If you watch everyone work, you will see precise activities
performed repetitiously. If you listen to them work, you will
hear distinct personalities. Watching such a diverse group
work so well together makes me wonder, which is doing the
shaping, the workers or the clay.
Since 1976, I have had four different groups of employees.
Relocation has been the main reason for changes. If you took
one worker, and put them in a different group, they would
feel at home.
The first group was in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania. This twelve
year stretch started with my brother, Randy; Gail our stamp
designer, and Mary a decorator. The techniques established
then are still used today. After the initial four came Charlotte,
Ellen, and several others along the way. We never made much
money, but we loved working together. I learned, back then,
that keeping things casual was the best way to run a business.
These were the people who showed me how. The layout was less
than ideal, but it was great fun. Even my landlord Darrell
and his son Brian helped too. I still enjoy friendships with
most of them today.
The second group was a short twenty month stretch in Pennsylvania’s
beautiful Amish country. I will always remember getting away
from work by driving backroads through the Amish farmlands.
The shortness of my stay did not allow me to develop the same
kind of working relationships I previously enjoyed. But I
did make great friends, like Shu Ping and his wonderful family.
The third group was the first two years in our current location.
While I was in Lancaster County, I started selling pots to
the Leggett Department Stores. After discussing the state
of things with my brother Randy, I moved back to Pittsburgh.
Randy found a great building on Pittsburgh’s South Side.
Setting up a new studio is a lot of work, especially when
you design and build a new kiln. Along with Randy were Judy
from Germany, and later Mark.
Judy was our next door neighbor. One day, after months of
short hellos, I invited Judy and her friends to visit the
pottery. Within minutes I offered her a job. While Judy worked
for me, we never stopped laughing. When she decided to move
back to Germany, she knew the strain it would have on me and
found her own replacement; Mark a potter. Judy was one of
the best workers, and more enjoyable people I’ve ever
employed. We still miss her today, and look forward to seeing
her and meeting her new husband at Octoberfest.
Mark had a tough role to fill. He did so, quite exceptionally.
He not only learned Judy’s duties fast; he glazed and
threw too. Just like me, he learned to love pottery as an
Art major in college.
About two years after I moved back to Pittsburgh, Randy returned
to real estate. Twice he helped me get things moving. He is
the quintessential big brother. Sure we bump heads, but I
wouldn’t have him any other way.
Following Randy’s departure, I set up ZTP Inc., and
initiated a five year plan to shift from the town commemorative
to personalized pieces. Sales at the Leggett stores were up,
and I needed help fast. Mark was encouraging me to hire production
workers, but I knew I needed a manager first. It’s better
to bring new employees to an existing manager, than a new
manager to existing employees.
The fourth group started when I hired Jocelyn. I knew her
through Judy. I bumped into her one evening, and told her
about all the changes in progress. Her questions addressed
each issue on my priority list. As I started to leave I asked
her if she would like to work for me. After a few meetings,
she agreed. I didn’t realize she was an editor for an
entrepreneurial publication. Her interest was in start up
businesses. This was her opportunity to practice what she
preached. I explained the production, and sales systems, and
told her to set up the office the way she thought best. Within
a few months, the office was revamped, new production workers
were trained, and the personalized line was picked up by our
first mail order catalog. Everything fell into place nicely.
This stretch was hectic, but great fun too.
