11 Feb 2017

My day at Country Living's 'Kitchen Table Talent'

I have such a soft spot for good magazines...

There I was sat in my armchair on a dark January evening, happily flicking through my issue of Country Living, pretending I can buy a country mansion and fill it with beautiful antiques (hey - a girl can dream).  Basically, I was in my happy place.  I turned the page and came across an advert for something called the 'Kitchen Table Talent' business workshop day.

As my readers will know, I am in the early stages of a new creative project, and currently feeling like I'm peering over the edge of a precipice, pencils in hand, both a little excited and a little afraid of jumping off...  I thought it was about time I met a few more people doing the same thing and listen to some much-desired advice.

And so I booked a shift off from my day job, signed up, and found myself into room full of creative women, most of whom had careers, children, and other commitments - and all of whom were asking;

"Am I supposed I be here?"
"Do I really count?"
"Is this for me?"
"Could I do that?"

Universally all of them.  Even those with fantastic careers and a long string of successes to their name, which seemed pretty intimating to the likes of me!  It seemed I was in good company.

I got a goodie bag out of it too

Things I learned from the workshop:

- Your business can, and will, change.
Part of me always wants to change, expand and rethink my work so it's been struggle for me to feel I can confidently say exactly where things will go.  So I must say it was a bit of a revelation when the speaker, Susy Smith, explained that change is actually good for your business.  Come again?  Yes - chasing perfection and trying to be everything to everyone will just hold you up.  But being adaptable, flexible and responsive to your market is much better.  I realize now that change is actually part of being creative.  So follow where it leads and just launch!

- Build your network from those people already around you.
It's definitely dawning on me that creative people need to build a network around them to have success.  Even if it is just fellow designers, they will inspire, encourage and shake up your ideas.  It can be a lonely job sometimes.  Too often I feel I need to start everything from scratch which can be so overwhelming.  But after listening to the guest speakers, and to my fellow designer/makers, I was taught a very valuable lesson, and that is to ask; "What can I do with what I've already got?"

- You are further along than you think you are.
A strange thing happened as we networked around the room talking to each other about our creative business ideas - I stopped sounding like someone with an idea, and started to sound like someone with a plan.  I think we are so conditioned to see achievement in a series of obvious steps - completed paperwork, an empty inbox, qualifications - that sometimes you can miss what you are creating for yourself day-by-day.  Creativity is basically never finished. So what value can you put on ideas?  Nothing in monetary terms, but they might be the most valuable asset you have.  Hey... a girl can dream, right?

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