Ep 515: Stepping Outside Our Comfort Zone with Dave Conrey

A rare non-potter conversation today on the podcast with Dave Conrey, graphic designer turned email newsletter educator. We talk about the realities of making art and trying to sell that art, approaches to marketing our work without needing to be a part of the hustle-bro culture, and eventually get around to the notion that really piqued my interest when I first met Dave online - committing to one project and one project only for a set period of time in order to focus. It’s a rare conversation without mention of kiln gods or reclaim, but enlightening to see the cross over of similarities when it comes to making a living from the things you make in whatever medium that might be. Guest Resources:Dave's Instagram - @daveconreyToday’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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

We’re back for part two! In this continued conversation with Joy Hanford - a Midwest gal, much like myself, who now lives in Portugal - we get into the topics of the complexities of learning about and navigating bureaucracies in other countries, art as a form of grieving and processing world events like the lockdown and the experience of a global pandemic in another country, starting a business amidst covid, and most of all, defining success for ourselves. Yes, it’s a heavy one my friends. But once again, it’s interwoven with a healthy dose of dry humor and sarcasm because apparently, that’s a Midwestern trait we both have - making jokes amidst heavy subjects to help get you through. Once again, there’s a bit of adult language, so hit pause and grab the headphones if you need to before your hands are covered in mud.Big Announcement!The 4 Most Common Instagram Photography Mistakes (and how to avoid them) is coming BACK! This is by far our most popular FREE photographic resource, specific for makers & potters and it's happening again on June 11th and 12th. Learn more and save your spot by visiting: makersplaybook.com/instagram-photographyGuest Resources:Joy Hanford's Instagram - @joyhanfordToday’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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

Living abroad. Sometimes, it sounds like the solution to all of my problems. All I need to do is choose a country with national healthcare and town with relatively low cost of living, and TA DA! Making a living from the things we make is solved, right? Right? It can look incredibly romantic online - strolling through tiny streets seemingly too small for cars, surrounded by historic architecture and the depths of tradition for a craft we all love. But how does it actually work? Is it really that simple? Much like anything in life and business, there are pluses and there are minuses. And it’s up to each of us individually to put those things on a scale and decide what’s best for ourselves, individually. However, the decision gets a lot easier when you have more information on the metaphorical scale, which is exactly what this week’s conversation with Joy Hanford - an American born ceramicist who’s been living in Portugal for the last 20 years - is all about. Big Announcement!The 4 Most Common Instagram Photography Mistakes (and how to avoid them) is coming BACK! This is by far our most popular FREE photographic resource, specific for makers & potters and it's happening again on June 11th and 12th. Learn more and save your spot by visiting: makersplaybook.com/instagram-photographyGuest Resources:Joy Hanford's Instagram - @joyhanfordToday’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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

Wholesale… The assumption is there’s no way to reasonably make a living, as a maker, by doing wholesale. But is that true? Since I’m generally pretty skeptical of any sweeping statement that says an entire concept doesn’t work for anyone, at all, I jumped at the opportunity chat with Steve Tubbs, an ex-retailer turned potter, when he mentioned his entire business is wholesale. While it might not work for everyone, it’s definitely working for him and the nothing-short-of-brilliant ordering schedule he has that allows him to plan out his entire year’s work by spring time!Guest Resources:Steve Tubbs Instagram - @stevetubbspotteryResources - https://www.stevetubbspottery.com/Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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

You’ve taken a few classes at your local community studio and you know you want to make ceramics a larger part of your life. In fact, you want to build your own studio, but what does that even look like? And what might be all the tasks and overhead that community studio has been handling without you even realizing it? What is it actually like to start and run a community studio? While we’re at it, let’s complicate things a bit and open that community studio in one of the most expensive places to live in the country. Lindsay Langsdale is doing just that, in San Francisco, and we’re talking all about it on this episode of The Maker’s Playbook.The Maker's Photography Styling System is coming back! Get first dibs at your spot for this 6-week online course specifically for makers & potters by joining our waitlist at: makersplaybook.com/waitlistGuest Resources:Lindsay Langsdale's Instagram - with @lin.langResources -https://www.linlangcreative.com/Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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

Having a collector buy our work... It sounds… amazing! Awe-inspiring? Relieving? Luxurious. All of the above really. But how does it even happen? During the 2024 NCECA conference, Coalescence, held in Richmond, VA I sat down with Peter Beasecker and Louise Rosenfield to chat about their perspectives as maker and collector on how building relationships with collectors begins and how we might each be able to consider fostering our own. Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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

“Etsy vs. Your own website. Which is better?” It’s a question I see asked online endlessly. I see the responses fought over just as endlessly. But is it really an either/or? We dig into that on this next installment of our “The Launch” series - where I dig into the firsthand experiences Francesco & I are having in starting our own ceramics business. Spoiler - We’re using both Etsy and our own website, because there are pros and cons to both. And it’s those pros & cons we discuss in this episode so you can make the decision that’s right for you.Start back at the beginning of The Launch series by clicking here. If you find you are still overwhelmed by it all, the place deeper conversations are happening with supportive makers from all over the world is inside of our virtual home - The Community. Click here to join now and be a part of the Instagram Masterclass happening on April 25th (or to get the recording if you are seeing this after April 25th!).Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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

I know I'm not the only one who finds social media to be exhausting. The idea of keeping up with trends sounds equivalent to nails on a chalkboard to me. But at the same time, I know there is a huge opportunity on social media. After all, Instagram alone has 2 billion  users. Enter Allie Mason. A data-based marketing strategist who understands that us solo-preneurs and small independent businesses don’t necessarily have the time (or the desire) to be spending all of our time keeping up with the ever changing world of social media. What Allie teaches focuses on using social media for what it can do for us all to grow our businesses, but not having it be our businesses. And I love it so much we're bringing Allie into The Community for a very special Masterclass specifically for makers on April 25th! This Masterclass is open to Community  members only.  To gain access, join The Community by clicking here. Guest Resources: Allie Mason's Instagram - with @thatalliemasonResources - https://bio.site/thatalliemasonToday’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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

On this week’s episode I talk with founding Community member, Connie Cole, about her winding path to becoming a full-time potter. We discuss her battle with imposter syndrome, what finding a “gateway drug” has done for her business and the assault on creativity she’s experienced over time (and of course, how she’s battling against it!)Interested in joining other makers from all over the world in a safe & supportive environment online? Come check out The Community by clicking here.Guest Resources:Connie Cole's Instagram - @twocentsceramicsResources - https://twocentsceramics.com/Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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

Feeling the FOMO because you aren't going to NCECA? Come hang out inside of The Community - Learn more & join for 1 month by clicking here.One of my favorite books: Deep Work by Cal Newport (purchasing the book through this link helps support the podcast!)Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic ArtBray Clay by the Archie BrayDoors to the Maker's Photography Styling System are open now! 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