I recently attended a craft conference called
School House Craft here in Seattle. It featured two full days of classes for makers and crafters who have small businesses. We learned about photography, wholesale, social media, creativity, productivity, and the ever-important how to pay yourself. It was really encouraging to meet other makers and learn about the types of things they make, their struggles, and where they are in their journey. Everyone was really collaborative and advice and ideas bounced around all weekend. It was a fantastic experience, in part, because of the small group and the amazing lineup of speakers and instructors.
It was a game changer for me. I’ve wanted to go to that conference since it was created in 2009. Every year I’d see the ads and wish I could go. But I didn’t. I didn’t think I was ready. I thought that I just wasn’t at the same level as everyone else. I didn’t have a shop, or a product, or even an inkling of an idea of what to sell. And I was totally scared of failing. Of feeling like a sham in front of all the amazing makers. It’s been hard to beat down that fear. But I’ve made a lot of progress in that department, and this year, six years, later, I made it. And you know what? It was amazing.
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