Are you a creative product-based business owner who wonders what it takes to develop a product that is appealing to wholesale buyers? Would you like to learn how to improve your production process, decrease your production time and increase your profit margin? If you are looking for feedback and ideas for improving your product line, [...]

The best marketing strategies do not begin with the most money, the biggest mailing list, or the perfect idea; they begin with passion. This session will challenge you to find your most genuine source of energy and learn how it can drive the purpose, positioning, and power of your business. This fun, fast-paced session full [...]

Learn how to approach galleries naturally, strategically and successfully in this 1-hour seminar with Lainya Magaña, an independent curator and former gallery director. Listen to the submission tips directors at nationally recognized galleries have shared with Lainya, learn how to create a strategy for reaching out to galleries, learn what goes into a proper submission [...]

Right brain/left brain arguments aside, pricing is a notoriously tricky area for creatives. This workshop will cover strategies for pricing goods and services, with special attention paid to the concept of markup, how to research going rates, and how good pricing helps your business survive and thrive. With Grace Dobush and Marlo Miyashiro  

In this conference wrap-up roundtable, we’ll take the time to share our greatest accomplishments and biggest pitfalls with one another.  You’ll walk away from this session with dozens of new ideas to try, stumbling blocks to avoid, and new contacts with like-minded creative professionals.

Licensing can be a wonderful way for your work to continue generating income long after you’ve made it, but the process can be tricky to navigate.  In this panel you’ll learn about licensing from the perspective of both the licensor and the licensee.  We’ll discuss how to make the most of licensing your work for [...]

Learn how to launch (or improve) your own online shop from this panel filled with seasoned e-commerce veterans.  We’ll discuss issues like increasing traffic, managing inventory, accepting credit cards and integrating your shop with your blog or social media accounts. With Kelly Lynn Jones, Christiana Coop, Janette Crawford and Willo O’Brien

Gone are the days when art was only available in galleries, museums, and the homes of wealthy collectors.  These days anyone can be a patron, collector or exhibiting artist through the myriad alternative art venues springing up around the world.  In this panel, we’ll talk about inventive ways artists can show their work and get [...]

Most of us wish there were more hours in a day.  Learn how to make the most of the ones you’ve got while reducing stress ulcers in this panel moderated by Willo O’Brien.  We’ll discuss ways to manage your correspondence, to-dos, and finances that get the busy work done faster and leave you with more [...]

Bring your illustration, design, or fine art portfolio to this informal review session.  You’ll learn how to improve the selection and presentation of your work for different audiences such as art directors, college admission officers and agents. With Jennifer Vaughn and Hunter Wimmer

Learn how and when to seek artist’s representation at this informal roundtable with Jennifer Vaughn, a California-based illustration agent.  We’ll discuss what services an agent can and can’t provide, how to find an agent who matches you well, and how to put together your portfolio before approaching agents.  Feel free to bring samples of your [...]

Bring your tax questions to this informal roundtable with Bob Silver, a San Francisco-based CPA and tax lawyer specializing in small business.  Bob has taught MBA courses at several universities and held a position in the Office of the General Counsel’s Corporate Tax Division at the IRS.  Ask him about small business and self-employment taxes, [...]

Bring your human resource questions to this informal roundtable with Hannah Knapp, the Director of Human Resources for Flixster, Inc.  Hannah built Flixster’s Human Resources from the ground up, taking it from a six-person start-up to a company more than ten times that size with offices around the country, and through an acquisition by Warner [...]

Having your work appear in the media can do wonders for your career, but getting it seen by editors and producers can sometimes seem elusive, if not downright impossible.  In this panel, we’ll talk about the etiquette of approaching press contacts, what materials to put in your press kit, when it makes sense to hire [...]

Freelancing can be an ideal lifestyle for a creative professional.  As your own boss, you get to choose your clients, your hours and your rates.  But being your own boss also means staying organized, managing your own deadlines and budgets, and making sure you have enough projects on the docket to pay the bills, but [...]

This panel is ideal for people looking to grow their business without sacrificing quality or control over their products.  Whether you’re hoping to spend less time on repetitive tasks, keep less inventory on hand, or want to introduce a product line featuring your designs or artwork, our panelists can help you get there.  We’ll talk [...]

Explore the world of illustration through this informal Q&A.  You’ll find out what it takes to become a illustrator for periodicals, books, and other media, and what to expect on a daily basis from professionals who have already navigated those waters successfully.  This session takes a practical approach by addressing what worked and what didn’t, [...]

For all the time, effort, and creative energy you put into your blog, shouldn’t you be getting something back?  Whether you want your blog to just pay for itself, or become a full-time career, we’ll discuss ways to make it happen.  Our panel of successful bloggers will share the tools and techniques that have helped [...]

Have you considered writing a book but don’t know where to start?  You’ll learn how in this panel, featuring two publishers and two authors with multiple titles under their belts.  We’ll discuss how to approach editors, put together a winning book proposal, and negotiate contracts.  You’ll also find out what it takes to complete a [...]

Do you dream of making art for a living but don’t know what it takes? Join San Francisco fine artist/illustrator/author Lisa Congdon for a window into her exciting world as a full-time creative. Learn about fueling creativity, taking risks, maintaining motivation and staying organized while you diversify your income, build clientele and successfully manage multiple [...]

In this one-hour seminar we’ll explore basic photography elements like depth of field, white balance, and choosing a background that will help you make all your product photographs stand out. We’ll also show those of you with point-and-shoot cameras how to make the best of what you’ve got without investing in an expensive upgrade. With [...]

Telling your story to craft a unique business identity You are what makes your business unique. It’s more than just the product you make or the service you offer, it’s the story behind what you do and why you do it.  Where do you see your product fitting into the marketplace? What passions do you [...]

Explore the world of pattern and surface through this informal Q&A.  You’ll find out what it takes to become a pattern designer for wallpaper, fabric and other surfaces and what to expect on a daily basis from someone who has already navigated those waters successfully.  This session takes a practical approach by addressing what worked [...]