What Goes Around Comes Around

Remember that post from a couple of weeks ago when I wrote that I was irked by artists who teach workshops and classes when they really don't have the credentials? Well, in an ironic twist, I was accused of doing that very same thing this week -- billing myself as a marketing expert teaching a workshop when I really don't have the chops. Huh.

Now that I've had a few days to get over my righteous indignation, I'm ready to think through my feelings on the subject more clearly. One thing I realized is that in all my years, I've rarely seen an artist intentionally take advantage of fellow artists. We can't. We know how hard we have to work, and we just can't stick it to other people who work as hard as we do. 

That made me realize that maybe some of those not-quite-ready-to-teach teachers are actually motivated by the same things I am. It's not the money. They're just so in love with art that they want everyone to have the same great experience by sharing whatever they know, just like I'm excited about marketing (yes, I'm a business geek) and I want to share what I know. I don't claim to be a cutting-edge marketing guru or innovator, but I do know an awful lot about the subject (I've been studying marketing for 25 years and have picked the brains of the most successful artists around to find out how they do it), and I feel like it's my honor and privilege to share what I've learned with my fellow artists. 

Regardless of what the teacher's motives are, it's still up to all students to determine whether they'll get their money's worth out of the experience. Don't commit to something until you've done some research and it feels like a good fit for you. Now, there are some lovely people who are putting their faith in me this weekend, and I'm not letting them leave until they've hammered out the core of their marketing plans and feel capable of implementing them.