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Di Marshall | Episode 173
Di Marshall makes a brand of pottery dinnerware called Wonki Ware. Di started off with herself and one other potter 15 years ago and Di is now employing 60 potters. Di trained these potters up using the slab-rolling method of draping the clay over moulds. Wonki Ware is now world-wide suppliers of thier brand.
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How do you advertise your business?
I think our story and where we live and the kind of people who work for us, the story of Wonky Wear has been such a big promotion of itself. I have never advertised and I don’t want to really advertise. I would rather put the money into keeping the product reasonable so people can buy it. I think the product has actually been its own advertisement.
Do you worry about potential market growth?
Because we just bought another factory, I had to make a conscientious decision that I am truly going to dedicate my life to this. It is seven days a week and I am constantly on it so I can maximize to the potential of what I can personally do.
So what risks are you facing now as a business?
Nothing really, as I say, our order books are full. Electricity is the only risk. Now that I have bought another building
and more kilns, I don’t know if I can get the capacity of electricity that I need. This may really hinder our progress.
Do you have an exit strategy?
No not really. If my business has to close due to the lack of electricity I would not owe any money because all the bills are paid, so I would go live in a hut and make my clay pots. Which would be very nice.
Do you think creativity is innate or is it something that can be developed?
There has to be a little spark of something in you, I think you have got to have a passion for everything in life. If you find something that resonates with you very deeply, you should explore it. I had that with clay, I can only speak from my own experience. I think creativity is definitely something that gets better if you work on it. When people are passionate in what they do, they become excellent.
BOOK
The Outliers by Malcom Gladwell
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