We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Marcus and Nicholas Bergmann a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jess & Nick, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
At the end of 2021, we decided it was time to leave the city we had been living in for the past 6 years; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was becoming claustrophobic and exceedingly dangerous to keep living there. Neither of us were working since the Covid lockdowns and it had given us time to reflect. If we could live anywhere in the United States, where would we go? In search of a warmer climate, wildlife, fresh air, and space, we took a risk and moved to Florida.
We filled our Jeep up to the brim with our belongings, leaving just enough space for our cat, Little Guy, and a large plastic tote that we filled with the beginnings of our inventory. I, Jess, had been throwing ceramics for a few years as a hobby, but never knew how to take it the next level. With Nicks support, insight, and business savvy mindset, he encouraged me that we could make a living ourselves, doing what we loved.
When we arrived in Lakeland Florida, we started selling our work at local markets and searching for a new studio. Fortunately after months of searching, we partnered up with a local museum, who had some available space, and a kiln! That was the step we needed and could create more inventory, buy supplies and jumpstart our business, We named our company Swan City Ceramics, rightly after our new home in Lakeland.
Since then, we have purchased a wheel to throw and glaze our pottery in our home studio, and rent out their kilns on a monthly basis.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
We are Nick and Jess, owners and makers of Swan City Ceramics. Our business began when we decided to move to Florida from Pennsylvania in 2021. We took a leap of faith into a new city and life together. Now we run an online store, wholesale accounts, provide consignment with local businesses, and travel around Central Florida selling our works in person at markets.
At Swan City Ceramics, we create one of a kind, functional, handmade ceramics. Each piece is individually thrown on a pottery wheel, and refined with intention. We love making work that embraces form and function to make hand crafted, American goods, accessible to everyone.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding part of our job is when someone returns or reaches out and to tell us how much they love and use the pottery they purchased from us. We created something from the earth, from mud and glass, that has purpose, improved somebody’s life, and brings them joy.
How’d you meet your business partner?
Jess: Somehow I am lucky enough to have my business partner double as my life partner. Nick and I met each other through Instagram while living in Philadelphia, Pa. He was an urban and concert photographer and I ran a graffiti art blog. We had chatted a couple of times over a few years. Eventually our lives aligned and we met in person in 2019.
In 2021 we moved to Florida from Pennsylvania. He encouraged me to go full time with my hobby of ceramics and together we established our brand, honed our collection and developed a website as Swan City Ceramics. Currently share the responsibilities of running our business together.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Swancityceramics.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/swancityceramics
- Facebook: facebook.com/swancityceramics
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMdtCBz8q-NzrdFL48HiKOg
- Other: https://faire.com/direct/swancityceramics