I’m sorry for being gone this past week but the International Builders Show and some computer issues kept me from posting, but here I am now.
I learned several things while attending the International Builders Show (IBS) and one of the things that stood out for me was the strength in numbers.
Sashco is a manufacturer of caulking (try to say that in front of your students without getting them to giggle…) who not only paid for IBS tickets for trade instructors who wanted to attend but also invited them to a Caulking 101 class to learn more about their product AND receive a free training kit for their classroom. Sashco’s booth became a place for trade instructors to meet and get to know each other.
Collaborating with other instructors is powerful. Projects… techniques… lesson plans… Each person has information that the other may not have so when we get together and share, people walk away with more knowledge. Not every piece of shared information gets used but it has the potential to generate thought that wouldn’t have happened without it. I came away with some great ideas that I want to try in my shop that came from other instructors.
Sashco also hosted a dinner for instructors and invited social media creators and other small businesses to attend. The topic was how to generate more interest and support for trade educators, schools, and students. I’ve done this at the local level but not nationally. The room was packed! I thought that there were only about a dozen of us but I’m quite sure that there were around 20-25 educators there at the show. The level of energy was off the chart. We broke off into small groups of the three categories and discussed the concerns and what each group could do better and what each group needed for support. After talking a while we then switched and met new people to talk to. What an evening! It wasn’t just talking about the issue but what action we needed to take to get the ball rolling. Very insightful. The underlying message was that we needed to get other people on board for this to be a success, that we couldn’t do it all on our own. Strength in numbers.
Between the classes and the hosted dinner, we walked around the convention center to look at new products that we might talk about in our classes, look at new tools and equipment, and also discuss with vendors how we could get their product in our classroom with our limited budget. I felt bad for one vendor (not really) when four instructors landed at their booth to inquire about reduced product pricing. I don’t think the vendor felt like they were getting attacked by a mob but there’s something to be said when several instructors like the product enough to use it in the classroom (we can be a little picky at times). Again, it was strength in numbers that got action. I’ve walked up to booths before on my own and it wasn’t always a success. It’s too easy to turn away a single person but harder to turn away a group.
I’m a typical woodworker who enjoys the solitude of my workshop. But connections are powerful, not only for yourself but for others. One of the small businesses that attended the dinner hosted by Sashco was TrueWerk. I had some great conversations with their VP and made a connection with him. On my way to visit his booth the last day of IBS, I stopped by the Paslode booth (nail guns) and was able to connect with their sales person to discuss a way to get their product in our shops. It was very successful. While talking to the VP of TrueWerk, he asked if I had made any more connections at the show. At that moment, the Paslode sales person came by the booth to get a raffle ticket. I told the VP about the success of meeting up with them. Long story short, I was able to introduce them to each other and come to find out they had both wanted to meet the other for some time. It proved that their connection came through me making connections with each of them. (Can I list match-maker on my business card too?)
All of this at IBS couldn’t have happened without support of my local Area Builders Association. Not a singular business, but they as a group sponsored me. And that couldn’t have happened without me building relationships with them.
I realize this scenario doesn’t pertain to most of my readers (who are generally woodworkers) but when we’re talking about Woodworkers Guilds… woodworking classes and instructors… our personal growth… It takes getting out of our workshops and making connections. Together as a group we grow as we learn from each other. Together as a group we’re able to make changes. Together as a group we’re powerful to get support for causes that we believe in. We can’t shoulder it alone.
Imagine if I holed up in my school workshop with my meager budget, trying to come up with projects, material, and tools on my own. Now imagine if I partnered with the local Area Builders Association, contractors, carpenters, woodworkers, and the community for support. And what if I took my energy of creating an incredible trades program to a Builders Show and met up with other instructors, social media content creators, and vendors from around the US… Strength in numbers.