Recently I accepted a position teaching Marketing Communications for the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. I didn’t take the job for the money (believe me, I didn’t), but rather the unique opportunity to see my profession from a different angle. I’ll be working with students who want to be retail buyers, store managers, and designers. Many will abhor writing. It will be my job to convince them that having at least rudimentary skills in marketing communication is a valuable asset in their careers.
I know a lot of small business owners who also teach part time. It’s somewhat like writing a book: something nice to have on your LinkedIn profile, to show how rounded you are. But I think teaching provides us a great opportunity for learning as well.
We’re constantly learning about our industry. What’s new in it? Who are our competitors, and what are they doing? What new tactics and skills can we gain to improve our businesses? But through teaching others, we learn more. We solidify our own knowledge, and we learn how to approach different types of people (many who aren’t our customer demographic) in a way that best fits what they need.
I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m enjoying planning out my lessons, so we’ll see how well they’re received by 18-year-olds!
Photo: Jiuck on Flickr
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