We recently connected with Ella Stafford and have shared our conversation below.

Ella, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

My back was against the wall. Despite being in a toxic marriage for years, the perfect storm was brewing. I took a pottery class a couple years earlier during a very dark stage in my life. I had just given birth to my youngest and every emotion I had put on the back burner along with my marriage boiled over. Pottery gave me the escape I needed mentally. My brain got a chance to rest and reflect when I played with clay.

We relocated to Charlotte after being promised some help to help me get back up to speed. Depression had taken a serious hold. As you can guess, I didn’t get that promised help. My village consisted of just me. As the pandemic went on, my kids were quarantining 2 to 3 weeks out of every month. My job was on the line, and I had to do something if I was going to make it. I stayed up late each night trying to figure out if I was going crazy or if this ideal, I had could really work.

Being employed as an analyst required working 40 hours. My employer was gracious and allowed us to choose split-up the 8-hour shift to meet family needs. The problem with that was that I got my family up each day and by the time I got everyone to bed, I didn’t have the energy to log back in for 2-3 hours. I was tired. Then there was childcare. When my kids were quarantining, I had to juggle meeting and deadlines for work while keeping an eye on two little kids.

My daughter was choking on a tiny toy in our playroom, while I was wrapping up a late report for work. My mom instincts kicked in “Why is she so quite” and went to check on her. My fear scared her so bad she coughed up the toy. So many thoughts ran though my head. For a split second I was upset that my daughter had interrupted my work (you read that right), in the next moment I was also scared to death at the thought of what if I had keep working and ignored her silence. I turned in my resignation by 3 that day. I was done! I didn’t have all of the answers, but I took my retirement and opened a pottery studio.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Ella Stafford. I am a mom, potter and motivational speaker. I started in pottery about 5 years ago and got hooked. Two years into my clay journey, I left corporate america and opened a pottery studio. We are Charlotte’s first and only black owned pottery studio.

Since opening the studio, I have been inspired to share my story with others. I didn’t have a village, so I made one for others to be part of. Many join the studio for various reasons. I have created a welcoming and inclusive environment, which breeds creativity for some and healing for others. While we learn about various technics we can also talk about life. During talking many of us realize we aren’t alone, and many students make friends, which is hard to do as an adult.

I can’t speak to other studios, but the village is family. Whether people come for an event or a class, I try to make them feel at home, provide a listening ear, increase their confidence, and in some cases a silent prayer. For me a village represents support and support can vary person to person just like the art of clay.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

You can’t do it all, but you can have it all! Rome wasn’t built in a day or year. I have had to learn as a business owner that I can’t do it all. I need to plan and focus on my current needs. Once I have mastered or stabilize what is currently needed, I can then explore other projects or goals.

As I get to know other local businesses, I learn about their ups and downs. How they got started and how patience was key to their success. They didn’t do it all over night and nor will I.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Pivot = Business owner. As a business owner, we are always pivoting. We master the art of pivoting. My business has pivoted several times since starting. There is so much more the Village has to do to meet its full capacity. But that doesn’t happen overnight or months. Each year we set small focuses to build on what we already have.

I quickly found out after opening the business I could not tackle all areas of the Village in year one. We offer classes, events, memberships, and host a gallery. It took me almost 2 years to find what worked and didn’t work with the classes. During that time, I spent a year testing events and then memberships. Its year three and the gallery is still on the backburner. It grinds my gears that we don’t have out gallery yet, but I am very impressed with our class structure and events. By spending the time to properly build out those arms of the business allowed me to learn more about what students and guests wanted and expected. Which is critical for planning our yearly schedule and training instructors.

It is our goal, that the gallery will open online in 2024. I had I struck to my guns and refused to pivot, I can guarantee I would have burned out year one.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vsgnc.com
• Instagram: VillageStudioNC
• Facebook: VillageStudioNC
• Linkedin: VillageStudioNC
• Twitter: VillageStudioNC
• Youtube: VillageStudioNC

Image Credits
IG: Afewstills