Learn about copyrights, trademarks and licensing in this informal roundtable dealing with any and all intellectual property issues.  Bring your own questions and examples to share with the group, where we will discuss the blurry definitions of what constitutes legal,  ethical and considerate behavior. With Jenny Hart and Keith Cooper

Learn how to improve your web site’s search results in this straightforward workshop.  We’ll discuss how to choose effective keywords to focus on, and how you can beat the competition by targeting more of your ideal audience right out of the gate. With Karri Carlson

Learn how to get timely and accurate bookkeeping information. Understand the components of business, the importance and purpose of bookkeeping, budgeting and financial reports, accounting and bookkeeping terminology. Topics include cash vs. accrual accounting, proper accounting data flow processes, accounting records & files, the chart of accounts, and the purpose of different financial reports. With [...]

Whether you’re an artist getting hired for a discernible style or happily adapting your hand to various agency needs, there are ways to ensure your work is seen and that the projects keep coming. Learn the proper etiquette of the pitch, how to break into the biz and what the day to day collaborations are [...]

There’s business, and then there are the things you’re built to do. There are marketing strategies, and then there are the ideas you wake up in the morning and fall asleep at night thinking about. Hidden in every creative person is a mission waiting to be discovered – the core principles that make your work [...]

If you’ve ever written a blog post, then you’ve shared a bit of yourself with the world for free. Sharing is a cornerstone of not only the online craft community, but of 21st-century businesses. Put your skills out there, the story goes, and the world will notice and bring you opportunities. But if you’re sharing [...]

So, you’ve had your business for a little while. You’ve got your Facebook Page, your blog and your Twitter profile, and maybe you’ve even managed to amass a fairly humble little community. What next? In this session we won’t be covering the basics. Nope. Instead, this session is going to speak to those who have [...]

While being an independent entrepreneur is exhilarating, there is a considerable amount of responsibility that comes with having to manage all sides of your small business. DIY (Do It Yourself) is empowering, but there’s a point when Doing it ALL Yourself gets downright overwhelming and exhausting. Do you like the idea of working with a [...]

Connecting with other creatives online, or in your local community, is a great way to kick-start your ideas or support the launch and growth of your business. This session will give you the inspiration and direction to think strategically about collaboration. In this session you’ll learn: When does 1+1 really equal more than 2? How [...]

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 [...]

Explore the world of academia through this informal Q&A.  You’ll find out what it takes to become a college-level educator 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 and what didn’t, in a frank and open [...]

Cathe Holden started blogging as a simple way to update her online graphic design portfolio. She became instantly enamored with the world of creative contributions through other bloggers and in March 2008 launched her own craft blog, Just Something I Made.  Over time, trial and error, craft blogging transformed her from a part-time logo designer [...]

Join this panel discussion with other crafty folks who want to learn more about sustainable business practices.  Is being “Green” a good fit for your business?  How can sustainable business practices save your business money?  What is green washing and how can it negatively impact your business? What does it take to get “Green” certified? [...]

Go on a guided tour of Etsy.com with Etsy’s Seller Education Coordinator, Daniellexo. Bring the the questions you’ve been itching to ask about selling your work online. We’ll discuss how to set up shop, photograph, describe, list and promote your first item listings in your new Etsy shop.

This session will explain the basic differences between the retail and wholesale markets for creative businesses to help attendees decide if the move from retail to wholesale is right for them. Presentation topics will include: wholesale pricing strategies, product development, communicating with wholesale buyers, marketing ideas and the wholesale trade show experience. With Marlo Miyashiro

Join Etsy’s Seller Education guru, Daniellexo, for a hands-on workshop. We’ll look at your shop and brainstorm ways to increase traffic, convert browsers into buyers and maintain a successful small business on Etsy. You’ll leave with homework, a list of resources and connected to a supportive team of other creative small business owners.

Making mini bios of fictional people based on the folks who buy your goods most frequently is really helpful and seriously fun. When you know exactly whom you’re speaking to, writing marketing copy or creating a Facebook fan page gets a lot easier. Does your audience have a sense of humor or are they stoic? [...]

Becoming an entrepreneur is a huge step towards getting the career you always wanted – and if it weren’t for the killer hours, unpredictable pay, and lack of vacations and benefits, it would be perfect. (Oh, and then there are those jobs you hate doing, but that no one else seems quite qualified to do [...]

A big part of the creative professional scene is to be more ecologically conscious. Going green has never been more popular and made more sense for our modern small businesses. Meet indie artists, crafters and retail owners who have made a genuine commitment to provide green products, promote greener living or practice sustainable business operation. [...]

Managing your Blog: Blogging is something a lot of us do now. It’s a part of our jobs and an integral part of our growth in this internet obsessed world. It’s not always easy but it definitely is necessary. If you are feeling your blogging fire slowly burning out OR don’t know how to even [...]

Are you a business owner or a creative entrepreneur ready to move to the next level? Have you thought about the legal obligations that are formed by owning your own business or developing your creative ideas? Do you work with others to expand your ideas or hire contractors to assist you? Have you ever talked [...]

With small business owners of every sort, this panel discussion will get into the pros and cons of each kind of business structure. When you’re just starting out, picking the right business structure for your venture is an important — and confusing — deliberation. Representatives of a sole proprietorship, a partnership, an LLC and a [...]

Selling your work isn’t easy. And it’s even harder if you’re trying to balance your crafty biz with a full-time job and some semblance of a personal life. Grace Dobush, the author of “Crafty Superstar: Make Crafts on the Side, Earn Extra Cash and Basically Have it All,” a business guide for part-time crafters, will [...]

Pricing your own work is one of the trickiest parts of running any creative business.  With something as subjective as art and design, you are placing a concrete value on very nebulous qualities, like talent, taste, and experience.  In this session, our fabulous panel of experienced and successful professionals will help you navigate those tricky [...]

The popularity of DIY craft has paved the way for dozens of indie craft shows all over the country. What makes a show successful for both vendors and attendees alike? How do you organize your show to meet the needs of sponsors? Can you build a community and following from your events? Meet seasoned organizers [...]

As creative professionals, we love to DIY, but what do you do when your business starts to outgrow you? In this panel we’ll discuss some ways to take your business to “the next level,” without having to sacrifice quality or vision. We’ll cover issues like outsourcing production, licensing, distribution, and setting up commercial space. Our [...]

This is your chance to lead a session, ask questions and connect with other attendees in more personal attendee driven sessions. What is an Unconference? An unconference is a facilitated participant-driven face-to-face conference around a theme or purpose. How does an unconference work? This portion of the conference will be facilitated and explained by a [...]

The Extreme Craft Roadshow is a 50-minute slide presentation covering many of the “Greatest Hits” of the Extreme Craft website. The artists and projects presented in the lecture are by turns hilarious, inspirational, deranged, sexual and downright disturbing. The Extreme Craft Roadshow presents its audience with a portrait of the blurred line between art and [...]

When Garth Johnson set out to do research for his book, 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse, he figured he could cover the history of creative reuse in the two-page introduction. Instead, he found was a rich history of reuse among such cultures as the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, Medieval Christians and many others, a [...]

If you’ve ever thought about starting your own podcast, don’t miss this panel discussion about what it takes to start a show and build a following. CraftyPod producer Diane Gilleland will join CraftSanity producer Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood and Becky Stern for a chat about developing your own independent podcast and building a following. They’ll also share [...]

Have you ever read a heart-stopping headline, or found out a local organization was in desperate need, and known you had to do something to help? This discussion covers constructive ways to use your crafts (and your blog) to help, locally and globally. In the hyper-connected Internet age, spreading the word or organizing, finding, contributing [...]

From pitching class ideas, finding just the right venue, and filling your classroom, to developing a comprehensive syllabus or handy take-home sheets, teaching a craft is a skill of its own. Join Susan Beal, Jamie Chan, Moxie and Becky Stern for a panel on making teaching part of your living, as well as making and [...]

Do you dream about using your creative design and entrepreneurial skills to open your own storefront? Do you fantasize about curating and merchandising a store but you’re worried you don’t have the skills or capital? This workshop will feature four people who have started and run their own brick and mortar shops over the past [...]

You want to make money, but to do that you have to get the word out. But it takes money to hire a publicist. So what to do on a shoestring budget? You get clever, that’s what. The fact is, people want to be delighted, not annoyed, and you’re not going to win anyone’s favor [...]

Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood is known for her in-depth interview style that keeps CraftSanity podcast listeners entertained for hours during long commutes and marathon craft sessions. Instead of listening on your iPod, bring your latest project and settle in to watch Jennifer interview craft celeb Megan Reardon of Not Martha in front of a live audience. Come [...]

Ever wonder how artist profiles, exhibition reviews, and topical articles end up in the pages of your favorite magazines? Whether you’re an artist, freelance writer, curator, or gallery/shop owner, this workshop will lay out some of the basic requirements for portfolio submissions and article pitches. Tips on how to present your work in the best [...]

If you work for yourself, there is no such thing as just working 9 to 5. With juggling all the aspects of running a business and trying to manage the creative part, you are often pulling 60+ hours a week. If you also have a family, how do you manage to get it all done [...]