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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

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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 and connecting your creative work to the career you already had be the key to building a sustainable making practice that enhances rather than competes with all of life’s other demands?

Melisa's work can be found @mwypottery

Featured in this episode: Check out our Community member, Alisha's work @alishahagenart

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Recently there's been a lot of talk around whether or not you can make a full-time living as a studio potter, and most stories you'll hear about those who are seen as "studio potters" involve teaching regularly, running workshops, providing rental space for other artists, or maintaining multiple income streams beyond just making pots. But there are a few potters out there who truly make their living from the literal things they make - and Heidi Fahrenbacher, of Bella Joy Pottery, is one of them. Heidi's journey from financial rock bottom to paying herself a steady salary reveals how facing your worst business fears head-on can actually become the foundation for a more sustainable practice. In this conversation we talk about how sustaining this kind of practice isn't about finding the perfect sales channel or mastering every platform, but about learning to simplify, set boundaries, and recover from the inevitable mistakes that come with building any creative business. Heidi’s experience reminds us that sometimes the most valuable business skill isn't avoiding problems altogether—it's learning how to bounce back from them with better boundaries, clearer priorities, and the confidence to keep making the work that lights you up.

Resources in this Episode:
Heidi's Instagram

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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