The Currency of Creative Community: Why I Travel Half Way Around the Country to Teach for Free.

If you are traveling to Craftcation and not only hoping to craft your face off but also grow your business here are my tips and tricks.

For the past several years every spring I have hopped on a plane from Austin to California to be an instructor at the amazingly fun Craftcation Conference. You must be thinking it’s a great paying gig. Actually, I don’t get paid. Well not exactly, but it is still worth it to me to attend for many reasons beyond going into debt sometimes to get there.

Mark Montano, Vickie Howell, Me, Robert Mahar and Nicole Stevenson

Now I wouldn’t say I get paid NOTHING as an instructor and lot’s of conferences have similar pay structures so this is not uncommon. I get a free ticket to the event and a small stipend which covers less than half of my lodging. Those of you familiar with math and having profitable businesses may be asking yourself right about now how this makes sense for me financially. I too ask myself this the week before I leave and start to panic about how I am going to pay for things like food, rental cars and not to mention the flight. However, I get paid back in something not really tangible or that can’t be Venmoed to me immediately. I get paid back with creative community AND future business opportunities.

Rachael Mae Smith (The Crafted Life), Jennifer Priest (Smart Fun DIY), Sarah Rivero Khandjian (Sarah Harts), Jeran Mcconnel (Oleander & Palm) and Me!

Mama Has Got to Pay The Bills

Warren Buffet would not agree with me, but there is something about being around your type of people covered in paint, glue and glitter for a week that is priceless. Like the wood signs at Hobby Lobby say I’m filling my cup and all that stuff so I can pour into other peoples cups and blah blah blah. This year I am teaching and taking so many great classes, there is a constant creative barrage of extra things to do all over the event space, goodie bags to make you drool PLUS it is a hop skip and jump from the pacific ocean. You can craft until you can’t craft anymore BUT you can also do some things for your business if you have one. I think of Craftcation as a two-fer in that way.

Also, let’s be real

• I’m not completely selfless and just heading all the way to California out of the goodness of my crafty heart.

• I can’t afford to travel just to craft, funsies or cup fillage.

• Teaching at unpaid conferences isn't charity work – it's strategic business development disguised as a sparkly glitter-filled adventure.

Eliza Kapitan interviewing me for her podcast Craft Hangout.

Measuring Event Success With Connections Not Compensation

I’m not just talking about connections like the gazillions of new friends you could make at an event like this. I’m talking “show me the money” kind of connections that can also be friends. If you are traveling to Craftcation and not only hoping to craft your face off but also grow your business here are my tips and tricks.

This post is part of a 4 part series

• Mod Podge and MuuMuus: My Craftcation Packing Essentials Guide

• Traveling and Teaching - How I Partly Fund My Creative Adventures With Workshops on the Road and You Can Too.

• The Craftcation Chronicles - The Wrap Up of What I Learned, Who I Met and What I Made. Plus Interviews with Teachers and Students!