Wheel Talk
Ryan Durbin (@rdceramics) & Becca Otis (@5linespottery) share their experiences as potters, makers, small business owners, and creatives. Becca is a full time studio potter, while Ryan is a full time website developer and part time potter. We'd love to share our ups and downs along the way as we build our skills as makers and small business owners in an honest, informal manner. We hope to bring you helpful tips we've learned over the years, learn from each other, and share expertise from a number of guests with you also. Please join us for some Wheel Talk!
Show episodes
In this episode, Ryan and Becca answer a few listener questions before diving into the topic of preorders. Inspired by an Instagram story series from @themugmaiden, they discuss Ryan"s experience as a customer of a preordered ceramic piece. They also explore the ins and outs of selling preorders, including tips for suc
Ryan and Becca return for the third chapter of the podcast book club, diving into Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon. Joined once again by Taylor Swilley, they explore key takeaways and connect the book’s themes to their own lives and businesses. We"ll announce our next
In this episode, Ryan and Becca recap their time at the Cincinnati Coffee Festival, comparing sales, discussing what changed from last year, and exploring the new items Becca introduced. They also share highlights from Ryan’s recent trip to Brooklyn, New York, where he visited Etsy headquarters and attended the in-pers
Ryan and Becca chat with Sarah Hussaini of Not Work Related about the challenges of growing her ceramics business in NYC. Sarah shares her journey of hiring and trusting others to maintain quality, balancing high overhead costs, and prioritizing sustainable growth. She also discusses how she evaluates large opportuniti
In this episode, Ryan and Becca recap their time at the Michiana Pottery Tour before answer a few listener questions. Questions include handling commission inquiries and the best way to turn them down, business startup basics (registering a business name and setting up a bank account), and pricing for custom wholesale
In this episode, Ryan and Becca tackle a range of listener questions, offering valuable insights for potters with varied years of experience. They start by sharing their experience with mystery boxes—how many pieces to include, what types of pottery work well, and why they’re such a hit with customers. The discussion t