Ep 613: Where Are They Now with Kara Leigh Ford

The Maker's Playbook

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As an avid podcast listener, long before I ever started this show, I was always curious about what had happened to entrepreneurs and small business owners after the interview was over. was everything still working the way they described during that interview or had things changed? On this "Where Are They Now" series, we answer that very question of some of our past podcast guests. This week, I'm sitting back down again with Kara Leigh Ford to discuss all that's changed since I last spoke with her back in January of 2021. Since then, her husband has left his corporate job to pursue his own passions, which has shifted the demands of Kara's business into being the primary source of economic support for their household. Through strategic pivots—balancing pottery-making, teaching, Patreon content, and publishing two books—Kara has discovered that success isn't always about exponential growth but intentional choices that protect joy and wellbeing. Their household has not only survived this transition but found new equilibrium, with Tom now signed to a record label and Kara experiencing greater clarity about her priorities as a maker. This chat with Kara is a great reminder that the true measure of success isn't necessarily constant expansion, but rather designing a business that supports the life you actually want to live.

Looking for more support in trying to figure out how to be create your own unique version of a creative life? The Community is the place to be. With now over 100 makers from all over the world, The Community is where you can dive deeper into any of the topics we’ve started talking about here on the podcast. Whether it’s the debate back on episode #509 about choosing between Etsy or your own website, or trying to sort out what type of side-hustle or full-time business works for your own personal life after hearing so many different kind of stories here on the podcast, if you’ve been listening along and find yourself wishing for more at the end of an episode, The Community is that more. Learn about more of the perks of membership by visiting makersplaybook.com/community or send me a message and I can put you in touch with one of our members to get an insider’s perspective.

Resources in this Episode:
Kara's Instagram

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Chapters

1. Kara Ford (00:00:00)

2. Welcome Back to the Podcast, Cara! (00:03:09)

3. Cara's Journey into Pottery (00:04:13)

4. Tom's Career Shift to Music (00:07:10)

5. Managing Burnout and Work-Life Balance (00:14:45)

6. Navigating the Publishing World (00:31:47)

7. Creating a Custom Pottery Notebook (00:34:03)

8. High-Quality Production and Design Choices (00:38:51)

9. Balancing Art and Business, The Ever-Evolving Artistic Journey (00:43:26)

10. Practical Time Management for Potters (00:47:25)

11. Navigating Unpredictable Challenges (01:09:42)

12. Final Thoughts and Future Plans (01:15:09)

172 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