My Two-Day Creative Skills Bootcamp Experience

If you’re anything like me who eats business/creativity articles for breakfast, then I’m sure you’ve heard of this advice many times:  engage in networking.

Attend bootcamps and join mastermind groups, they say.

Tell people what you do and meet other creators like you.

It’s an old advice that is almost like common sense for us, aspiring creatives and entrepreneurs.  But it is also one that is very hard to follow, especially if you’re like me who’s used to doing things alone and finds it difficult to talk about projects that are still a work in progress.

However, I knew I needed to take action and do something beyond the four walls of my home if I’m ever going to achieve my big plans.

I was craving for some fresh perspective, something to give me the lift that I desperately needed.

So when I got wind of a creative skills bootcamp in my area, I knew I had to go and see what I can take away from it.

It doesn’t help that it’s free.  😉

In my head, I have a decent vision of what I want to do and how I want to do it.  But it’s based on years of self-studying online, learning from people who are mostly from other countries and out of my reach.

I wanted to know what it’s like to pursue a creative business as an artist in my own country, surrounded by my own people.

So I signed myself up for my first ever bootcamp.

The event title was Creative Skills Bootcamp, “fresh and exciting workshops for all kinds of creators”.

It was held at Thames International / Entrepreneur School of Asia, and made possible by British Council’s Creative Innovators Programme, Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) Philippines, and Apl de Ap Foundation.  (Thank you so much for this!)

I have to say it was a very enjoyable experience.

Not only has it been a while since I had the student experience, the school was filled with good vibes, and there was just something contagious about being in a place filled with professionals all talking about pursuing their dreams.

The event had a good schedule:

• Registration in the morning
• Introductions and talks until lunch time
• Lunch
• Workshops in the afternoon
• Time dedicated for hangouts over coffee and snacks

Creative Skills Bootcamp, Day 1 (February 7)

Overall, they’ve set up a pretty good atmosphere.  There were only two things that I wish they’d improve:

1. The limited time dedicated for each workshop.
2. The lack of replays.

A lot of the classes that I wanted were in conflicting schedules, so I had to choose based on relevance and availability of slots.  It would’ve been nice if there was a repeat at another time or day, so that we can get the most out of the topics that they’ve teased us in their program list.  🙂

For the first day, the workshops – also called breakout sessions – that I was able to attend were as follows:

• Negotiation and Proper Business Behavior
• You Are Your Own Critic

As you know, I’m no social butterfly.  But by the time the workshops have ended, there were a lot to discuss that you’d be tempted to say hi to people and continue the conversation topics that have been discussed in class.

This is probably why there was a “hangout over coffee” in their schedule!  😀

Which is great, to be honest.  I got to meet people and have discussions without forcing to put myself out there.  It was all natural and fun, which is the best and ideal kind of networking.

Creative Skills Bootcamp, Day 2 (February 8)

For Day 2, I attended the following:

• Weaving Dreams:  Deepening the WHY for your art and cause
• GameChanging 101

My most memorable workshop would have to be the Weaving Dreams.  It was the most intimate, which frightened me a bit because it was not a topic that I’d like to share with others so openly.

I will admit, though, there was something empowering in the act of announcing your goals in life. I thought it was a good exercise in learning how to solidify ideas while expanding on your area of focus.

The attendees and I, we all came from different backgrounds and we may be pursuing different paths, but I believe we have something in common:  The determination to pursue our dreams, even going against the flow if need be.

Knowing there exist other people out there with the same mindset and persistence was just priceless for me.

Realistically speaking, I know my struggles aren’t one-of-a-kind. But most days, I feel like I am always alone in my battles.

Not everyone understands what it’s like to have a creative pursuit, what more if you are doing things the hard way instead of going for the safer route?

No one knows if I (or we) will make it, but by having the courage to voice out our WHYs, I feel like we just made each other’s dreams a little bit easier to reach.  ❤️

This two-day experience, in general, has reminded me why it’s important to meet people and absorb ideas that are out of your field of interest and expertise.

And yes, you do need to network. 😀 But it’s not that bad if you think of it as a business term for making friends.

I am happy to say that my first ever bootcamp gave me the push that I needed!

My biggest takeaways:

• To be mindful and to know when to give up power because, sometimes, it is by doing so that you get the other party to open up and come to an agreement with you during a negotiation.
• Feedbacks and showing concern is good, but you should also be sensitive to how much the person really needs to be critiqued.
• Just because nobody is cheering you on, doesn’t mean there aren’t others out there who understand what you’re going through and who support what you’re doing.  Don’t let yourself be discouraged.
• Every role in business is important.  You may think your job is insignificant, but you’ll be surprised at how such a small role can affect the overall flow of the whole team.