About the Virtual Experience

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Beyond Social Media

Aksh is the founder and CEO of getOccasion.com. Aksh comes from a family of entrepreneurs and along with his team, is focused on helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses with Occasion's technology. Occasion provides marketing and scheduling software to 5,000+ businesses worldwide. Today, Aksh splits his time between Chicago and Puerto Rico.

- Fix Your Instagram
- Midcentury Mood

Ammie is an artist, creative director, and teacher living in Atlanta. She has a BFA in Art Education and absolutely loves teaching and helping people create something they didn't think they could.  She has spent the last 10 years figuring out PYOP tips and tricks and loves sharing what she's learned from studio owners. 

Stoneware 101 - How to Successfully Implement a Stoneware Program for your Studio

Bre is a potter with an undergraduate degree in Art Education and a Masters in Ceramics. She was introduced to the PYOP industry in 2011 but has been doing ceramics since 2002. In 2018, Bre joined the crew at Mayco where she enjoys spreading the love and understanding (all of the science!) of Mayco glazes and how to use them on amazing products in PYOP studios.

Layering on the Fun

Crista first entered the ceramics industry in 1997 when she opened her studio, Stroke of Genius, in Wilmington, NC.  She went on to serve as CCSA president and marketing manager at Bisque Imports before joining the Mayco team as studio market coordinator in 2013. Crista’s passion and varied experience - from studio owner to bisque supplier and color manufacturer - give her a unique and well-rounded perspective on the ceramics industry and the challenges studio owners face. 

Pottery Production Practices - Master the Backroom 6

Dean is director of sales for the Ceramic Arts business unit at Duncan Enterprises. He has worked in manufacturing, distribution, and retail during his 36-year career in the ceramics industry. He was responsible for training staff and working with Duncan's R&D lab and new product development teams to develop  Concepts colors, which would lead to the first high performance, non-toxic clear glaze in the industry, Pure Brilliance.

-Tips on Tipping

-Surviving & Thriving: Life After Crisis

-Interpreting Your POS System

Most people think of CPAs as nerdy accountants who can't talk with people. Lively, friendly, and knowledgeable can be a part of your relationship with yours as demonstrated by Donna and PYOP Accounting.com. With over 50 years of combined experience, Donna and her husband, Chad,  have helped PYOP studios earn 4x more profit than average and are passionate about helping industries help families build memories.

Recurring Revenue: Subscription Services

Hillary opened and operated two paint-your-own pottery studios over 17 years. She has helped many studios with their handprint and custom painting programs as well as clay impression production and marketing. She is currently membership engagement manager for CCSA  These days, she hangs at home with her son and two rescue cats. She looks forward to traveling someday (soon?!) with her 16-year old son and her daughter, an East Carolina University senior.

Kids Clay Party

Jeff is happily married and the father of 3 wonderful kids - 2 boys and 1 girl. He spent 14 years as the owner of a clay studio and he has spent more than 14 years as a studio production potter, showing and selling at top art fairs around the Midwest. He currently has 32 studio members and offers seasonal clay classes. Additionally, he’s a designer and maker of GR Pottery Forms.

Social Artworking & Your Studio

Jennifer is the creative design and education manager for DecoArt.  She has worked in the craft and ceramic industry as a designer, teacher, and trends specialist for more than 20 years. She currently manages a talented team of designers for DecoArt, a craft paint manufacturing company based in Kentucky. This will be her 7th year as a workshop presenter at CCSA.

Be a Boss with Acrylics - Increase Profits, Convenience, and To-Go Kit Potential

Jessica is the co-owner of Imagine That Olcott. She is married to her dream man and is the proud mother of two amazing boys. She has a Masters in Art Education from Buffalo State and lives in Olcott. Once you’ve met her, you will never forget her – a woman with a colorful mohawk does stand out from the crowd!

--Handbuilding a Mug with Texture!

--Underglaze Decals - How to Make, Use, Market & Sell Them in your Studio

Jessica is a ceramic artist, USAF veteran, and educator. She actively promotes ceramic art and education and is the founder of ClayShare.com, an online school for ceramic learning. Jessica's work has been in national and international exhibitions, most notably at the Museum of Craft and Design, the Craft and Folk-Art Museum, and the American Museum of Ceramic Art.  

Kiln Maintenance for a Smooth Operation

Jim is the president of Skutt Ceramic Products, a family-owned manufacturing business. He has always loved heat and electricity, so his day job is a perfect fit for his interests. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he received a BA in Economics from Colorado College in 1985.

12 Days of Promotion Planning

Julia started Do It Yourself Crafts in 1999 and has done things wrong in every possible way you can imagine. And some ways you can't. And yet, here she is. Because she learns from her mistakes. Usually. But she really loves money and in this class you can see how she learned to not let Christmas marketing overwhelm her. 

-Let's Face It Planter

-Rock the Trend - Hydrodipping 101 for Your Studio

Kathy is an author, artist and founder of CraftyChica. She spreads the gospel of glitter - literally through her DIY projects and figuratively through her speeches, workshops, books, and essays. A former syndicated columnist for The Arizona Republic, she is now a full-time creativepreneur which has led to multiple Crafty Chica mass retail product lines, and collabs with Coca-Cola, HSN, HP, WordPress, Disney & many others.

Layers of Autumn

Sisters Julie and Robin are studio owners who opened On the Pot in 2002 in the small-ish town of Salina, KS. Julie takes care of the creative aspect and Robin handles the business part of the business. They have written eight curriculum books studio owners can use to teach classes to grown-ups in their studios. They purchased their building in downtown Salina seven years ago and live in the loft above their shop with their three crazy cats. 

-Creating a Culture of Coaching

-Reducing Your HR Worries & Woes

--Listening to Learn: Navigating the Conversations of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Founder and president, Katie started People Solutions Center to help companies with their growing HR concerns. She is passionate about relieving the tension and time that companies spend dealing with issues that create stress in the workplace and lower productivity. 

Painting on Water - Silk Scarf Dying

Leanne has owned Magic Arts Studio for 15 years. She has spent time as only brick & mortar and only mobile -- and for the past 4 years has found the perfect combination of both. She may have been in business for 15 years, but she started out in middle school teaching ceramics in her backyard to the neighborhood kids. These days, in addition to her business, Leanne teaches at several community colleges and area school districts as well as a sculpture park.

Birds of a Feather Paint Together - Wet Etching Technique

Mary Ann has been teaching ceramics for over 35 years, 23 of those years for Gare. She has taught all over the U.S. and internationally. Mary Ann finds it gratifying to see people learn something new and get excited about going back to their studios and sharing what they've learned with their staff and customers.

-Kamp Kojaku

-Leveraging Licensed Products to Attract New Customers

-Lettering with Writer Bottle

Sara has been in love with art since forever. It is the most vivid part of her childhood, and she has a passion to share that with others. She recently became the education and design specialist at Duncan Enterprises. She is responsible for the overall creative design direction and management of educational programs and resources within the Duncan ceramics department. 

-How 'Creepy Facebook Ads' Can Help Grow Your Studio

-How to Become a Social Media Rockstar

Spencer is the founder of AmpliPhi and an instructor at the University of Wisconsin and Rutgers University. He was formerly a vice president of sales for two Fortune 100 companies. He's been called a “Social Media Expert” by Forbes and AmpliPhi is the winner of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 InBusiness Magazine Executive Choice Award for Social Media Consulting Company. 

-Christmas Under the Stars

-Holly Jolly

Teresa Johnson and Liz Martinez from PYOP Studio Stuff have been providing studios with products and projects for the last 7 years. Liz also manages a PYOP studio and Teresa has two PYOP studios and two paint & sip acrylic studios. They have a combined 35 years of experience in this industry and love to help studio owners while having a super fun time!