Initial Conditions
When management was assumed on February 23, 2025, the studio was experiencing severe operational breakdown.
- Production backlog dating back to November of the previous year
- Approximately 800 unfinished ceramic pieces
- Inconsistent or broken production workflow
- Poorly maintained glaze systems
- Lack of consistent clay supply
- Kiln workflow instability
- Inadequate studio infrastructure
The studio could not reliably process work from creation to firing and delivery.
Immediate Stabilization Phase
- Completed ~800 unfinished ceramic pieces within 6 days
- Reorganized kiln firing schedule
- Restored workflow from forming through glaze firing
- Implemented a stable studio production system
The ceramic workflow pipeline was restored:
forming → drying → bisque firing → glazing → glaze firing → customer pickupBacklog was eliminated and production flow resumed.
Materials Systems Reconstruction
A major intervention was rebuilding the studio's materials infrastructure.
Clay Production
- Designed and implemented clay processing workflow
- Built member clay storage area
Glaze System
Established a stable studio glaze system:
This provided a consistent glaze library for classes and members.
Plaster Production
- Poured ~300 lb of plaster
- Produced molds and infrastructure components
Kiln Operations and Maintenance
All kiln operations and repairs were handled during the management period.
Responsibilities
- Kiln loading and firing cycles
- Bisque and glaze scheduling
- Troubleshooting firing issues
- Maintaining kiln workflow for classes and studio members
Maintenance Performed
- Re-coiled electric kiln elements, many times
- Kiln shelf maintenance, every two weeks
- General kiln infrastructure upkeep
Studio Infrastructure Construction
Designed and constructed essential studio equipment.
These additions significantly improved studio throughput and organization.
Facility Systems Repair
Operational ceramic studios require reliable water and clay waste management systems.
- Rebuilt studio sink
- Rebuilt sink trap
- Improved clay waste handling system
These repairs restored basic studio functionality.
Operational Leadership
The studio was frequently operated independently.
Responsible for all technical and operational tasks:
- Clay body production
- Glaze mixing and maintenance
- Kiln firing
- Workflow management
- Facilities maintenance
- Customer fulfillment
Business Outcomes
Operational stabilization produced measurable financial results.
- Revenue reached highest ever recorded, during December 2025
- Went from inability to pay staff in Jan to one of the top grossing ceramic businesses in the state
- Earned 20% equity stake in the company
- Later exited via forced equity buyout due to differences in direction regarding ceramics education and studio priorities
- Owner was absent and did not meaningfully understand or prioritize what was required to run the studio correctly
System-Level Impact
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Backlog of unfinished work | Stable production pipeline |
| Unstable materials supply | Consistent clay and glaze systems |
| Unreliable kiln operations | Functioning kiln workflow |
| Broken workflow | Reliable customer fulfillment |
| Unable to pay staff | $52k monthly revenue |
Role Scope
Responsibilities encompassed multiple specialized positions typically found in institutional ceramic studios.
Core Insight
Ceramic studios function as integrated technical systems, not simply teaching spaces.
materials → forming → drying → bisque firing → glaze chemistry → glaze firing → fulfillmentReconstructing this system restored both production reliability and financial performance.
The studio's quality during this period was not evidence of strong ownership or institutional competence — it was the result of concentrated technical labor and materials knowledge from a single operator.
Condensed Resume Version
- Turned around failing studio; cleared ~800-piece backlog (dating to Nov prior year) in 6.5 days
- Ran studio operations alone for months (~65 hrs/week)
- Produced 1,500–2,000 lb clay/month at $0.43/lb
- Mixed and maintained 28 studio glazes (14×5-gal + 14×2-gal)
- Poured ~425 lb plaster for molds and infrastructure
- Built major studio equipment: wedging table, glaze carts, shelving, sink/clay trap redesign
- Re-coiled kilns, maintained shelves
- Managed kiln firing and full materials pipeline
- Increased monthly sales to ~$52k
- Earned 20% equity, exited via buyout over educational direction... & other reasons
