Strategic conversations for pottery operators
Strategic conversations with operators in the pottery and small-batch artisan business. The work is helping you see your business clearly — what to price, where to focus, when to scale.
How I think about this industry
Most artisan potters are stuck in a structural problem: they price like a hobby (under $25 mugs), operate like a hobby (community studio, 30 pieces/month), and treat their pottery business as a hobby. The frameworks that move potters from hobby to income are mostly not pottery-specific. They're the same frameworks that apply to soap makers, candle makers, beekeepers selling honey, fly tyers selling commercial flies.
What's specific to pottery: kiln firing economics, glaze food-safety, studio rental vs owned, restaurant tableware contracts. What's universal: pricing psychology, channel mix, wholesale margins, the solo-to-scale transition.
The frameworks I work in
Per-piece margin architecture
Same mug at $20 doesn't pay the bills. Same mug at $38 funds a business. The work is finding price points your market accepts and the photography/branding that gets buyers there.
Channel mix audit
Etsy + craft fairs + direct + wholesale + restaurant. Each channel has different margin and volume. The right mix depends on your studio scale.
Restaurant tableware sales cycle
Restaurants buy at premium prices but the sales cycle is 3-9 months. The work is whether your studio capacity supports this channel and the chef-outreach playbook.
Studio rental vs ownership economics
$300/month community studio vs $5,000 home setup. The break-even depends on production volume, not on whether you "feel ready."
Kiln firing efficiency
Most potters underestimate firing cost per piece. The work is the packing-density audit and the changes that drop per-piece firing cost 40-60%.
Food-safety compliance
ASTM testing, Prop 65, the difference between commercial food-safe glazes and DIY mixed recipes. The compliance that protects your business from a single contamination claim.
What I don't do
- Generic small-business coaching. Tax, LLC setup, accounting — work with a CPA.
- Technical pottery instruction. Throwing technique, glaze chemistry — work with a local studio or mentor.
- Marketing execution. Strategy yes; execution is your work.
If you're earlier than this
Most potters don't need advisory work in the first 12-18 months. They need to execute the basics — develop a consistent product line, learn what sells, build photography. The articles on this site cover most of what's useful at that stage: Functional pottery, Etsy pottery business, Pricing honestly.
If you're 18+ months in and the next move isn't obvious, these conversations become useful.
Reach out on LinkedIn
If something here resonated, send a connection request or a message describing where you are. We'll figure out from there whether a conversation makes sense.
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