The Maker's Playbook

Ep 624: Iterating for a Target Audience with Will Donovan


Listen Later

Send us a text

As makers, we often start with a vision of success that's more fantasy than strategic roadmap—believing that if we just work harder at making our beautiful pieces, it will somehow lead to a sustainable business. But what if the path to actually thriving as a creative is in repeatedly narrowing your focus, rather than doing more and more? What if doing less is actually what allows you to find that magical venn diagram intersection of what you love and a specific audience who desperately wants it?

Will Donovan's journey from nearly abandoning ceramics to building a six-figure fantasy-themed pottery business reveals how iterating toward a precise target audience—rather than trying to please everyone—can transform both your creative satisfaction and your bottom line. But don’t be fooled! The need to evolve your definition of success, even when it means letting go of traditional expectations (or some of the hands-on making) is no easy process. As always, it all comes down to your unique definition of not only what success looks like, but also what type of life you actually want to live.

In this episode: Will's work @donovanpottery

-----

Find Community member Alisha @alishahagenart

Interested in joining Alisha inside of The Community? Learn more about the perks of membership and sign up at: makersplaybook.com/community

-----

Love this podcast? Support an episode! Click here to learn more.

Follow The Maker's Playbook on Instagram @themakersplaybook

Have questions about the show or want to say Hi? Email us at: podcast (at) makers-playbook (dot) com

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Maker's PlaybookBy Rebecca Ickes Carra

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

110 ratings


More shows like The Maker's Playbook

View all
Tales of a Red Clay Rambler: A pottery and ceramic art podcast by Ben Carter

Tales of a Red Clay Rambler: A pottery and ceramic art podcast

267 Listeners

The Potters Cast by Paul Blais

The Potters Cast

530 Listeners

Creative Pep Talk by Andy J. Pizza

Creative Pep Talk

1,995 Listeners

Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

Good Life Project

3,285 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,716 Listeners

Worklife with Adam Grant by TED

Worklife with Adam Grant

9,157 Listeners

Wheel Talk by Ryan Durbin & Becca Otis

Wheel Talk

125 Listeners

The Mud Peddlers: Ceramic Art Behind the Scenes by Lindsey M Dillon and Donte Earth Nation

The Mud Peddlers: Ceramic Art Behind the Scenes

81 Listeners

Windowsill Chats by Margo Tantau

Windowsill Chats

344 Listeners

For Flux Sake by Kathy King, Rose Katz, Matt Katz

For Flux Sake

179 Listeners

All There Is with Anderson Cooper by CNN Podcasts

All There Is with Anderson Cooper

10,553 Listeners

The Kiln Sitters by Marianne Chénard, Carole Epp and Brendan Tang

The Kiln Sitters

3 Listeners

Shaping Your Pottery with Nic Torres by Nic Torres

Shaping Your Pottery with Nic Torres

15 Listeners

The Pin Tool Podcast | Pottery | Ceramics | Small Business by Alford Wayman

The Pin Tool Podcast | Pottery | Ceramics | Small Business

3 Listeners

The Telepathy Tapes by Ky Dickens

The Telepathy Tapes

8,364 Listeners