Molding Success: Teen earns first car through teaching pottery
15-year-old Maya Perry teaches pottery classes to earn money for her first car
WOODWAY, Texas (KWTX) — In the backyard of a Woodway home, the sound of pottery wheels spinning fills the air as young students learn the craft from an unlikely teacher — a 15-year-old entrepreneur who turned her passion into profit.
Maya Perry has been teaching pottery classes to local children over the summer, transforming her hobby into a successful business venture that recently earned her enough money to buy her first car.
“I had lots of people say, ‘You know how to do pottery, I want to learn how to do that,’” Perry said. “So I figured I might as well teach a class.”
From Hobby to Business
Perry’s journey into pottery began years ago when her father, MJ Perry, introduced her to the craft while they lived in Malaysia. When they moved to the States in 2018, they started making pottery and pottery tools together, occasionally teaching others.
“We started out making pottery and pottery tools. And we taught here and there,” MJ Perry said. “It wasn’t until she started the teaching.”
Over the summer, Maya decided to formalize her teaching into regular classes. Like many teenagers, she had her sights set on getting her own vehicle when she turns 16 in December.
After eight weeks of classes, Maya achieved her goal.
“I feel like it was a win on all sides,” Maya said. “Like I got to do something I loved. I got to be around kids that I love. And then I got to make money and I got to buy a car.”
Community Support
The Woodway City Council recently approved the Perry family’s permit to continue teaching pottery classes at their home, allowing Maya to expand her business legally within the community.
MJ Perry expressed pride in his daughter’s initiative and business acumen.
“What I love the most is that she took initiative, drove that train like I wasn’t out here driving her. She was driving,” he said. “It made me so proud.”
Now that Maya has her car, she’s preparing for the next milestone — getting her driver’s license when she turns 16 in a few months.
“I’m bragging on you everywhere I go,” MJ Perry told his daughter.
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