We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chelsea. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chelsea below.
Alright, Chelsea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?
I have owned my business since 2018, and I have learned to always be on the lookout for the unexpected. I always joke that everything I have learned in business, I have learned the hard way (i.e., not realizing I needed an additional license type until I received a fine or completely missing a form for new employees until my payroll company asked). However, I have found that dealing with the unexpected has often led to more learning, development, and business growth than any of the day to day operations. Learning how to adapt and overcome in an ever changing environment is critical!
My business is paint your own pottery. I owned the store for less than 2 years when Covid-19 shut everything down. Obviously pottery studios are “non-essential” and we were facing several months of full closure followed by several months of limited capacity. To say I panicked is an understatement. I had risked my financial livelihood to purchase my business, and I now had to figure out how to pay the overhead without my normal income stream. Crying about it was getting me nowhere, so I needed to make a plan!
Local restaurants were keeping their doors open selling take out. People everywhere were finding creative means to keep themselves and their families entertained. Perhaps I could leverage a difficult situation into a business model that would sustain me? And that’s exactly what I did. I was selling “pottery to go” out of the parking lot. We were packing kits, answering phones, and running back and forth to cars to deliver new kits, or receive completed kits ready to be fired. People were all looking for something to do, and the pottery kits were a quick hit. They sold so well that I have retained them as part of my business model, and people still come in all the time looking for a kit they can take home and paint in the comfort of their own home. That has also evolved into kits for parties, corporate team building events, schools, daycares, and more which has allowed us to expand our offsite footprint without having to send staff offsite.
Making that change didn’t make me rich. In fact, with all the other bills and struggles we accrued business debt as did every other small business during the time. It did keep our doors open, however, and we are here 5 years later still bringing art and family fun to Northern Nevada. Dealing with such a large business impact in such a short period of time really showed me the importance of thinking outside the box. Owning a small business like mine, no one is going to save you. You don’t have a corporate office you can call, a legal department to consult, investors to provide funds, or a safety net to catch you. I am owner, president, manager, human resources, accounting, procurement, payroll, maintenance, cleaning staff, and more. If there is a problem, it is mine to solve. But on the upside, I don’t have to ask anyone’s permission. I am the boss! I can make the choices that work best for me, and I don’t owe an explanation or a return on investment report to anyone.
Be flexible, be adaptable, be empowered! Doggy paddle when you have to, and then break out when you can swim full speed ahead without reservation. Celebrate your small wins, as well as the big ones. Be a duck and let the hard times roll off your back. Support the communities that support you, and be an ally for other small business. Don’t give up.
Chelsea, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
The Clay Canvas was established in 1997 and is Nevada’s first paint your own pottery (PYOP) studio. Customers choose a pottery piece to paint, we glaze and fire, and the finished piece is ready a week later. PYOP studios have popped up all over the world, and there is probably one in a city near you.
The Clay Canvas has established a loyal customer base over the past 3 decades, and we pride ourselves on supporting the community that supports us. We bring art into the classrooms of hundreds of students each year in addition to providing a fun and creative outlet for people of all ages and backgrounds. The pottery is our product, but the experience is our most important service. Customers choose our studio for birthdays, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and team building for sports or businesses. We allow everyone to make a unique piece for themselves or to gift to others, and provide an opportunity to commemorate special events in a very special way. Everyone is an artist at The Clay Canvas!
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Our reputation is built on the fact that we are providing an experience and not just a product. We do have competition in our area and customers have other choices. I have found people are willing to travel a little farther for a better experience, and often times customers will tell us why they choose our studio over others. Our most important take aways all fall into customer experience. Customers do not feel rushed. We do not impose time limits and we allow customers to come back another time if their masterpiece is taking a little longer than anticipated. We do not micromanage. Customers want the freedom to paint at their own pace, explore their creative options, and not have to wait to move forward. And finally, we tailor our experience to the customer. Events are planned with the customer in mind, down to the pieces available for painting, the music in the store, the employees scheduled to work, and how the studio is decorated. The customer experience truly matters.
Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?
I have had many close calls and difficult moments! The best I can say is to do the best with what you are given, don’t make excuses, do your best to rectify, and don’t continue to dwell once it’s all said and done. Honesty and kindness go a long way.
I have missed payroll. It’s terrible, and I felt awful. As an employer, paying my employees on time every time is one of my top priorities. When I missed, I spoke to them all individually. I explained the issue, owned my mistake, and cut them all a manual check. I also offered a cash advance if needed to cover expenses until their checks cleared the bank.
I hugely messed up Mother’s Day this year (one of our busiest days of the year). We were booked solid with reservations. About a week before, my employee told me she needed the day off. I completely forgot to update the schedule! Come Sunday morning and I am hosting a brunch at my house for my family when my phone starts to go off….several messages from Facebook, Instagram, e-mail, and phone calls. I had dozens of people standing outside the store, angry they arrived for their reservation to a closed studio. I hopped in my car and hurried down there. While one group was angry and left, the rest were understanding and kind. I gave them all a discount on their pieces for the day as well as free studio fees to come back another time. I called anyone I missed in person. And, though I missed my own mother’s day with my mother and my children, I rescued the day in the studio. A little honesty and kindness goes a long way, and all customers who stayed to paint were happy with the outcome.
You won’t make everyone happy though, so in any near death moment just do your best and stay the course.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theclaycanvasreno.com
- Instagram: @theclaycanvas
- Facebook: The Clay Canvas
