NayaCeramica’s story: Having the courage to start an artsy business in a highly digitalised era

The challenges of an entrepreneur are many – especially when it comes to selling handmade art. NayaCeramica, however, is an example of how one could grow a passion into a thriving business and sell without borders – at festivals, on Instagram or anywhere else customers go.

Twenty years ago, Naya Alves began her journey with ceramics, never imagining it would someday become her profession. Yet, the decision to create the pottery business NayaCeramica came after she relocated from Brazil to Portugal, where Naya found the inspiration and courage to take her love for art to the next level.

Like any other entrepreneur, Naya faced challenges while growing her business – for example, lack of time to pursue her passion and lack of experience handling administrative tasks.

As a result, Naya decided to turn to digital payment solutions to draw more customers and streamline her operations. Thanks to the enhanced checkout process of contactless payments, Naya has been able to drive sales, all while staying true to her passion for delivering beautiful and unique hand-crafted pieces.

Running a craft business in an ever more digitalised society

As an artist, who has turned her hobby into a profession, Naya has encountered a number of difficulties in her work. One of them was finding a balance between the creative process and the more mundane aspects of running a business. This included managing her finances, sourcing materials and promoting her work to a wider audience.

Furthermore, NayaCeramica had to face competition from mass-produced items, which are often sold at lower prices and, therefore, attract more attention from consumers. According to the businesswoman, unfortunately, not everyone recognises the value of handmade craftsmanship, which carries the artist’s sensitivity and takes a lot of time to produce.

Despite these challenges, Naya continued crafting each of her pieces by hand, one at a time, with a lot of care and attention to detail. As she explains, this is an essential part of the artistic process and helps to ensure that every piece is truly unique.

To find inspiration, Naya has always looked out to nature. She is particularly drawn to the shapes and colours of leaves, flowers and trees, and uses these as a basis for her work. Additionally, she likes to inject humour into her pieces, which she hopes will bring a sense of lightness and joy to those who acquire them.

Turning to digital payments to grow NayaCeramica’s customer base

As an artist, Naya Alves understands the importance of expanding her reach and making her art available to as many potential customers as possible. One of the ways she accomplishes this is by showcasing her artwork at craft festivals and events.

However, as a small business owner, Naya had to find a way to provide her customers with a range of payment options without investing in an expensive payment system. She found the answer in myPOS – an affordable and user-friendly mobile payment solution that allows small business owners to accept digital transactions without monthly fees and binding contracts.

“I’ve worked for many years in the financial market and I know the importance of offering multiple forms of payment to my customers to facilitate and speed up the purchase. The truth is that customers feel better when they can choose how they want to pay, which not only provides them with a greater sense of security, but also enhances their overall shopping experience,” shares the businesswoman.

By using myPOS Go, a portable and standalone card reader, Naya is able to accept contactless payments regardless of where her business takes her. This has not only improved the range of payment choices available to her customers, but has also enabled her to expand her reach and cater to a broader clientele.

“After I started offering payments through myPOS, the purchase process became faster and I managed to serve more foreign tourists, who make up the majority of my customers at the fairs where I participate.”

Naya believes that offering multiple payment options is crucial for enhancing the customer experience and building loyalty. With myPOS, she can now focus on what truly matters – showcasing her art, reaching new customers and growing her business.

Alternative payment methods help reach more customers – anywhere, anytime

In addition to the convenient and easily portable myPOS Go terminal, Naya relies on another myPOS service – PayLink. This online payment solution enables merchants to effortlessly generate multiple-use links, which can be shared with customers via email, SMS or social media platforms.

To connect with a broader audience, Naya posts her ceramic pieces on Instagram accompanied by a PayLink, enabling people from any location to effortlessly purchase her artwork. As her clients open the link, they are directed to a secure web page where they can initiate their purchase. With just a few clicks, they can easily complete their orders, benefiting from the high levels of safety and convenience offered by this method.

But apart from simply accepting digital payments, Naya also acknowledges other benefits that have helped her business grow, such as the instant payout of funds myPOS offers:

“I really like how easy and quick it is to receive the funds in my account at myPOS. I can restock raw materials and make payments promptly using the available balance on my card without worrying about paying excessive fees.”

By embracing contactless payments and taking advantage of the myPOS services, Naya Alves has managed to establish a small but thriving business that caters to her customers’ needs efficiently and supports her artistic endeavours.