Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lyndsay Dean, Founder of The Vegan Potter, located in Stonington, CT, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a self-taught potter making my living at my craft. I call myself The Vegan Potter because I love blending my art with my ethical activism and the joy of making homemade vegan food to fill my handmade functional ceramics. My customers are people who appreciate hand-crafted pottery and often other vegans!
Tell us about yourself
I always loved making art but never liked getting my hands dirty until I sat down at a potter’s wheel nearly 30 years ago. I was instantly hooked despite not being able to make anything but a muddy mess in the beginning. My parents had always instilled in me the importance of finding what you love to do and figuring out how to make a living at it. I took my savings and opened a small community studio where I gave lessons to the public and sold my work. Four years later, I outgrew the rental space and purchased a large commercial property, where I spent the next 13 years growing the business into a thriving art and wellness facility.
Five years ago, I closed down the community studio, sold my property, and rented a space closer to where my husband and I were making our home. Now I operate Glaze Handmade (home of The Vegan Potter), which is my pottery studio and retail shop where clients can watch me work while they browse. I’ve always been self-motivated, and clay has kept me humble and intrigued for all these years. I don’t ever picture myself retiring! I love making pots too much!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I’m pretty proud of the fact that I’ve been a self-employed working artist for 20 years. Although my career has shifted and pivoted at times, I’ve continued to make my living doing what I love, and there is nothing more satisfying than that. I’ve taught countless people the craft of making pottery, made thousands of custom pieces for special occasions, and tens of thousands of pieces to sell to other retailers, restaurants, and in my brick-and-mortar and online shop. As a one-woman operation, I’m filled with gratitude for all the opportunities to showcase my craft.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the most common misconceptions about being a business owner is that we have all kinds of free time and that it’s an easy life when in reality, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever worked at. As an artist and business owner, my brain never shuts off. Finding a balance between work and leisure time has always been the most challenging part of running my business because most days I have the energy to work right through meals, and I feel like sleep is a waste of time. Recognizing that self-care needs to take priority in order to allow me to keep doing what I love has been the hardest thing to continue to learn.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- If you don’t love what you do and you aren’t prepared to hustle, then don’t start a business.
- Keep your overhead expenses as low as possible for as long as possible.
- Hire professionals to do the things you aren’t good at and learn to ask for help.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.theveganpotter.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVeganPotter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theveganpotter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glazehandmade/
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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