We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Becca Otis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Becca below.
Becca, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
I think about not owning a business daily. This isn’t an easy thing to do. Especially when you work in a craft centered business. Do I like pottery? Sure. Do I want to do it till I die? No. Not really. I want to retire like normal people, I want to have savings like normal people! And oh my goodness to get paid while I take time off? WHAT‽ or even as simple as taking any time off! But how does one move onto a new career when this is all you have been doing for 14 years. I basically have focused all of my energy into becoming an expert in this craft and it would almost seem a shame to give it up at the age of 32. That’s the age most people start their careers and I’m like. Ya. I could end this haha.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Becca otis. I’m a full time potter and have been since 2014 with having done pottery since 2009. I got into pottery in college, I told my professor I knew how to make pots (I did not) so I could get an independent study because I needed some extra credits she found out quickly, I knew nothing. But let me stay and I became infatuated with ceramics and throwing on the wheel. I have always had a mechanical and engineering mind and I think that’s what drew me to it. It was clear from the beginning that this was what I was meant to do. I wouldn’t say I was in love with it, I just new it would be something that I could excel in. Through the years I have worked in my basement to owning a 3000sq ft community studio space, to selling everything and moving to a shared studio with only two more, to working out of my van traveling the country.
What makes me a bit unique from other potters is my unwillingness to do things inefficiently. Because of this I became a production potter quickly and have cut out essentially any steps that aren’t needed resulting in my ability to consistently throw 60+ pots in 60 minutes (if I care enough haha) . Production potters get paid per piece so it is imperative that they work more effectively in order to make the most money that they can in a day. Through all of this practice and work, I have been able to consult other potters on how to cut down steps that may be holding them back in their making process.
I take pride in the work I have done over the years and can confidently pass on information to potters that may have been in the business twice as long as me. I just may have a different perspective. And that’s what makes the pottery community great. There are a million ways to do things to get to the end point. And someone has the answers that might click a little lightbulb in your Brian.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Social media is an interesting thing in our world. I see so many people trying to become famous with no avail. I have a small/medium following on Instagram (13k) and about 200k on tiktok. My solution to social media has always been. Be yourself and show people what you do. My stories are completely unedited and I could care less if they are manicured to a specific customer. I am 100% myself and essentially my goal is for people to fall in love with me before they fall in love with my products. This creates a bond and an extremely loyal customer base. I also am a huge believer in being community based if you can by using Facebook. Generally I follow the rule of thumb. Facebook is for the community and Instagram is for the world. So if you are in any small sort of community, start reaching out via Facebook, have flash sales for locals only, make your community feel loved. Donate locally, your time and money if you can. I was in a town of 20k pulling numbers locally that were insane for the clientele especially for selling pottery the community came through for me more times than I can found and I came through for the community as well. As far as Instagram goes, you still have a community there, it’s just a different type. So in my world, I have the potter community and the customer community. The best way I can appease both of those is by showing my process in a raw form. The potters get answers and the customers get intrigued. And have fun too. I am completely uncensored as far as my language goes because well. To be honest I cuss like a sailor. It took me years to be open about that and once I was myself, people followed. As far as tik tok goes. Who even knows how that shit works. I will say once you get it. You have to keep it up. I got the numbers and got way burned out and just could never get back on the train. So keep that in mind. I left Instagram for almost a year and it came right back to life. So that why I prefer Instagram. Also. I’m going to say something that’s maybe a little harsh. But if you are wanting a good audience. You need a good product. Take a very good look at what you make and ask people around you what they truly think. You need to be 100% behind your product whether that be you or a craft like item you make.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When I was just starting our full time I started doing shows to sell my pottery. I signed up for a show in Leavenworth Washington. This is a show every weekend in a tourist town. So it’s pretty layer back. But also had the potential for a lot of money. My very first show there, I didn’t have the best weights for my tent. And even though the director gave me some extras they had, it wasn’t enough. That night there was a windstorm and my tent blew into another tent knocking everything in my booth to the ground. I lost about 90% of my products. It was Mother’s Day. I remember texting my mom and saying ‘ happy mothers days all my shit broke’ hahaha. Well. I went home got drunk on mimosas and the next day went back. To work. Not only that but my community (this is why community is soooo important) stepped up. Someone came and cleaned my house, someone made me food, one of my friends picked up clay for me, one friend returned my tent and got a new one. Potter friends helped with pots. I didn’t sleep that week. And I came back to the show with the same amount of work I had the previous week. I also had way better weights. I feel lucky this happened right at the beginning of my career. Now if anything happens I’m more likely to respond with ‘ eh. That’s not that bad’
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.5linespottery.com
- Instagram: @5linespottery
- Other: Tik tok. @Superpotlady