Firing up a new venture

What started out as a hobby for Aimee Gurtis has turned into a new business venture called Whim Wham Pottery and Art Studio in Ormond Beach.

The studio, at 378-B West Granada Boulevard in the Granada Plaza shopping center, welcomes walk-ins to sit down and paint their own pottery pieces.

The pieces, ordered from vendors, are already made and ready to be painted with glazes and fired in a kiln. Customers also have the option of making their own pieces using wet clay. Other projects are also being offered such as glass fusion, mosaics and tie-dye.

The studio has five employees, but Gurtis may be hiring more depending on how many children are registered for the camp activities being offered over the summer.

The summer camp is one strategy Gurtis is using to attract customers.

Gurtis, a first-time business owner, said she decided to open her shop after visiting similar art studios with her children and seeing how people of all ages enjoyed doing the crafts. She said it was a combination of seeing how much fun her kids were having as well as how much she enjoyed the activity that made her realize what a great idea it was for a business.

She said she wants her own studio to offer a relaxing and fun environment that's welcoming to people of all ages and levels of artistic ability.

She said she has been taking art classes for most of her life and that it has always been something she enjoys doing.

"It's a mix of all the things I enjoy and know how to do," she said.

Gurtis earned a degree in marketing and public relations from the University of Central Florida and worked for the Council on Aging of Volusia County before quitting to become a stay-at-home mom to her three children several years ago.

Gurtis came up with the name Whim Wham from a project she worked on while studying marketing and public relations. It was originally the name for a made-up coffee shop that her class project was based around.

She said after brainstorming with her family, they all agreed that Whim Wham was as fun and whimsical as the business itself.

Gurtis co-owns the art studio with her husband, Andrew Gurtis, vice president of operations at Daytona International Speedway. He has helped her with the business side of things -- such as negotiating the lease for the space and helping set up the studio, she said.

The shop space previously housed a Cat Care Clinic.

Gurtis did some minor renovations to the space before opening her studio.

Gurtis and her husband, who live in Ormond Beach, dipped into their savings to fund the $40,000 launch of the business, she said.

Even though Gurtis has never run a business before, she said her involvement in the community and background in marketing should help her business thrive.

Gurtis, who has been an active member in Junior League since 2006, hosted a Ladies Night for the volunteer organization at her shop April 26 as a test run.

Whim Wham officially opened May 4.

Since launching her business, she has joined Ormond Beach Main Street and Ormond Beach Mainstreet Arts District. Gurtis said she is also planning on joining the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Ned Harper, director of the Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College, said hobby businesses, such as Gurtis's, are able to thrive even in this economy if they are able to market themselves properly and make the community aware that they exist.

"The hardest part is getting customers in the door," he said.

Harper said new businesses face a number of challenges and that it is important for owners to do their research and be aware of not only the market they are trying to reach, but also their competition, and to be sure to properly price their products and/or services.

Setting prices that are too high can chase away potential customers, but setting them too low can make it difficult for a business to turn a profit.

"You see people with a hobby or an interest, and they do not do the research," said Harper.

Gurtis said she spent more than a year doing research before launching her business.

That research included joining the national Fresno, Calif.-based Contemporary Ceramic Studios Association, which provided information about the different aspects of running a ceramics studio.

She also made a marketing plan that includes creating a website for the studio and she is also using social media to reach out to potential customers. She also plans to eventually work with schools and other local organizations to host events.