I’m Rebecca.
let me tell you how I got here
(Spoiler: It’s not an MFA)
Hey there.
pottery business educator
Picture this:
I’m holding a graphic design diploma—a respectable, safe, employable approach to working in the arts.
I’ve got the 4.0 GPA, the completed internship, the whole package. But… It’s 2009. The economy has crashed, and no one is hiring.
Enter: self-employment. The best accidental decision that ever happened to me.
In 2012, the photography business that started in an apartment with roommates would move to its first (shared) studio.
In 2015, we’d be in our own storefront on the northside of Chicago and expand to a second brand (that would work with Fortune 500s). I’d hire staff and year over year the revenue would grow - exceeding multiple six-figures with each passing year.
Including 2020.
Ahh, 2020:
Our 10th year in business.
It would be celebrated not with the big party as planned, but quietly, from the contemplative state of the socially distanced.
And that’s when it would all change.
The thrill of clients around the world who kept my suitcase half-packed would be traded for the fulfillment of growing a garden and choosing the long route with my rescue pup on a no-longer-rare Saturday walk. Constant growth traded in for “enoughness” and free time—because, after 10 years of grinding, I finally realized something crucial:
The promises of the internet were not actually my real dreams.
And maybe you’re starting to realize the same thing…
Because that’s exactly why I built The Maker’s Playbook
To help fellow creatives define your unique version of success
(and receive the real-world support you need to achieve it).
Through our podcast, photography courses, and The Community business resources, I peel back the curtain on what it’s really like to make a living from the things we make.
Sharing my hard learned lessons from over 15 years of self-employment along the way, in the hopes that you can avoid some common pitfalls I figured out the hard way and accelerate your path to pursuing your own dreams without needing a global pandemic to show you the way.
Honest guidance, practical skills, and a growing community of fellow makers from all around the world that bring together their diverse experiences to truly support each other, because…
Together, we’ve got this.
Why Playbook?
Here’s what a playbook is not: a one-size-fits-all system promising that if you just follow these 7 steps, success is guaranteed.
Because that’s not how building a creative business actually works.
A playbook is a guide—a flexible collection of strategies you draw from based on what you actually need right now. A playbook allows you to assess a situation and choose the approach that fits the moment.
That’s what you need as a maker building a creative business (or side-hustle). Not a rigid formula, but a toolkit of practical skills, honest guidance, and real-world strategies you can adapt to your unique circumstances—your goals, your capacity, your specific definition of success.
The Maker’s Playbook gives you that flexibility, plus a community to help you figure out which tool to reach for when.
Real Feedback from Real Makers
“The Maker’s Playbook Community has been an invaluable source of support as I build my pottery business while also having a full-time job. ”
-Jessica, Community member since 2023
“Thank you, Rebecca, for making photography exciting instead of a chore.”
-Liesbeth, Past photography student & Community member
Unrelated, but you
should probably know…
I grew up in a small town in Illinois, where John Deere tractors began.
I’ve never used a lightbox to photograph our ceramics.
I frequently lose feeling in my legs because our 80lb rescue dog thinks he fits on my lap (and I obviously can’t tell him no).
I met my husband thanks to a ceramics residency and a RomCom-level storyline.
I believe 100% in what my dear friend, Naomi Clement says: “You make better art when you are well fed.”
I don’t think you need fancy gear to take good photos (most of our students only use their cell phones).
Did You Know
I teach in person, too! While I might be best known for all things virtual education, I love actually getting to meet in person! I’ve taught one-day photography workshops as close as Milwaukee and as far away as Sydney.
With over 5,000 makers receiving our bi-weekly newsletter (and a 51%+ open rate), The Snapshot is the perfect email marketing opportunity for any company looking to connect with a highly-engaged, niche audience. Click here to contact me about sponsorship opportunities ranging from one-off’s all the way to annual partnerships.
Where I really spill the tea though…
…is in The Community, the virtual home I turn to for support as much as our members.
It’s a safe, inclusive space where fellow makers show up as we actually are—uncertain, trying, celebrating the wins (big and small), asking hard questions, and quite simply, figuring it all out together. I lean on this Community for support and encouragement just as much as I offer it, because building something sustainable takes more than just knowledge—it takes people who get it and root for you on the days you wonder about throwing in the towel.
If you’re ready for pragmatic business education, real conversations, and genuine support from makers who understand your reality, we should hang out more inside of The Community.