Fired Creations -Alisha Barron

1. Tell us about yourself and your business.

​Hi!
I'm Alisha Barron, the owner of Fired Creations The Pottery Painting Cafe and I'm SO happy to be a part of our growing business community in the CBRM!

Fired Creations is Cape Breton's only pottery painting cafe – a fun place to hang out, relax, indulge, and create a one of a kind masterpiece with your favourite people.
I wanted to create a space for anyone and everyone to enjoy and feel like they are a part of our family. Just to make things short and sweet, here are some things about me:

• Ingonish is my home town.
• I've lived in Sydney since 2011
• I've created 2 kiddos and happily welcomed my stepson as my 3rd. I also have a hardworking husband and a Yorkshire terrier named Moose.
• Graduated from NSCC Marconi in 2008 with a concentration in marketing and advertising.
• I've sold cars, knocked doors in California for a summer, worked at a whale watch booth, have a diamond certification course, and didn't do a days worth of pottery before opening Fired Creations! (Don't worry – I was trained in Toronto by our distributor). Needless to say, I've had a lot of jobs, but mainly focused on customer service - except that time I went fishing lobster for a summer...
• I still don't know where the thought of opening a pottery painting cafe came from, but I'm glad it popped into my head!
• I have a super strong support system and surround myself with awesome people – theres no time for anything but that!​

Enough about me! Onto the next question....

Alisha Barron - Owner of Fired Creations

2. What was your path to your current business?

This was 100% brand new in every way. Prior to opening Fired Creations, I didn't even step into a pottery painting cafe! I've always wanted to open my own business, and after having my 2nd child, it was time to make my dream come true.

Even though you work 10x as hard with your own business, I wanted to have the flexibility and control of being able to come and go as I please, and not have to answer to anyone but myself.

SO, I decided to open a business when I was on my 2nd maternity leave. At home with a 2 year old and a new born – what a great time to open a business! Most people thought I was crazy...and I probably was.

Anyway, I started to research the idea of a pottery painting studio, which brings together my business training, craft obsession, and customer service. The idea was to create a space that catered more towards our local community, as opposed to a tourism based business.
​I knew that if the locals loved us, the tourists would follow suit!

3. How long has your business been operating in CB?

I've been open since September 2018.

4. What inspired you to operate a business in Cape Breton/ Unama’ki?

I feel like I could get a little repetitive on this one, so if you reference question 2, I'm sure you will come across some answers for this one. Basically, I just wanted to share some love in the community and create a space for people to come and do something fun. Also, its a great escape from your phone, the outside world, and also a form of art therapy!

5. What was your “ah-ha” moment when you knew you had the right idea?

I was always confident I would make this space work. I'm a little (a lot) stubborn, so when I get an idea in my head I tend to strive for perfection with it. So, I had it in my head that this was going to take off – thankfully it did!

I would say the moment I realized that this was going to be a bright light in the community was in December, about 3 months after we opened. I was closing the store myself, after months of being full house every day, working 12+ hours, developing repeat customers, and having to continuously stock the shelves. I may have shed a little tear when turning the lights off that night – proud that I was able to create exactly what I envisioned for the year prior. It still happens from time to time!

6. What did you study in school? How has it helped you in your journey?

Business at NSCC Marconi!
​There were lots of aspects of school that helped, but the various work experience I gathered after college is really what got me to where I am now.

7. If there was one thing you could have done differently early in your career, what would it be?

​This one has me thinking – and I don't think I would change anything.
​Every experience, good or bad, teaches you something if you look at it in a positive light. You can't get stronger if you don't fail a few times here and there!

8. What is your advice to a ‘shiny new’ business owner or entrepreneur?

Chase your passion and money will follow!

9. What advice would you offer aspiring business owners or entrepreneurs who want to stay on the Island?

Stay. Thats it. Just stay. It's awesome here.

10. Where do you see the future of your business/ industry/ Cape Breton headed?

Who knows! I am always bring storming, and always preparing for a change of tide.
The pottery industry has been around for longer than most, but comes in waves. If it slows down over the years, I'll expand into more of a cafe. If it stays, we will still be rocking events and fun here on the daily!

As a business owner, you have to be prepared to change your tactics on a dime to survive long term.

Also, Cape Breton has big things coming - I'm so excited to ride that wave for a while.
​We live on an amazing island, and people around the world visit us because we are so awesome. What more could you ask for?

Visit Fired Creations The Pottery Painting Cafe
​
582 George Street,
Sydney NS
B1P1K9

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