Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in handcrafts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ashley Grammer, Owner of June and Gem, located in Seattle, WA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

June and Gem is an individually owned art studio where all art is created by me, Ashley! I specialize in ceramics, but I also do printmaking, digital art, and watercolor painting. My customers mostly come to me for my ceramic cats. They are definitely the most popular thing I make, but they are only a small part of what I enjoy making with clay. I also love making mugs, bowls, and vases!

Tell us about yourself

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an artist. However, it took me a year to finally allow myself to follow that dream. Growing up, I had the misconception that an art career was unattainable. I thought I would be poor, and no one would like anything I made. I thought creating art for galleries was the only way to be successful, and I had zero confidence in myself. So instead, I became a hairstylist right after I graduated high school. It felt more realistic and within my capabilities. My career as a hairstylist was the challenge I needed for the time being; however, it left a void inside me. Doing hair is creative, but it made me feel boxed in. I wasn't creating for myself; I was creating for the client. It took me almost fourteen years of doing hair and a family tragedy to gain enough courage to allow myself to follow my dream of being an independent artist. The death of my father forced me to come face to face with my own mortality. I could no longer ignore my need to create art for just myself. I decided to uproot my entire life and go get a degree in fine arts.

I didn't discover my love for ceramics until after college! While I was still in school, I studied printmaking, painting, and drawing. During my last year of undergrad, I got the opportunity to study art and art history abroad in Rome, Italy. Right before I left, I went to a coffee shop in Seattle. They served their coffee in the most beautiful handmade ceramic cups. Right away, I looked up the artist and drove to his studio to purchase a mug that very same day. I loved the vibe they had there and was so drawn to it. While I was in Italy, I followed his studio on Instagram. I saw that during the time I was going to be returning home, he was going to be hiring a studio assistant! So I hopped on that opportunity as fast as I could! It was strange timing because this was right at the beginning of the pandemic. I had been home from Italy for two weeks, and then everything shut down. Fortunately, I was still able to work at the pottery studio, but it was only myself and the owner. It was such a special and rare opportunity! I was able to learn the ins and outs of up-keeping a ceramics studio one-on-one, which gave me the courage to try working with clay. I began with slab-building a mug and fell in love with the way the clay felt in my hands. It felt so therapeutic. It felt like home. After I saw my very first mug come out of the kiln all shiny and beautiful, I knew I had to keep making more. I discovered that my favorite things about art (drawing, painting, and printmaking) could all be incorporated into ceramics. It suddenly became so clear to me what my career path needed to be. It wasn't a question anymore. It was definite. It's a long story, but that's how it all started!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I feel like opening my business as a whole is my biggest accomplishment, but something more specific would be when I did wholesale orders for a local plant shop. They ordered over 200 pots, which was INSANE because I didn't have a kiln at first! I had to take my work to a pottery studio that offered to fire services. One time I took about 100 pieces to get fired, and the studio that fired them was so annoyed with me because I was kind of taking over the kiln and not leaving room for the community. I got it; it was a lot! So I realized I needed my own kiln. I live in a rental, and I knew I wouldn't be able to get a full-size kiln because it requires more amps than any of my plugs have. I ended up getting a doll kiln. It's very small, but it can fit about 10-12 mugs inside! Finishing that wholesale order with my tiny kiln was outrageous. I was literally firing it every single day for like a month straight! It was crazy because I had to use my washer/dryer plug for it, which meant we couldn't do laundry! My husband and I had to wear dirty clothes or do laundry super early in the morning before I loaded the kiln. It was ridiculous! I made it happen, though. I finished all 200-plus pots successfully!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I would have to say finding a good work/life balance. It can be quite challenging when you work for yourself, not to work endless hours. My studio is at home, so it's way too easy just to work constantly. I have to tell myself it's ok to take breaks consciously. I also struggle with the social media side of owning a business. I had a reel on Instagram go viral and gained around 50k followers within one week! I was making ceramic Halloween cats in the reel, so now everyone follows me specifically for ceramic cats. It's great to have such a large following, but it's kind of a downfall that they follow me for one specific thing that I make. It puts a lot of pressure on me to make more ceramic cats than I want to. I can never come close to keeping up with the demand.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Don't let the fear of failure stop you from taking risks. Some of the biggest risks I have ever taken have had the biggest payoffs. Besides, if you fail, then you learn something from that experience. It's a step closer to your goals, no matter what.
  2. Don't let your audience put you in a box! Sometimes there's one particular product or service that is more popular than everything else, but that doesn't mean that has to be your main focus. If you let your audience decide what to do, then you inevitably burn yourself out because you are no longer in charge of your own business. Don't forget; it's ultimately up to you!
  3. Charge what you are worth, not what you think people will be willing to pay. Your product holds value, but so does your time, education, and experience. If you aren't sure what to charge, then go look around at similar businesses that you look up to or aspire to be like and use them as a reference point. If their prices seem high yet they're still successful, it's likely because they know what they're worth, and so does their audience.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.juneandgem.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuneandGem
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juneandgem/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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