Ryan & Becca welcome back Tzipporah from Sipor Ceramics to catch up on what's happening with her virtual workshops since we last talked. Virtual teaching was in it's very early stages the last time we talked in August of 2023 for Tzipporah and she's come a long way since. In the midst of balancing family life and the business, she's moving out of her home & studio with the family abroad. We also catch up on Ryan's recent vacation to Spain & Portugal before we go deeper with Tzipporah. Come back next week to hear more about the virtual summit she's hosting this August. ResourcesThr ..read more

Ryan & Becca are back after a long time since their last Q&A episode nearly a year ago. They answer many of your questions related to business, studio practice, and a few random ones. Thanks to everyone who continues to send us questions on Instagram and by email! Listener QuestionsSend us questions so we can answer anything you've been thinking about on a future episode. Send those through Instagram @wheeltalkpodcast or email us at wheeltalkpodcast@gmail.com. Sponsors L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hot ..read more

Ryan and Becca are back with Jordan Kloppe, owner of Bluebird Clay, for part two of our discussion. He shares more about new product development, manufacturing challenges, experiences at pottery conferences (Clay Con West & NCECA), fulfilling orders efficiently, building a small pug mill, and the future of Bluebird. Thanks to Jordan for chatting and the listeners for tuning in! -----Find more about Bluebird below----- Instagram - @bluebird_clay Website - https://bluebirdclay.com/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/100090242449210/ Listener Questions Send us questions so we can answer anythi ..read more

Ryan and Becca introduce listeners to Jordan Kloppe, new owner of Bluebird Clay. Bluebird is a name that’s been around our industry for decades and are most known for manufacturing pugmills, clay mixers, and Soldner pottery wheels. Jordan shares his outsider perspective as he recently purchased the business, brings it into a new era of manufacturing, and some speed bumps he’s encountered so far. Stick around for part two next week to finish our conversation. -----Find more about Bluebird below----- Instagram - @bluebird_clay Website - https://bluebirdclay.com/ Facebook - https://facebook.com ..read more

Ryan & Becca come ready to chat all about what's involved in moving out of a studio, no matter the size. I think we can all agree, moving sucks! Both have experience in moving to larger and smaller studios over the years. With Becca's recent move, she's got a lot to say about selling equipment, tools, clay, etc so someone else can get a second life out them. We also aren't shy about recommending a dumpster. Best of luck if you're in a studio moving situation yourself and build habits of purging little by little. Listener QuestionsOn this episode: -  Bookkeeping! Do I need a tax ID ri ..read more

Ryan and Becca welcome back Link Henderson, the owner of Kentucky Mudworks and Dirty Girls Pottery Tools, for part two of our conversation from last week. They discuss switching to Shopify as a sales platform, running marketing campaigns/sales throughout the year, online and print resources for staying up-to-date on changes in our industry, and some fun questions to finish things up. Thanks for listening! -----Find more about Link's businesses below----- Kentucky Mudworks Instagram - @kentuckymudworks Website - https://kymudworks.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kentuckymudworks Faceb ..read more

Ryan and Becca welcome back Link Henderson, the owner of Kentucky Mudworks and Dirty Girls Pottery Tools, for an in-depth conversation. They discuss the significant adjustments Link's businesses have made since their last chat 3 years ago, particularly in response to the uncertainty surrounding raw materials. Link also shares insights into their rigorous product testing process before shipping to customers. Plus, they delve into a slightly controversial topic that you'll definitely want to hear. Tune in next week for the second part of this engaging discussion! -----Find more about Link's bus ..read more

Ryan & Becca are back to chat about Becca's next challenge as she's made her way back east for the summer. She's planning ahead for diving head first into online teaching in clay. It's not something too foreign for her, but she's been planning for months (maybe even years) to get to this point. There's a lot of unknowns still, but the plan is set in motion. Ryan also shares a bit about a new throwing challenge he's started the past few weeks. Listener QuestionsOn this episode: -  Hi Ryan and Becca! I have tried to get an answer to this question and apparently am struggling. I want to ..read more

Ryan & Becca are happy to be joined by Bethany Kramer from Bethany Rose Pottery to answer all of our questions about working on orders with restaurants. Bethany has been working with various local and regional restaurants over nearly the last decade, finding success as she's grown. We're happy to get some answers regarding making orders in large quantities, hiring help, working with chefs/owners, adjusting forms over time, firing cone 10 gas reduction work, balancing family time, and shifting income streams over the years. We covered so much in what felt like a short time. Enjoy! -----Find ..read more

Ryan & Becca discuss how they think about adjusting their business & finances when sales are harder to come by.  We've seen slower sales to start the year online, at shows, and general sentiment around folks having less disposable income. We hope you get some valuable takeaways to get yourself prepared in the case of finances tightening or product being harder to sell. Resources Wheel Talk #233 - Is paid advertisement worth it? with Will Donovan Listener QuestionsOn this episode: -  What do you do with oil bottles/soap dispensers that end up too narrow for the 'tops' (oil s ..read more