Today we’d like to introduce you to Sasha Kai.
Hi Sasha, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I think of myself as an accidental ceramicist. When I stumbled upon ceramics, I had recently (and reluctantly) moved to the San Gabriel Valley after spending a decade bouncing between Downtown, Leimert Park, and the Eastside. But, you know, those places are pricey, and my husband and I were getting priced out of our place in Glendale, so we decided to move further out. One day, I was exploring our new neighborhood and saw that a ceramics studio was opening up in a few months. I thought it might be a fun thing to try in the future, but I kind of filed it away in the back of my mind.
At the time, I had been working on the tech side of Corporate America, building streaming products, which kept me really busy. I had carved out a reputation for blending storytelling and technology into innovative streaming features. It was fun for a while because I was constantly getting to push the limits of what was possible across various platforms. But in the last few years, it seemed every company was pivoting away from “big bets” to focus more on merging with or acquiring other companies. My job went from being a mix of tech, innovation, and entertainment to a lot of technical migrations. With that came tight timelines, demands (not to mention the constant threat of layoffs), and I started to burn out.
At first, I felt a lot of pressure to keep up and perform. I thought that if I just kept pushing through, things would eventually level out, but they only got more intense as time went on. It all came to a head when I got injured at work and ended up with a concussion.
When you’re recovering from a concussion, they tell you to get “brain rest,” which includes things like limiting screen time and reducing stress. I was also having a really hard time multitasking, so I needed activities that would allow me to focus on just one thing at a time. It was during that time that pottery came back into my life. The new studio in my neighborhood had just opened and was offering a one-time wheel class for residents, so I went—and pretty much fell in love with it on the spot. I had never touched clay before that class, but by the end of it, I signed up for a 4-week class and never looked back.
It sounds cliché, but I really do believe that rejection is redirection. Unfortunately, so many of us don’t slow down until something big happens. For me, it was being forced to focus on my recovery and prioritize my health. But I’m really grateful, because by letting go of that “urgency” culture and the stress that comes with it, I opened up a whole new world of possibilities. And now, I can’t imagine my life without ceramics in it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
People always ask me if doing pottery (on the wheel) is hard, and my response is always yes. But just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing. There’s something incredibly rewarding about molding a piece of clay into a thing that only previously existed in your mind or sketchbook. But you also have to be willing to be bad at it for a while, because you will be bad at it. I think knowing that going in takes the pressure off.
For me, I didn’t really have any expectations going into my first pottery class, but as I spent more time on the wheel, I noticed I started putting pressure on myself to work with a certain amount of clay or be able to make a specific piece perfectly. I was only about 6 weeks in, which is ridiculous! I think social media really makes the expectation-management piece hard because you see these artists throwing beautiful pieces in 30 seconds, and you start thinking that’s the level you need to be at. But there’s so much you’re not seeing in that 30-second clip. Things are edited, sped up, and not to mention, some of these influencers are also world-renowned ceramicists, so of course, they make it look easy—they’re professionals. They’ve spent thousands of hours perfecting their craft and form until it looks second nature. I mean, LeBron James makes basketball look easy, but I’m not about to go shoot free throws with him.
My biggest struggle, honestly, was deciding if I wanted to sell my work. Once I got to a point where I was making really consistent pieces, I had a lot of people reaching out, asking if they could buy my work or encouraging me to do markets. I was really hesitant because I didn’t get into this as a side hustle or career pivot. Also, I know that once money enters the chat, the conversation changes. I did a few markets and got a really great response, but afterward, I realized that my time at the wheel was starting to feel more like work and less like play. I was spending too much time thinking about what sold, what might sell, and how I could increase my output. All those residual emotions and stressors from working in corporate started to come up again. That was the exact opposite of why I started doing this in the first place, so I had to really sit with that and figure out how I wanted to move forward—what worked for me versus what everyone else was telling me to do. And the truth was, running a ceramics business was not something I wanted to (or could) sustain or maintain, but that didn’t mean I had to stop making things. At the end of the day, my “why” and my goals were my own, and they didn’t have to make sense to anyone else as long as they worked for me.
So now, I just give myself the freedom to create what I want to create, to really explore and play. I still have my website where I post new work for sale, but I’ve taken the pressure off myself to turn it into a business because that’s not what success looks like for me anymore.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At the core of my pottery practice is this constant search for balance—between form and function, beauty and utility. I want the pieces I make to really stand out in someone’s home, to catch the eye or spark a little moment of joy. But it’s just as important to me that they actually work. That they’re easy to use, comfortable, and intuitive.
I think a lot about finding that sweet spot between aesthetics and accessibility. I’m always experimenting and tweaking my forms—not just to elevate their visual language, but to make them feel better in the hand, to be more intuitive to use. Since my injury, I’ve dealt with some mobility challenges, and it’s shaped everything from how I create to how I think about design. I’m always considering not just how something looks, but how it functions in someone’s everyday life—how it feels when you’re holding it, especially if you have limited strength or dexterity.
I think that attention to detail definitely comes from my background in product development. You can take the girl out of product development, but not the product developer out of the girl. That experience taught me the value of small, thoughtful improvements—how even subtle changes can really enhance how people interact with a product. I’m not trying to reinvent the mug, you know? But I am trying to make one that’s just right. One that feels good, works well, and carries a bit of personality—something that feels human.
That idea is really the foundation of my brand, Wyld Heart Ceramics. Everything I make is both fly and functional. I want my pieces to be bold enough to live unapologetically on your table or shelf, but still totally usable. I don’t think you should have to choose between beauty and practicality. They can absolutely coexist—and when they do, I think there’s something really powerful, even healing, in that.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Oh, I’m definitely a risk-taker—like, 1000%. I’m sure it drives my husband crazy sometimes. I’m not out here taking wild, dangerous risks or anything, but when it comes to my career or life choices, I’ll absolutely take a leap if it feels aligned with the vision I have for my life.
I’ve never really been afraid of failing. To me, failure isn’t the worst thing that can happen. If anything, it teaches you something—sometimes it even helps you get clearer on what you really want. So I try to approach risk in a pretty grounded way. I take the emotion out of it and just ask: is this worth it? What might I learn?
A lot of people will say, “Well, what’s the worst that could happen?” But I think that’s the wrong question. For me, taking a risk is about making a choice—and then asking myself, can I live with the consequences of that choice? Once I started thinking about it that way, something kind of opened up for me. It gave me permission to move forward, even when things were uncertain.
I’m not originally from L.A.—I actually grew up in the Midwest. In 2009, I was wrapping up a short (and honestly kind of chaotic) stint as a policy and community organizer in D.C. I didn’t really know what came next, so I did the very Millennial thing and applied to grad school. Deciding to move to L.A. was a huge risk. I didn’t have a job, I hadn’t gotten into school yet, I didn’t have a place to live—and I knew exactly one person in the whole city. But I didn’t let that stop me. Because honestly, staying where I was felt more limiting than leaving. So I packed everything I owned in my suitcases, booked a one-way flight, and here I am—15 years later, still here, still creating.
At the end of the day, I really believe life is just a series of choices—and for me, a well-lived life means making intentional ones that reflect my values, honor my dreams, and protect my peace. From the outside, sure, it might look like I take a lot of risks. But in the end, all we really have is our time—and how we choose to spend it.
Pricing:
- Chip & Dip Bows: $68 – $88
- Garlic & Herb Bowl: $38
- Olive Oil Cruets: $48 – $58
- Mugs: $45 – $65
- Just a Dash Salt Jar: $55
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wyldheartla.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theepolishedpotter/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theepolishedpotter
