We recently connected with Mercedes Gavazzi and have shared our conversation below.

Mercedes, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

My biggest challenge is to sell my art. My own products. Is hard to be an artist and to share what you express. Sometimes is like open heart surgery and people are looking inside you. But I feel like as long as you are authentic and work hard to achieve your vision. Someone will see it.

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 Mercedes Gavazzi, but my friends call me Mercy. I moved to Miami with my husband from Argentina. I have a background in Interior Design, so I always had an interest in visual Art, like painting, architecture, sculpture, etc. In Argentina I used to work designing furniture and that took me to carpentry. I really loved working with my hands. When I moved here, I decided to take a pottery class as a hobby, and that’s when I found my element. Clay is such a versatile material and is a world of surprises. So I decided to study the craft and took my hobby to a more professional level. After a few years working with clay I was hired by an artist to teach at her studio. She taught me a lot about managing a studio, about teaching etc. I got a lot of experience and learn a lot more about it. I’m still learning.
Pandemic hit, and the studio where I was working close and then she moved to Seattle. I got pregnant and have my beautiful daughter. After that I decided to go back to work. There were not pottery jobs at that moment. I was very frustrated, but then I made a choice. I choose to invest in myself, in my passion and that’s when Mercy Pottery came to life. I open the studio to create a space so I can share what I love. I would love to create a community of creative people who are traveling this artist path alongside.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I have a small business and very intimate. For me, the most important thing is to connect with people. Relationships. How we communicate is key to have clients. I don’t think it as an strategy but if I have to, definitely the way you treat people it makes the difference. You need to listen, pay attentions to what they need. And delivered, of course. I want people to come to my studio to relax and to connect with themselves. I try to help them archive that.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

I’m interested in building a community so for me is important to be in a place that shares the same goal. This is the reason why I’m at IRONSIDE MIAMI. Is a beautiful space in the middle of Miami Shores very close to Little river. Gorgeous boutiques and restaurants and retail sores. We all work together as a team and we want the best for each other.
I believe the we are better together, so when I was looking for a space Ironside Miami was the perfect match. They work to bring traffic to their space and therefore, people see my studio. Is a team work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mercypottery.com/
• Instagram: @mercy.pottery

Image Credits
Patricia Franco Photography