Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kelly Schuermann. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kelly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
In late summer of 2020, a warehouse artist’s studio became available in Reno, Nevada. At the time, I was working as the workshop manager at Atelier Truckee. Unfortunately, in March of 2020, our owners had to make a very hard decision and we’re forced to close with no reopening date. There was no gatherings beyond two people outside for our small town. As a workshop space for adults Atelier could not function.
Heather River, the owner of Atelier Truckee gave me a call in the afternoon after she had received word of the warehouse opening in Reno. She did not want to take on another space but asked me if I wanted to open a workshop space fully on my own as they were not going to reopen as a workshop space in Truckee.
I immediately said no and that I would really need to think about changing my mind to. Yes. Everything was so up in the air with work and going back to work and maybe having a job or maybe not…..
However, within 8 or 9 minutes, I called her back and said yes!
I was completely acting out of fear of the unknown, and fear of taking on my own brick and mortar business. I questioned whether or not I was ready to take on such a huge responsibility and be the face of Atelier in Reno.
I realized very quickly how regretful I felt as I said I would not be interested. So, I called Heather right back and said yes!
Kelly, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Atelier in Reno is a creative workshop space where artists and students connect through experiences, craft, process and wonder.
Our focus is seasonal, slow-craft workshops for adults. Our wide a range of classes include knitting, sewing, mending, painting, felting, weaving, basket weaving and a spoon carving.
We also host several free weekly meetups and events showcasing local and regional artisans.
In addition to the workshop space, we sell an array of take-home craft and art kits, art supplies, yarn and unique speciality gifts.
Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?
For most of Atelier in Reno’s existence, owner Kelly, has had a second, supplemental gig. For over 20 years, her career as a graphic designer for local and regional brands has won her quite a few design awards, but mostly supplemented Atelier’s financial needs in the time it’s been open.
In October of 2023, she was laid off from her dream design job. This meant Atelier would have to supplement itself. That following summer, the threat of closing the studio was very real. We had no idea if we were going to make numbers week by week. In general, summers had been slow however 2024 seemed a bit unbearable.
The writing was definitely on the wall but Kelly wanted so badly to persevere. She has spent many years cultivating a creative community through the studio and finds so much joy and fulfillment in watching others find their craft.
She took on several small graphic design gigs and was commissioned for several paintings which helped Atelier get through a really tough financial spot. As August of 2024 approached and the holiday season just ahead, she decided to try and make it through the new year! All of her energy was spent creating a robust and full workshop calendar for the remainder of the year.
And, it worked. She believes because she put her energy into the place where she finds the most fulfillment creatively, spiritually and beyond, the studio is able to thrive!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing the clientele at Atelier in Reno has definitely been word of mouth followed by heavy, organic Instagram traffic.
I would say, specifically for referrals, when booking instructors and creating our offerings, we lean heavily into slow process, craft and art instead of anything that relies on instant and gratification or satisfaction of completing a project in a very short amount of time. We really encourage our students to sink in, set with themselves and the work before them, ask questions about their work that will inform their next stitch or paint stroke and truly enjoy the process of creating instead of focusing on the outcome.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.atelierinreno.com
- Instagram: @atelierinreno
Image Credits
Atelier in Reno