Ep 624: Iterating for a Target Audience with Will Donovan

The Maker's Playbook

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As makers, we often start with a vision of success that's more fantasy than strategic roadmap—believing that if we just work harder at making our beautiful pieces, it will somehow lead to a sustainable business. But what if the path to actually thriving as a creative is in repeatedly narrowing your focus, rather than doing more and more? What if doing less is actually what allows you to find that magical venn diagram intersection of what you love and a specific audience who desperately wants it?

Will Donovan's journey from nearly abandoning ceramics to building a six-figure fantasy-themed pottery business reveals how iterating toward a precise target audience—rather than trying to please everyone—can transform both your creative satisfaction and your bottom line. But don’t be fooled! The need to evolve your definition of success, even when it means letting go of traditional expectations (or some of the hands-on making) is no easy process. As always, it all comes down to your unique definition of not only what success looks like, but also what type of life you actually want to live.

In this episode: Will's work @donovanpottery

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Chapters

1. Will Part 1 (00:00:00)

2. Welcome and Introductions (00:05:24)

3. Will Donovan's Multifaceted Career (00:06:02)

4. Challenges of Running a Pottery Business (00:07:07)

5. The Journey to Establishing a Studio (00:09:16)

6. The Unexpected Call from Clay King (00:16:47)

7. Building Donovan Pottery (00:31:55)

8. Transitioning to Personal Projects (00:36:21)

9. Managing Unexpected Demand (00:38:23)

10. Building a Loyal Customer Base (00:40:01)

11. Balancing Creativity and Business (00:52:48)

12. Demystifying the Six-Figure Business (00:55:00)