Ep 622: When 90% of Your Revenue Comes from Pottery Alone with Heidi Fahrenbacher
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.
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Resources in this Episode
Follow Heidi on Instagram @bellajoypottery
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if you're looking for help sorting out what version of this making life is right for your own specific needs, there are makers from all over the world having these very conversations inside The Community right now - some who have been full-time for years, some who just took the leap in recent months, and some who never plan to be full-time but still want to take their side hustle more seriously. You’ll find makers who teach alongside their making practice, and those who have started community studios, but of course, there are also plenty of people focused solely on making the work they love to make. If you want to learn more about Community membership and support the creation of this podcast in the process, click below.
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