Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pottery but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jen McIntyre, Founder of McIntyre Pottery, located in Amissville, VA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
McIntyre Pottery is a quaint pottery studio located in Virginia. I create functional pieces for customers' homes, including bowls, mugs, plates, vases, and more. In addition to creating pottery, I also offer private wheel-throwing lessons and studio time. With over 35 glazes to choose from, the color combos are endless!
Tell us about yourself
I fell in love with clay in 4th grade, continued exploring clay after college, and ultimately continued the love story with a pottery business of my own. Pursuing this passion makes me a better person for myself and my family. To create something from nothing and to see the happiness this art form brings others is like nothing I've experienced before. It's a combination of gratitude, surprise, and pride.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The "biggest accomplishment" I find changes as more time passes. Right now, finding a balance between all the different aspects of life is the true accomplishment for this potter. For me, finding that balance is an everyday effort. Between being a full-time public-school 4th-grade teacher, a wife, a mom of 3 awesome kids, and running a pottery business solo, it's a delicate dance between knowing what's doable, purposeful, or too much. It takes living "too much" to find the balance. And that's ok, and it's part of the story.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
If you are a sole proprietor, everything with your business falls on your shoulders. The ordering of supplies, picking up those supplies, creating, money management, social media updates, responding to customers, and on and on. The hardest part for me, though, goes back to being the biggest accomplishment.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Have a space for your work supplies.
- Get organized early with your plan for tracking expenses and income.
- Develop your brand. Who are you? How do you want the world to see your business? Love your brand because it's you.
- PS: Make sure to have fun and take breaks. Good luck, and CHEERS!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.mcintyrepottery.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcintyrepottery
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcintyrepottery/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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