Jim Be Nimble...Jim Be Quick

Remember that "hyper-creativity" I talked about a couple of postings ago? Well it struck again...

Wednesday.

This is Friday and I'm going to be firing obvara in a test mode today. I made the goo on Tuesday as scheduled for a few (literally three) pieces for a special order that I'm trying to get out the door. Having the goo in process helped but Wednesday we got a request for proposal and we needed a new twist on a product to make a price point happen. Brenda came up with a great idea and off to the studio I went to make prototypes...somewhat dry on the molds on Thursday morning...finished the edges and sponges and colored up before Noon...into the sun to dry...and into the bisque kiln last night. The bits are out this morning and because I made that goo on Tuesday, obvara for these prototypes happens this afternoon.

Concept to finish in just three days...in ceramics that's almost unheard of.

Why can I work this fast? First, it's just Brenda and I, so the levels of management that sometime hinder the ability to be nimble in a "normal" business are nonexistent...we work well together (for the past 44 years)...and we know our material, our equipment very well...we also have a wide variety of experiences from the past to draw from. That and I'm lovin' a challenge.

We just walked in the door from a trip to one of our supply chain folks and had this same discussion about being nimble. They had a major downturn when the owner passed away rather unexpectedly and had to change business models. All of their business was lost to changing technology and their engineer (the owner) died...they had to take on any business they could to stay in the game BUT by taking on small and unwanted jobs left by the larger shops, they have become the goto contract shop for many small businesses like ours. They're working on some custom samples for us as you read this. Very cool stuff...I'm excited about the possibilities.

We're keeping our business nimble and creating unique opportunities...not going to whine about the climate or the government or the economy...Tim Gunn would say, "Make It Work." Nimble and Quick...that's us.