By Kylie Carlson, International School of Wedding & Event Planning
In the ever changing world of events, continuing to learn and fine tune your craft through education is crucial. It is vital to your development as an entrepreneur and to the growth of your business. Client needs and expectations will continue to change and evolve and you’ll want to make sure you are on top of what’s current to stay ahead of the game.
So, why do you need to make time in your busy schedule to pursue education, and how do you do it? I’ve got some tips below that may help:
Make a Date with Yourself
We are all busy and have the problem of not enough hours in the day. The best way to make time for education is to make a standing date with yourself. For me, I put together a schedule that takes into account any traveling, speaking and actual office work that needs to be achieved, then book time with myself to work on the business. I tend to block out 3-4 hours, but everyone’s schedules are different. That time is for me to read blogs, watch webinars, indulge in some video training and anything else that I feel will allow me to learn and move my business forward. It has made a huge impact on helping me stay up to date with what is going on in the industry.
Use Online Resources
Education now isn’t always about taking a week out of the office to travel to a conference, or a couple of days to go to a workshop or retreat. The amount of online education available now is staggering and it is just as powerful, just as motivating and just as informative as anything face-to-face. Plus, it has the added benefit of usually being downloadable so you can watch it again and again until it sinks in. It also has the benefit of being substantially less expensive.
Keep it Casual
Never under-estimate the power of informal education too. Being around others who share your interests and passions can be educational. Conversations are powerful and help us to open our minds. Consider forming a coffee group or a regular luncheon with people you respect and can learn from in a more fun and relaxed setting.
Getting Inspired
One of the biggest reasons to keep up with education is that it can feed your inspiration. Constantly coming up with new ideas and innovating can take its toll, and being inspired by other people, both those in the weddings and those in other industries, allows your mind to look at things from a different perspective. This in turn can let you take an idea and put your own spin on it, with the ultimate goal being to move your business forward.
Your education isn’t something that stops when you graduate or start making money. It is the fuel for the flame that burns within you spurring you on towards a better understanding of what you know, new ways to do it, and embarking on new adventures you haven’t even imagined yet.
Kylie Carlson is the owner of the International Academy of Wedding and Event Planning and the newly launched the Certified Wedding Professionals Program. With six locations globally, the academy boasts an internationally recognized accreditation program that brings professional training to wedding planners,designers and stylists.
