Digital Toolkit
This “digital swag bag” is a collection of promotions and one-on-one virtual office hours specially designed to take what you’ve learned and turn it into action.
Office Hours - Part One
Our virtual office hours offer 15 minute free consultations for creatives to talk one-on-one with an expert to receive personalized advice on specific topics.
Rio Grande Mark Nelson, Education Coordinator
How Rio Grande can help your jewelry practice
Mark Nelson is an award-winning metalsmith, jeweler and self-described “dabbler in everything.” He studied jewelry metals as an undergrad at Northern Arizona University and later received his M.F.A. in Jewelry/Metals from Texas Tech University. A former member of the national guard, Mark has taught many metalsmithing, soldering, stone-setting and flex-shaft classes at universities, community colleges and on-site at Rio Grande. Understanding the fun and challenges involved in teaching, Mark offers his expertise to the Rio For Schools program in support of educating our future generations.
For nearly 80 years, Rio Grande has supported the art and industry of jewelry-making with a one-stop selection backed by exemplary service, technical expertise and educational support. As a wholesale provider, Rio Grande offers unmatched quality in its breadth of products and services, and competitive pricing for professional jewelry makers and educators. If you are just getting started, Rio for Schools is ideal for students looking to take advantage of wholesale benefits while enrolled in Rio for Schools partnering classes. Through this program, every student has access to the products and services they need to develop the skills and techniques required for a career in jewelry-making. Whether you own a business or are interested in the wholesale program, Rio Grande is the partner for you! Learn more about how your education program could join Rio for Schools.
Leila Cartier, Executive Director of CraftNOW Philadelphia
Connecting you with local craft resources, networks, communities to support your work
Leila Cartier is the Executive Director of CraftNOW Philadelphia, where she directs an annual portfolio of activities that feature Philadelphia’s most renowned arts institutions. She works to place craft instruction directly into every city neighborhood through a strategic partnership with Philadelphia's Department of Parks and Recreation.
Ask Leila About:
Connecting with local resources and business services specifically for craft
Introduce you to networks and communities who will support your work
(priority given to first 10 respondents)
Bill Gehrman, Founder and CEO of En Route
Marketing, branding, communications
Bill Gehrman, CEO of En Route is a proud Philadelphian and zealot for both strategy and creativity. Prior to launching En Route, Bill served as Director of Marketing for the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau where he developed and implemented campaigns to generate convention bookings and inbound tourism.
Ask Bill About:
Brand Strategy
Digital marketing
Communications & Content
Outsourcing vs in-house marketing
Sam Gonzales, Founder of BESO Digital
Brand and Product Launch, Paid social and SEM, E-Commerce, Social Media & Content, Email Marketing, Web Design & Development
Samantha Gonzalez is the owner of Bad Town, and the newly launched BESO Digital. She has been in the digital marketing space for nine years now, specializing in social media marketing and business intelligence analytics. Her passion lies in the arts, and her businesses are the result of applying her skill set to an industry she loves.
Ask Samantha About:
Brand and Product Launch
Paid Social and SEM
E-Commerce
Social Media
Email Marketing
Web Design & Development
Neil Kleinman, Founder and Director of Innovation Lab
Where to start! Get connected with one of 50 Innovation Lab experts
Neil Kleinman, Founding Member and Director of Innovation Lab, is the Professor Emeritus of Innovation & Entrepreneurship; Co-founder, BroadSide Collective; and Former Director of the UArts Corzo Center for the Creative Economy. He is a Teacher, Writer, Dean, Entrepreneur, and Lawyer. The Innovation Lab supports creatives starting out or wanting to improve what they do.
Ask Neil About:
Where to start! Neil can help diagnose your problem or obstacle, and connect you with experts in areas including business, marketing, law, and more.
Office Hours - Part Two
Our virtual office hours offer 15 minute free consultations for creatives to talk one-on-one with an expert to receive personalized advice on specific topics.
Scott Keeley, Registered Patent Agent
Patents, copyrights, trademark law
Scott Keeley is a registered patent agent with 17 years of experience in intellectual property. He has engineered products from guitars to wind turbines, with “green” energy powering much of his innovative output. His early career of 18 years centered on industrial design in the United States and Europe. He taught industrial design at Kansas City Art Institute and has a Master’s in Industrial Design.
Ask Scott About:
Patent advice
Patent drafting
Product development
Jake Kleinman Phillips, Founder of Touchpoint Design
Brand Strategy & Identity Design, Logo Design, Interior & Retail Design, Environmental Signage
Jake Kleinman Phillips is a super passionate creative trailblazer who owns his own design business, Touchpoint Design, where he has the opportunity to pull out the authentic genius from his clients and build a brand around it that speaks from the heart and is brought to life in a meaningful way.
Ask Jake About:
Brand Strategy & Identity Design
Logo Design
Merchandise & Apparel Design
Collateral Design (Business cards, stationary, print materials, etc)
Website Design
Interior & Retail Design
Environmental Signage
Anna Solomon, Sales Manager at NextFab
How NextFab can enhance your current studio practice
A network of collaborative makerspaces, NextFab provide access to machinery, education, membership, community, events, and professional services for anything you want to fabricate. By combining digital technology with traditional tools, we’re finding cutting-edge ways to make things, solve problems, and learn by doing.
Ask Anna About:
How NextFab can enhance your current studio practice
What education is available for makers at NextFab
Sharif Pendleton, Founder of PLAID (Philadelphia Laser and Industrial Design)
How to price your work, retailing
Sharif Pendleton is the founder of Philadelphia Laser & Industrial Design (PLAID), located at Cherry Street Pier. Sharif is NextFab’s very first member, and is a principal user experience designer at a Fortune 500 top fintech company. He’s a graduate of University of the Arts and a self-professed nerd with too many interests, big ideas and lots of questions.
Ask Sharif About:
Retailing
How to price your work
Albert Yee, Freelance Photographer
Portrait and product photography on location or in studio
Albert Yee is a Philly-based freelance photographer available for portrait, food, interior, and event photography. Over the last 16 years he has worked extensively with local, mission-driven clients that make the region a better place. He has also worked with regional and national editorial clients including AARP The Magazine, The New York Times, The Financial Times, Philadelphia Magazine, Showtime's The Circus, Grid Magazine, Edible Philly and Edible Jersey, among others.
Ask Albert About:
Portrait and product photography on location or in studio. Natural light, studio lighting, or a mix.
Consultation to bring your own photography to the next level.
Dr. Dan Young, Founding Director, Doctor of Business Admin Program at Goldey-Beacom College
Building businesses, marketing, entrepreneurship
Dr. Dan Young is the Founding Director of the Doctor of Business Administration Program at Goldey-Beacom College and is the organizer of both TEDxWilmington and Startup Grind Wilmington. He has also been the curator of TEDxGoldeyBeacomCollege, TEDxDover, and TEDxHarlem. Dan received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Marketing from the University of Delaware’s Honors Program and his Ph.D. in Marketing from Temple University.
Ask Dan About:
Building a business
Marketing strategy
Entrepreneurship & business strategy