The Maker's Playbook

Send us Fan Mail Most of us have been told (or have told ourselves one way or another) that building a successful creative business means picking a lane and staying in it. But what happens when the lane you've built starts to feel more like a cage, and the work that once lit you up becomes just another obligation you can't motivate yourself to do? Christina Orthwein's journey from production potter to sculptor to jewelry maker and back again is a raw and honest look at how the pressure to mon...

Send us Fan Mail Right now, for potters and artists around the world the holiday season is crazy busy - markets, commissions, shop updates, custom orders all piling up at once. But are you choosing what's right for you, or just reacting to everything coming at you? In this episode, we explore the crucial difference between making intentional decisions based on your unique goals versus automatically saying yes because you're afraid to miss out. Rebecca shares her own journey from reactiv...

Send us Fan Mail Many makers struggle with the tension between creating work we love vs making work that we think will sell, especially when traditional academic instruction is often focused on concepts and what I call “Capital A Art” over the practical skills needed to make a living. What if the key isn't choosing between artistic integrity and commercial viability, but rather learning to work efficiently? Olivia Avery's experience reveals how rigorous craftsmanship training—throwing 40-80 p...

Send us Fan Mail Most makers think YouTube means teaching their craft or competing with influencers for millions of views—but what if the real power lies in creating educated, confident buyers who value your work before they ever click "purchase"? Jamar Diggs, YouTube consultant and creator of the Low Lift Club, reveals how service providers and product makers can leverage YouTube not for viral fame, but as a strategic lead generator that transforms browsers into invested customers. When make...

Send us Fan Mail The romanticized image of going full-time as a maker often glosses over one crucial reality: you'll spend as much time problem-solving your business as you do creating, and the mental resilience required might surprise you more than the financial challenges. What if the key to thriving long-term isn't just having enough savings or demand for your work, but developing the flexibility to constantly adapt when your original plans inevitably must change? Yvonne's two-year journey...

Send us Fan Mail The internet loves to talk about that magical “six figure business” milestone, but what if hitting that revenue number doesn't actually change your life the way you think it will? What if the real transformation happens when you stop chasing someone else's definition of success and start building systems that serve your actual goals—even when that means making decisions that feel uncomfortable or unconventional? In part two of our conversation, Will Donovan pulls back the cur...

Send us Fan Mail As makers, many of us feel pressure to choose between our creative passions and a more traditional career - but what if that's a false choice entirely? What if taking your craft seriously doesn't require abandoning a career you are equally passionate about? Melisa's journey from taking her first clay class as a 40th birthday gift to creating what she calls a "side saunter" shows us how blending our different worlds can actually make both richer. Could embracing your own pace ...