We were lucky to catch up with Sara Mihalko recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sara, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us today. We’re excited to dive into your story and your work, but first let’s start with a broader topic that might be stopping many of our readers from pursuing their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. How have you managed to persist despite haters and nay-sayers that inevitably follow folks who are doing something unique, special or off the beaten path?
From as young as I can remember, I have noticed that people will criticize wherever they can. In elementary school, you couldn’t have a stinky lunch without being outcasted for it. In middle school, classmates ridiculed each other for what they chose to wear to school that day. High school was a battle of the minds; if you were smart and excelled in your grades, you were a nerd and if you excelled physically in sports, you were a dumb jock.
As I entered adulthood, people’s tendencies to mock, shame, and put-down others did not disappear. Everyone had an opinion on your major in college, or your chosen career, or what you wanted to make of yourself.
I found passion in travel in my early 20’s, and instead of clubbing or buying new clothes like everyone else, I allocated my money to see the world and create memories through new experiences. Of course, I was told that I would get robbed, or get sick, or that I should be using the money for other things. But I traveled and have not regretted it for one second of my adult life.
I have been a server-bartender for over a decade, and if I had a quarter for every time that someone told me I needed a “real career,” I wouldn’t need the bartending job at all! I am thankful for my service job, as it has given me so much life experience. I have developed a deep empathy for people, I have learned how to communicate efficiently and effectively, and my entire career has taught me critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This job is what allowed me to travel, and it is the same job that has been a stepping stone into my newest passion.
I am happy to say that for the last two years, I have taken the steps to peruse a career in the ceramic arts. In a nutshell, I now have an online and local presence where I sell my work, and I am lucky enough to teach pottery skills to the public. I have worked intensely outside of my bartending job to make all of this happen, and I contribute that to my stubbornness, confidence, and the ability to block out the doubters.
I think the best antidote for persisting despite the haters, is to simply be grateful and reflect upon what YOU want. If I had listened to others and allowed for their opinions to affect me as a person, I wouldn’t eat what I want to eat, wear what I want to wear, I wouldn’t have traveled how I wanted to, and I wouldn’t have the life experience that I currently possess. I likely wouldn’t have developed the confidence that I now have, and I certainly wouldn’t be perusing my biggest passion project and enjoying my life as much as I am.
As my business grows, I notice that the haters are simply just unhappy people. I believe that if everyone just did what they wanted, despite the opinions of everyone around them, the world would be a happier, kinder, and more loving place. At the end of the day, my advice is F*uck the Haters. They’re not paying your bills anyways.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
The story behind Earth & Sun Pottery is one that I have been wanting to pursue for a while, though I didn’t know it at the time. In high school, I fell in love with the ceramic art. Starting at the age of 14, I learned how to wheel throw and developed the basics skills of pottery. As I completed high school, I contemplated what I wanted to study in college, and what career I would choose. I bounced between becoming an English teacher, or an anthropologist, though ceramics always had a soft spot in my heart. Teaching has always come easily to me, but I ultimately chose to take the anthropological path. Though my main study was of human development, language, and culture, I still took a number of extracurricular courses to satisfy my love for the ceramic arts. Here, I had a teacher that pushed my skills, answered my numerous questions, and honed in on my personal style.
Post graduation, I took some time to myself to travel, and to discover myself. I realized that as much as I enjoyed my studies, anthropology wasn’t really my passion. So in the summer of 2022, I decided to find a local ceramic studio and get back to work. I haven’t stopped since, and I have seen incredible growth of my brand.
My work from 2022 to today has changed significantly, and I am so proud of the development. I have put hundreds of hours into fine-tuning my work, from the shape of my mugs, to the style of my pots, to refining the glaze recipes that create the perfect drip. I have created my own website, not once, but twice now. I worked with a friend to create my very own logo, I take all my own photos, write my own descriptions, package and ship my pieces, answer emails and DM’s, create social media content, and reach out to other businesses for local opportunities. I am proud to be apart of two local shops in Colorado (with more on the way), along with maintaining an online website, as well as participating in market pop-ups during the summer. Details are of the upmost importance to me, and I put so much time in effort into the displays for my art, my business cards, and even the handwritten notes that come with every purchase.
In 2023, I was also gifted the opportunity to become a pottery teacher with a local art collective. I have been teaching for over a year now, and I can genuinely say that this is a passion of mine. I always leave a class feeling warm, fulfilled, and happy.
The most exciting part of my pottery career is witnessing the growth that came from a brave leap two years ago. I think it is interesting that I had already developed these passions in my senior year of high school, but at the time didn’t have the means or the confidence to make it possible. Today, it’s simply kismet seeing all of these opportunities come across my path from just making one decision. I meet like-minded individuals constantly, I have an overwhelming support group around me, and I only see things getting better for Earth & Sun Pottery. I am grateful daily and there is no doubt in my mind that this is the right path for me.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three qualities that heavily impacted my journey were my confidence, my discernment, and my diligent researching skills.
Without my confidence, I would have never taken the initial leap. I wouldn’t have cashed in on opportunities like being in a local shop or becoming a pottery teacher. I wouldn’t try new things with my art. I wouldn’t have found success in my business.
I believe discernment is a necessary skill to have in a business owner. You have to be able to judge things from a logical standpoint, and not view everything from an emotional stance. There are things that I desired, but logically, didn’t make sense. I ensured to look at others around me, as opinions from friends, family, and strangers, and take all information into account before making certain decisions. I have made my fair share of mistakes, but thankfully have the ability to learn and grow from them.
My research skills are arguably the most important skill I possess. There are so many times that I needed to solve a problem, and wasn’t sure how. But when you are a one-woman-show, “I don’t know” just won’t cut it. We live in a time of endless knowledge with the tap of a button, and I have certainly taken advantage of that. I have learned from others on how to improve my craft, how to build a website, how taxes work, the best way to network, events that I can participate in my local community, and SO much more. I know that there will always be problems to solve, and I will never stop learning.
My advice for developing confidence is to just do the thing. Don’t worry about others, and keep your promises you make to yourself! When you trust yourself, you will go much further. To be discerning, pretend it’s not your life or business. Exercise looking at things from an objective point of view, and take the smartest route. As for research, there is no reason to not know things. Youtube it, Google it, get an audiobook, or even follow a TikTok creator that has ideas. Be a sponge and take in information, but be discerning and make sure it’s information that is useful and valuable to you.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
My number one obstacle that I constantly face is remembering that growth is not linear. While I have seen immense growth in my brand over the last two years, I sometimes feel stagnant or like I am not doing enough. For example, it is quite the challenge creating a presence, especially with social media. The algorithms are constantly changing, and it feels like an uphill battle to just to get my name out there. However, when I start to feel down, or overwhelmed that I am not doing enough, I take a step back and reflect.
I sit down and look at photos of my old artwork and see how much my art has improved. I remember that at one point in time, I only had 100 followers, and now I have thousands. I remember that my very own pottery pieces live in 14 different states in the US. I remember that I sold $50.24 for my worst month ever, and now I make consistently more than that. I remember that the shops I am now in, once didn’t even know who I was.
When I feel down or overwhelmed, I remember the little accomplishments, the small battles that I won. And I remember that someday I will look back on these battles I am currently facing and reminisce.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.earthandsunpottery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthandsunpottery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/earthandsunpottery
- Other: Earth & Sun Pottery on TikTok
