher

11d ago 1:26:04

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Recently 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 Instagram

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Chapters

1. Heidi Fahrenbacher (00:00:00)

2. Welcome and Introductions (00:01:51)

3. Heidi's Journey into Pottery (00:05:33)

4. Early Experiences and Challenges (00:06:42)

5. College and Career Decisions (00:07:46)

6. Navigating the Art World (00:10:59)

7. The Evolution of Selling Art (00:12:03)

8. Balancing Life and Art (00:15:57)

9. Experimentation and Finding Your Style (00:44:59)

10. Exploring Stoneware vs. Porcelain (00:48:37)

11. The Evolution of Color in Ceramics (00:49:19)

12. Dealing with the Inner Critic (00:51:04)

13. Challenges and Benefits of Studio Spaces (01:05:42)

14. The Importance of Self-Care (01:09:28)

15. The Midwest and Time Zones (01:16:48)

166 episodes

#Entrepreneur #Arts #Business #Rebecca Ickes Carra #Podcasting Education #Ceramic #Pottery #Making A Living As An Artist #Life Of An Artist #Photographing Pottery #Photographing Art