Wheel Talk

Ryan & Becca are proud to share the topic of "Resources for your business" live at the NCECA 2024 clay conference hosted in Richmond, VA. We hope you enjoy the discussion as we share how our friends and peers become some of the best resources for our businesses. Thanks to Ben Carter (Tales of the Red Clay Rambler) and NCECA for co-producing the podcast and graciously inviting us back for the NCECA podcast room. Also, thanks to everyone who came to our talk in-person and asked questions live. Enjoy and we hope to see you at a future conference!

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Ryan & Becca chat about preorders today! We cover a few pros and cons of doing a preorder, what we've preordered before, what we'd like to preorder in the future, and customer considerations when receiving an online preorder. Enjoy and good luck if you're planning to preorder anything this year.

Resources
Join the waitlist for Ryan's future Bookkeeping Workshops

Listener Questions
On this episode:
- Taxes/keeping track of income/expenses @dirtboyceramics

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Ryan & Becca welcome back Heidi Fahrenbacher from Bella Joy Pottery for third time to chat all things NCECA and catch up on Becca's pricing. They recap how NCECA went for them as demonstrators & presenters, what makes the conference so overwhelming, dig into Becca's pricing and sales since we last met with Heidi, and hunting apparently. Stay tuned for the next appearance when we dig more into Ryan's pricing and sales with Heidi. Enjoy everyone!

-----Find more about Heidi's business below-----
Instagram - @bellajoypottery
Website - https://www.bellajoypottery.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bellajoypottery
Wheel Talk #219 - Pricing your work effectively https://wheeltalk.buzzsprout.com/539026/13732526-219-pricing-your-work-effectively-with-heidi-fahrenbacher-from-bella-joy-pottery
Wheel Talk #91 - Things to Be Happy About https://wheeltalk.buzzsprout.com/539026/8520636-91-things-to-be-happy-about-with-heidi-fahrenbacher-from-bella-joy-pottery
Tales of the Red Clay Rambler #469 Heidi Fahrenbacher on her formula for pricing https://www.talesofaredclayrambler.com/episodes/469-heidi-fahrenbacher-on-her-formula-for-pricing

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Ryan & Becca are heading home to Cincinnati with Erica & Jessica from Richmond, Virginia after attending NCECA 2024. Enjoy the events that made this week special and some of our key takeaways as we get home, rest up, and get back into our studios soon. We hope to see everyone in Salt Lake City, Utah for 2025 and Detroit, Michigan for 2026!

Follow Erica at @erica_irene_k and Jessica at @overbrookclay on Instagram to see what they are up to.

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Ryan & Becca are getting excited about NCECA, which just concluded at the time of this release, before answering a listener's question about gauging the shows they're selling at. Sandrine's in her second year of selling and wants to make sure the shows she's looking into are good fit for the potential customers out there for her. We get into how you should think about the shows you choose, improving little by little by comparing to yourself only, and planning for selling outside your home state regarding taxes. Thanks for listening and best of luck for everyone preparing for the show season ahead!

Listener Questions
On this episode:
- 1. Last year I kept hearing that sales levels were down compared to past years. It was my first full year so I didn't have the comparison. Do you feel that it was down?
- 2. I've been selling primarily at a farmers market and a few local themed markets (Halloween, Christmas, etc.). This year I'm looking to expand into other venues in hopes to increase my sales. Do you think that juried events tend to yield better sales than non juried? And would arts festivals also be worth it?
- 3. Other markets mean traveling out of state. How do you deal with sales tax?
- Sandrine from @frenchfrogpottery

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Ryan & Becca share some stories today about how the podcast started and how it's changed over the years. We also get into how we see it progressing into the future and some dream scenarios we may see come to fruition at some point. Thanks for continuing to listen!

Listener Questions
On this episode:
- How did the podcast start? How did we manage it early on & plan for discussions? Where are we now with it and how do we feel about it? Did we have plans long term for it & what opportunities do we see for it in the future? @sipor.ceramics

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Ryan & Becca are joined today by Melanie Westheiden from Swell Ceramics. Melanie shares about her business’ evolution from a home studio to brick and mortar, preparing for the holiday season, setting boundaries on Instagram, & shifting her body of work. Thanks so much to Melanie for taking the time to share with all of us.

-----Find more about Melanie’s business below-----
Instagram - @swellceramics
Website - https://www.swellceramics.com/

Listener Questions
On this episode:
- Do y’all have any insight on making passive income (stickers/merch) for your pottery business? Is it worth the time and money, or is it a complete waste? My pieces take an insane amount of time to create, but I don’t want to make plain ol’ mugs or pieces out of the fear I’ll lose my audience. So I was looking at possibly going the merch route. Any advice? Hopefully this makes sense! @punchypottery

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Ryan & Becca are back together once again and this week we're talking mobile studios! We received a question about the viability of using a mobile studio in a trailer, van, etc to assist in teaching small kid classes and selling at shows from it. Becca's insights may surprise you on this one. Thanks for the question Lilly!

Listener Questions
On this episode:
- I have been trying to get a little more consistency in my drying. Currently I have a rack that is taped up with plastic but occasionally still have some cracking issues that are due to parts drying faster than others. My question is what is an optimal humidity level for drying, and or temperature? @roycroftron
- What do you think of mobile studios? I have researched this somewhat and have seen a few examples of teardrop camper studios, food truck studios parked on a small plot of land, teaching studios in a bus or van, etc. I already really hate dragging all of my stuff to shows in a small-sized SUV, and I’m only a baby potter. I’m super jealous of the flower lady who has a cute, tiny truck at the farmers markets to sell from. People LOVE her setup. I also haul all my stuff back and forth to teach kids classes. Becca, have you ever worked out of your van selling/teaching? Would a mobile studio be a good idea as a business investment vs. a brick and mortar shop when you can’t teach at home?  Do you know any potters with mobile studios? Maybe a mobile studio would come with its own costs and restrictions. Would appreciate any insight you might have on mobile studios! @tuliptreetales

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com
Speedball Ceramics - Check out their newest line of Mid-Fire glazes at speedballart.com and see them in-person at NCECA 2024 at booth #208 in Richmond, VA.

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Ryan & Becca are joined today by Sara Davis from Golden Earth Designs. Sara shares about her process of making custom wholesale mugs, selling full time the past year, getting back to production after the holidays, and clay buttons! Thanks so much to Sara for sharing some time to chat about her work and business.

-----Find more about Sara's business below-----
Instagram - @goldenearthdesigns
Etsy - https://goldenearthdesigns.etsy.com/

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com
Speedball Ceramics - Check out their newest line of Mid-Fire glazes at speedballart.com and see them in-person at NCECA 2024 at booth #208 in Richmond, VA.

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Ryan & Becca welcome Em (Paz) Stevens to the show to discuss balancing a full time job in the service industry and part time pottery. We get into how her business did in 2023, how she's building out her home studio, funding the build through Kickstarter, setting realistic business goals, and digging into Etsy shop advice. Thanks again to Em for sharing her time with us.

-----Find more about Em's business below-----
Instagram - @pazfuldesigns
Website - https://www.pazfuldesigns.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pazfuldesigns
Etsy - https://pazfuldesignsstudio.etsy.com/

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 [email protected].

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com
Speedball Ceramics - Check out their newest line of Mid-Fire glazes at speedballart.com and see them in-person at NCECA 2024 at booth #208 in Richmond, VA.

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel

Support the show on Patreon for as little as $3 per month: https://patreon.com/Wheeltalkpodcast

Follow us on Instagram:
@wheeltalkpodcast
@rdceramics
@5linespottery

Visit our website:
www.wheeltalkpotcast.com
Wheel Talk YouTube Channel