Teach What You Know: A Personal Reflection

Yup, you read that right! As a creative entrepreneur, you should teach what you know. I believe the world needs your unique knowledge. 

Embracing the role of an educator has been an essential part of my journey as a surface pattern designer and creative entrepreneur. It’s also the number one reason my business has achieved multi-seven-figure success. Educating others enriches our understanding and contributes to our community, allowing for more profound personal and professional growth. Plus, there's immense satisfaction in knowing the ripple effect of your teaching can influence countless others looong after you're done. 

It Starts With You

As creators, we are also called to be educators too. 

Teaching is the best way to deepen your understanding and mastery of your subject and craft. When you start teaching what you know, you enhance your skills as you organize your knowledge and explain complex concepts. Trust me, teaching goes hand in hand with mastery. From experience, being an educator has led to the most opportunities for me in my field and has also helped me build a solid professional network and more. 

10 Powerful Lessons Learned

Becoming a creative professional educator and launching a beloved mastery course in surface pattern design has been one of the most outstanding achievements in my career. I genuinely believe we build a lasting legacy from openly sharing. Let’s dive in. 

1. Deepening Personal Mastery

Teaching is the best way to deepen your understanding and mastery of your subject. You enhance your skills by organizing your knowledge and explaining complex concepts. Trust me, teaching goes hand-in-hand with mastery.

2. Empowering Others

As educators, we have the power to impact lives and empower others to achieve their dreams. Whether solving a problem or igniting passion, your knowledge becomes an essential tool for someone else's success.

3. Building a Professional Network

Teaching naturally attracts a community of like-minded individuals to build a professional network, providing support, collaboration opportunities, and new career paths. It’s a beautiful ecosystem of growth.

4. Enhancing Credibility and Authority

You earn credibility and become a leader in your field by sharing your expertise. Educating others boosts your professional reputation and opens doors to more opportunities.

5. Staying Relevant and Continuously Learning

The necessity to stay up-to-date pushes you to keep learning and adapting. This continuous learning helps you stay ahead of trends and keeps your knowledge fresh and relevant. By educating others, you’ll continue to educate yourself. Continuous learning for artists is such a beautiful thing. 

6. Making a Difference

Influencing the next generation in your field is incredibly rewarding. Your teaching can shape how entire industries evolve and create a ripple effect that extends far beyond your immediate impact.

7. Personal Fulfillment

This lesson could be my favorite because nothing compares to the satisfaction of seeing your students succeed. Knowing you played even a tiny part in their journey is deeply fulfilling and feeds your passion for continuous teaching.

8. Developing Valuable Soft Skills

Teaching hones skills like public speaking, leadership, and communication—skills that are invaluable in any profession and enrich your life in multiple ways.

9. Diversifying Income

Teaching adds a valuable revenue stream, diversifying your income and providing financial stability. It allows you the freedom to explore passion projects without the stress of financial strain.

10. Leaving a Legacy

Your teaching creates a legacy that extends beyond your lifetime. Your knowledge and inspiration will influence countless individuals and generate positive changes in your field and beyond.

Are You Ready?

Spoiler alert: YES. YOU ARE! So often, fear, imposter syndrome, or all the naysayers will hold us back from creating the most impactful work of our lives. I’ve been there, and every now and again (less often now), fear, imposter syndrome and the naysayers creep into my thoughts and actions as well. As creative entrepreneurs, we must create, continuously learn, and educate creatives.

"I feel that it's our responsibility to teach what we know, not hold on to our secrets."

If you’ve ever considered teaching or felt hesitant about sharing your knowledge, I hope these reasons inspire you to embrace education as a critical part of your creative journey. Teaching what you know is not just about transferring skills; it’s about transforming lives, including your own. Here are three questions to ask yourself. If you can say yes to all three, you’re beyond ready to be a creative entrepreneur, artist, and educator.

1. Has receiving or sharing knowledge ever deepened your understanding or mastery of a subject?
2. Can monetizing your knowledge add a new revenue stream to your art or craft?
3. Could teaching what you know bring personal and professional fulfillment?

You Can Transform & Inspire

The power of education in the creative field is endless. From enhancing your personal growth to leaving a lasting legacy, teaching what you know is a journey worth taking. Open your mindset and welcome the role of educators with open arms. You have the power to transform and inspire a community of creative educators. You have a gift to share (to educate others). Remember, create the beauty you want to see in the world, and know there's always room for you.

If you love this, you’ll also love this mini-series on my podcast, The Professional Creative

147: Mini Series: Teach What You Know Part 1 - Overcoming the Naysayers

148: Mini Series: Teach What You Know Part 2 - Knowing Your Niche

149: Mini Series: Teach What You Know Part 3 - Creating a Curriculum

150: Mini Series: Teach What You Know Part 4 - How to Create Revenue Streams