With the newest schedule of Skill Exchange workshops, I wanted to reflect on the evolution of Kate Skill Exchange Design things. Blogging with a cocktail in hand never hurts, right? Over the last year, I’ve learned many many indispensable lessons about event planning, life-juggling and business-juggling. I’m 29 years old, and while I may regret sharing that little tidbit tomorrow, I can’t regret the fact that working for myself has been the best, and most intimidating decision I’ve ever made. I’ve learned that I need support, and I need good advisors to help advise me in areas that I might otherwise stubbornly avoid or ignore. I’ve had to toughen up, but also be more protective of what I’ve worked so hard to build. True, haters gonna hate, but I’ve also learned that the copycats aren’t going to slow me down either.
With the growing network of participants as well as teachers, it is even more important to continue offering interesting, affordable and useful workshops that excite us and inspire us. As Skill Exchange grows, I want to create workshops and events will help us all take steps towards better understanding how things are made, but also, to help support those in the community that have dedicated their careers to practicing traditional and handmaking skills. These workshops aren’t entirely about having fun– they are about supporting makers and small businesses, and revaluing the hard work that goes into making things by hand.
With this new series of workshops, ticket price points are higher than previous events, so that Skill Exchange can pay our teachers, rent space for events, as well as support new and evolving goals of Skill Exchange. I’ve worked extremely hard to ensure that each workshop is still very affordable, and the value of each workshop is higher than the actual monetary cost, because ultimately, I want people to understand the value of the skills and knowledge that our teachers are passionate about.
In the past workshop tickets were extremely low cost, in part through the kind donations of businesses and teachers, and eventually workshops were funded in part by grants. I was also for a time, extremely naive about my ability to keep Skill Exchange moving forward non-stop without help or financial support… but fortunately I’m no longer laboring under that particular delusion! One of the long term goals of Skill Exchange will be to offer a variety of price points for everyone… and yes, I still want to do free events. I just can’t help it. Skills should be available to everyone.
Skill Exchange will continue to evolve and grow, thanks to excellent advice-givers, workshop takers, and continued support from teachers and makers. If you’d like to support Skill Exchange, take a workshop with us. Its easy, and we’re fun. Oh, PS- you’re going to learn something useful.
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Tags: life, real talk
