We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rebecca Wengel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rebecca , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
A big, probably the biggest, risk I have taken is opening my store front. I have been such a calculated person since I can remember. I finished college with my masters in teaching and that was how I saw my future. Teaching until I retired, but when I got my hands in clay again back in 2019, I couldn’t start dreaming of what potential there was in that field. Taking a huge leap of faith March 2022 and resigning from my secure, salary-based, teaching job and starting my business full-time has exactly what I needed. Combining my two passions of teaching and being a potter has been such a “cup full” experience that God intended for me.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As stated in the previous question, my experience in this industry started in college. I graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a BA in Art Studio, with a focus in ceramics of course, as well as my Master of Arts in Teaching. After teaching a few years, I also helped at a local art museum who opened their own pottery studio. That’s where Rooted Beauty Pottery started. Being paid in clay to help volunteer, I began to unlock my artist side again and pushed myself to set up at a local farmers market to sell clay earrings and small hand-built planters to start. This eventually turned into my weekend and summer job and my inventory began to grow. When friends from the farmers market who had a mobile coffee cart reached out to me to share a store front, I couldn’t say no.
Now Rooted Beauty Pottery offers a variety of classes to the local community and visitors. From ages 3 and up, we provide everyone a chance to get their own hands a little dirty and to create something they’re proud of or enjoyed making. We offer one-time classes such a date night wheel throwing and mommy and me classes. We also offer 3 week mini series for both wheel throwing and hand-building for those who are interested in learner and growing more in the craft. We hope to continue to offer more classes and opportunities in the future such as kiln share and open studio time for local potters in the area who need a space to create.
I am proud of the space I have created in my studio. I want each client to feel comfortable and safe in our space. It’s not about perfection, it’s about having fun and for all my adult clients, to be excited and open-minded about being placed in the learner seat again. We strive for each person that walks into our studio to have fun, try something new, maybe even find something they never knew they loved, and to be proud of the final product.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I’ve had to unlearn is looking to others for constant gratification. As a teacher, I fell into a habit that everything had to be perfect and I had to overwork to be “successful.” I constantly was looking for praise from others whether that’s was administration, my peers, parents, or even students. When I started this business, I have had to flip the script and look to myself to give praise when Ive accomplished an achievement Ive had such as selling out a class or having a great market weekend. Also knowing that when things are slow, to appreciate it and take it as a God wink to look over those accomplishments and what I have built so far. As a business owner, you need to know when to ask for help or guidance, but also trust in yourself to go with your gut. This is still a learning process for me, but I continue to appreciate the busy and then the quiet without having to look to others, who aren’t even a part of my business, to know if I’m doing a good enough job.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I think this story still is in progress and always will be. I went from selling at a farmers market to opening a store front and offering a completely new product of Rooted Beauty Pottery. What I have learned as I’m building my social media presence is, don’t be afraid to show all sides of you on your platform. Act goofy, share a personal story from time to time. Sharing just your product isn’t always the most inviting way to reach viewers or your customers. Also, post often and use the free tools that these platforms give you such as reviewing your groups of customers and the times they are most likely to see and engage in your post. I still have a long way to go with this, but keep at it and don’t be afraid to reach out to other small businesses to collaborate or discuss ideas together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rootedbeautypottery.com/
- Instagram: @rootedbeautypottery
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/rootedbeautypottery
Image Credits
Alyssa Plank