Build A Rocket Boys

So, I was asked to run a workshop for fledgling games developers at Teeside University’s brilliant Launchpad facility. This is an incubator unit attached to the institution. It offers a whole load of practical support to new companies started by students, including office space, business consultants and other stuff designed to help create and support successful businesses. 

After delivering g a couple of lectures at the university’s excellently commercial game course, I was asked if I’d be interested in delivering a workshop with several of the companies at Launchpad. Blimey, I’ve got an hour or two of lectures in me but have I got a three-hour workshop? Plus a workshop that has to provide a practical difference to real businesses, not just theory. Gulp.

But, a few weeks ago, I went and done delivered my workshop. While I don’t think it was the best workshop ever, The Launchpad have asked me back so I think I did something right. Once I actually sat down and started to construct the content, I discovered that I actually had a bit more than an hour of material that I could use that would be useful for the teams. I also that a ‘workshop’ wasn’t a lecture and that a big part of the session would be getting the teams to feedback to me and each other, either on case studies or their own situations and products. 

And the session went well, not swimmingly, I still had any armbands on, but it is something that I will get better at. But it’s typical of the situations you find yourself in as a freelancer. I’ve been careful in my choices, if I really believe that I am of no value to an opportunity then I won’t put myself forward, instead, I’ll do my best to help connect the client with someone who can help. But I have definitely been pushing my own safety zone with new experiences, doing things I didn’t think I’d be doing in situations I couldn’t have imagined nearly a year ago when I went freelance. It’s part of what makes it interesting and makes you feel like you are really growing, using envelopes, going out of your safety zones etc. I guess it’s that ‘jeopardy’ of the need to do this so that you can pay the mortgage, buy Lego Saturn 5’s, and even food for your children (if completely necessary), that perhaps makes you more risk embracing. 

But it’s not a massive risk, is it? I’m not really flying to the moon. 

One day!