Teona Gorgiashvili

MEET THE MAKER

I am a potter. My art works, which is created in my studio, called “Teio Ceramics”- are various, most of them are either sculptural or functional, there you can find kitchen/dining ware, lamps, clocks, washing sinks, tiles, rings, buttons, etc. I use different types of clay and it gives the most interesting texture on an object’ surface during firing. My objective is to develop using Georgian natural white clay in order to enhance traditional artisan works. I traveled in South Asia, in Africa, in India, in order to learn their traditional technology of processing the clay and firing, it gave me so much inspiration, insights and self-awareness to express myself as a ceramist. I created tea ceremony set – Japanese tea set collections, which is one of the most popular and bestselling products of my studio. I want to mention the significant sculptural yoga line of my artworks– inspired by yoga and meditation, these sculptures express inner peace, balance in shape of asanas and movements, they are all functional and each of them have different instructions. In this line you can see meditation tools and full set of Zen garden essentials as well. My artworks vary, but all of them are united with one unique value – its positive energy, which is radiated from all my artworks.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE PART OF CRAFTING BUSINESS PROGRAMME?

I am always curious to learn something new, to always keep up to date in order to develop my artisan business and this program was a great opportunity to strengthen my business skills during pandemic.

WHAT ARE YOUR FEEDBACKS?

In Crafting Business training program our main mentor and trainers shared their expertise and knowledge to support the business development of newcomers to the industry. We learnt how to build business skills, generate revenue, marketing skills and promotion in craft enterprises. We acquired fundamentals of business and how to gain skills that will strengthen our business performance. I have already started to apply the tools which I’ve learned, in my own business.

During this program I have learnt basics of Business Visioning and Modelling, marketing strategies, how to perform a research and how to access the market, Access to funding supports and grant applications and how to write an effective business plan.

Also I want to mention very important trainings of financial calculation, market pricing and financial management, as well as product development trainings and how to access international trade events and galleries. During this lockdown, when online shops became so active, in order to perform our product more effectively and visually perceivable, photography skills and techniques became very essential, so – mobile photography trainings were so timely for us.

We learned how to make customer segmentation, how to set out marketing strategies. We learned sales and distribution channels. We were taught Essential Elements of a Powerful Unique Selling Proposition.

I want to underline the most significant part of our seminars, which played the key role during the whole program and this is the core of the successful business– our Value Proposition, which is the most important. It should appeal to emotions of the customers. We should care about core competencies since they are the roots of competitive advantage.

Value is the worth, Value delivered to the customer results in a satisfied customer who will pay a reasonable price in return for the product or service. We should walk in our Target Customer’s Shoes, define their characteristics. We should find out what are their priority of needs? We should ask them the right questions and analyzing the answers. Why questions? To find their needs! We should uncover hidden needs and bring the desire to satisfy needs to a boiling point.

FIVE THINGS YOU’LL BRING WITH YOU FROM THE EXPERIENCE:

• Define clearly the core of my successful business –my value proposition
• .Try different types of distribution channels
• Make customer segmentation in order to define clearly marketing strategies and create powerful unique selling proposition.
• Accessibility to international trade events and galleries
• Financial calculation, market pricing skills