The Maker's Playbook - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

Ep 715: Get Specific, Create Demand with Taylor Friese of Maker Bakery Apr 03, 2026

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Most of us have been told — implicitly or explicitly — that success as a maker means growth: more followers, more orders, more revenue. But what if the real question isn't how big can this get, but what do I actually want from this? Taylor Friese of Maker Bakery built a waitlist that stretches years into the future not by chasing a bigger audience, but by getting radically clear about who she makes work for and why — and letting that clarity do the marketing for her. And when you get clear on what you actually want — not what success is supposed to look like, but what you want — the right people tend to show up, ready to wait in line for it.

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Ep 714: How to Make Confident Business Decisions in Your Art Business (or side-hustle) Mar 20, 2026

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If you've ever Googled "how to price my art" or "how to grow a creative business" hoping someone would just hand you the right answer — this episode is for you. Rebecca digs into why making confident business decisions as an artist or maker isn't about finding the perfect formula. It's about treating your art business like a science experiment: forming a hypothesis, testing it, analyzing what actually happens, and adjusting from there. Whether you're a full-time maker relying on your craft sales to pay the bills, or a side-hustle artist still holding onto that day job, this episode will help you stop waiting for permission and start making decisions that actually move your creative business forward.

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Ep 713: “Overnight Success” with Aaron Raymond of Redacted Ceramics Mar 06, 2026

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Most of us assume that building a creative business takes years of groundwork before the work can speak for itself — but what happens when the work takes off before you've had time to figure out the business? Aaron Raymond of Redacted Ceramics went from renting a wheel for a week to running a full-time pottery business in under two years, and his story raises a quiet but important question: does the conventional wisdom about "paying your dues" actually hold up? As Aaron shares, a clear creative vision — one rooted in the Portuguese tile work he encountered while living abroad — combined with a willingness to use technology as a tool rather than a shortcut, allowed him to develop a style so distinctive that it found its audience almost before he was ready for it. The real lesson here may be that sustainability isn't about how long you've been at it, but about knowing your limits, protecting your hands, and resisting the pressure to scale past what the work can actually bear.

Check out Aaron's work here: https://redactedceramics.com/

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Ep 712: Monetizing Our Hobbies with Matt Robinson Feb 14, 2026

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As makers with hobbies turned side-hustles, many of us get wrapped up in the ultimate goal and dream of quitting our day jobs to pursue pottery full time—but what if that pressure to monetize everything is actually stealing the joy from the very thing we fell in love with? Matt Robinson's experience first burning out on wedding photography taught him that the freedom to experiment, fail, and follow creative whims only exists when your livelihood isn't riding on what you make. Through six years of pottery alongside a flexible full-time job, Matt has learned that constantly trying new forms and glazes, worrying less about having only one “voice,” and posting to Instagram only when the spirit moves isn't a failure to build a "real" business—it's the luxury of keeping pottery as the side hobby, not the thing that pays the bills. Perhaps the real privilege isn't escaping the nine-to-five, but rather finding work that gives you enough time, energy, and financial security to make whatever you want, whenever you want, and releasing the financial pressure of needing every piece to sell.

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Ep 711: Part Two - "Where are they now?" Two Years Later with Hope Limyansky Feb 01, 2026

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When you see someone juggling multiple jobs in their creative field, it's easy to assume it's because none of them could fully support them on their own—but what if having options is actually the most strategic business decision you could make? What happens when you intentionally build each avenue to be viable as a standalone career, then choose to keep them all anyway? In Part Two of this “Where are they now?” interview, Hope shares why she brought each of her four ceramic-related jobs to the cusp of full-time viability before deciding that she actually wanted all of them, for different reasons. We discover that sometimes building multiple income streams isn't about hedging your bets—it's about creating the security to make choices based on what you want rather than what you need. Could the freedom to say no to work that doesn't serve you—whether that's declining partnerships, stepping away from draining platforms, or choosing projects that energize rather than deplete you—be the real prize of building a multi-faceted creative career?

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Ep 710: "Where are they now?" Two Years Later with Hope Limyansky Jan 17, 2026

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So many of us carry the weight of what we thought our creative careers were supposed to look like—especially when formal education told us exactly what success should be. What happens when you realize that the dream you've been chasing (full-time solo artist, full-time influencer, the one perfect job) isn't actually what you want anymore? As Hope Limyanksy shares her journey from trying to fit into expected molds to embracing four different ceramic-related jobs, we discover that sometimes the path to sustainable creative work means giving different parts of yourself to different places rather than pouring everything into one all-consuming career. Could the freedom to choose multiple paths—instead of forcing yourself into just one—be what finally lets you build a creative life that actually serves you?

Looking for support in figuring out these big questions for your own unique life? Come join other makers from around the world who are having these very same nuanced conversations, with pragmatic support alongside inside of The Community.

Hope Limyansky is on Instagram @limyanskystudios

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Ep 709: The Truth About Growing Your Creative Business in 2026 Jan 02, 2026

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We're bombarded with messages telling us we're missing some secret key to business success—especially at the start of a new year—but here's the truth:

There's nothing fundamentally new about running a successful business, no matter what year it is. What if the real problem isn't that you're lacking some proprietary system or special knowledge, but that you've been convinced you need to keep searching for answers instead of trusting what you already know? The basics of business haven't changed in decades: tell people your work exists, get better at reaching the right people, and keep showing up consistently—and while educational resources can help, the courses promising to 3x your sales or unlock secret formulas are preying on your imposter syndrome rather than addressing the real work of building genuine connections with your customers.

Instead of chasing the next shiny solution that promises to make everything easier, what if you gave yourself permission to trust that the sustainable, incremental progress you're already making—even when it feels slow or uncomfortable—is exactly what building a real creative business actually looks like?

I'm putting together a new free resource to help you trust yourself. To be the first to receive it, sign up for our email newsletter here: https://www.makersplaybook.com/newsletter

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Ep 708: Craft as Community - 75 years of Haystack Dec 19, 2025

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For many makers, opportunities to focus solely on creative exploration—without the pressure to produce work for sale or prove our worth through finished pieces—feel impossibly rare or reserved for those along a traditional academic path. When you discovered your craft later in life, already juggling mortgages and responsibilities you can't simply walk away from, where do you turn for intentional study and community that actually fits your reality? Craft schools exist outside traditional academia, offering experiences from weekend workshops to multi-week residencies that welcome makers at every stage—and in celebration of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts' 75th anniversary, Perry Price shares what makes these singular learning experiences so transformative.

In this episode: Perry Price @haystack_school

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Ep 707: Scaling a Pottery Business with Sarah Wolf (Part Two!) Dec 05, 2025

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Building a team is one thing—but how do you actually run a production ceramics studio day-to-day without losing the handmade quality that makes your work special?

In this second part of my conversation with Sarah Wolf of Wolf Ceramics, we dig into the operational realities of running an eight-person studio. Sarah breaks down weekly production rhythms, why cross-training her team across multiple tasks creates both flexibility and ownership, and the strategic decision to invest in a jigger jolly. We explore her approach to balancing 80% direct-to-consumer sales with custom restaurant orders, the importance of upfront honesty about lead times and capabilities, and why giving away $500 worth of samples can be a smart long-term investment. Sarah also shares the story of 2023's financial crisis—when stagnant sales forced her to consider layoffs—and the difficult decision to invest $10,000 in rebranding and ads when money was tightest. Her transparency about hiring for character over ceramic skills, the real value of building a mailing list, and why Instagram consistency isn't actually her secret to success offers practical permission for makers navigating their own growth. Whether you're trying to figure out your own production systems or simply curious what sustainable scaling actually looks like, this conversation provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at the real work of building a craft-based business.

Looking for support in making your own long-game decisions? Click here to discover the amazing group of makers inside of The Community and learn about the additional perks of membership.

In this episode: Sarah Wolf @wolfceramics

Full Show Notes & Resources can be found at makersplaybook.com/podcast

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Follow The Maker's Playbook on Instagram @themakersplaybook

Ep 706: Scaling a Pottery Business with Sarah Wolf (Part One!) Nov 22, 2025

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What if you could grow your business and build a team without becoming a factory—creating a business that values craft, flexibility, and the humans behind the work?

In this conversation, Sarah Wolf of Wolf Ceramics shares her journey from studying geochemistry to building an eight-person ceramics studio in Hood River, Oregon. She opens up about the early years working from her parents' basement, the vulnerable decision to hire her first team members, and how the pandemic unexpectedly accelerated her growth. Sarah reveals the real financial details behind major business moves—from signing her first commercial lease to buying a house that needed a mortgage workaround—and why learning to set clear boundaries actually created more freedom for everyone on her team. Whether you're considering your first hire or wondering if sustainable growth is even possible in ceramics, Sarah's story offers both permission and practical wisdom for building a business that works for your life.

In this episode: Sarah Wolf @wolfceramics

Full Show Notes & Resources can be found at makersplaybook.com/podcast

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Looking for support in building your own creative life? Come join over 100 other makers from around the world, having these very discussions, inside of The Community. Click here to learn more.

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Love this podcast? Support an episode!
Follow The Maker's Playbook on Instagram @themakersplaybook

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