“Work Bench Con” is a maker event centered around the wood working community and directed towards content creators in all levels of growth. I had the pleasure of attending it in 2019 and this conference did more to inspire me, grow my company, and grow my personal relationships within the maker community than anything i’d done to date. After attending again in 2020, and 2022- I have some thoughts.
I am, rather notably, not a wood worker- so why was I at a wood working conference?
The simple answer is: “The wood working community is 10 years ahead of the blacksmithing world”. I have found that the people that play with wood have established a sense of importance of social media influence, in person demonstrations/events, paid partnerships with brands, and sponsored content that is so far ahead of the blacksmithing world- it’s insane. While blacksmiths tend to gravitate towards some relatively active Facebook groups and cluster around an obsession with a small niche (knife making)- the wood people engage each other simply for liking that stuff that grows in the middle of trees. They all support each other, whether they like to make round objects on a machine that makes round objects (these people are called “wood turners”) or people that prefer square objects on a variety of machines that make things square (these machines are called “planers”, “Jointers”, and “Saws”).
The brands that appear in the wood world are actively trying to grow in the metal community- but since the blacksmithing world consists mostly of old men that only gather once or twice a year in small groups to remind each other and specifically younger people that “they're doing it wrong”, these brands have no good way to find YOU. These companies are at Work Bench Con representing their brands and products, they’re there specifically to meet influencers, give away product, and build relationships that grow towards sponsorships. Since everyone there does that wood stuff, I assure you….. rolling up to them and telling them “oh actually, I do metal!” always gets a unique and eager conversation. In some cases, these brands have a separate budget/plan for wood people and metal people, so in a sea of content creators competing for their affection in the wood game…. you’ve got the secret entrance to that “other” budget/plan, and without the competition!
If you’re one of those “wood people”- you should absolutely go! There’s so many of your favorite you tubers, incredible classroom experiences that will teach you about how much you suck at Pintrest and how important instagram Reelz are. These classes are taught by colleagues that have found their success in each of these platforms, and while you’ll definitely take some hand written notes and leave the event with a renewed passion and list of goals to implement for your growth- you’re likely going to do nothing. After a year of doing nothing with these notes and remembering again next year that you didn’t start posting to Tik Tok, you’ll at least be aware of how much ya sucked at implementing your growth strategy and you’ll have a phone completely filled with video clips and dances you never posted anywhere.
The best part about work bench con is meeting the few people that DID implement their growth strategies and learning from them, while being friends and easily relating to all those that also forgot to use Pinterest.
You’re going to make new friends, establishing a support network and you’ll spend the year messaging each other on the Instagrams and Myspaces and hopefully you’ll remind each other to post those weird trends.
I first attended Work Bench Con in 2019 without knowing anyone there, or really anything of “the maker community”. WBC was the single event that launched my business into a full time career, that taught me how to grow my presence and properly value my product and reach. WBC is where I met most of my current group of friends, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Don’t worry when you don’t know everyone’s names at your first event, you’ll grow and make so many new friends! Keep at it! If you’re any kind of “maker”, this is the event for you!
Yes, it can be expensive. I budget about $2,000 for the entire trip including airfare, the hotel (which is expensive!), food, and many many drinks. I’ve found buying a brand rep a beer and having a casual conversation with them as a person, rather then as a brand, will get you further then anything else! The cool kids show up a full day early, rock out to the aquarium, and hang hard and late in the hotel lobby on “night zero”. Don’t forget- it’s a marathon, not a sprint! Pack plenty of pedialyte and Liquid IV, schedule your week following WBC to allow for your crippled voice, and pack a checked bag with room for swag! People love to trade in stickers, bring plenty of business cards, and no matter how much cheaper it may be to stay “off site”- suck it up and stay at the hotel, that’s where the party’s at. I’ll be flying in Wednesday March 1st and planning my annual “Hung over trip to the aquarium” for Thursday morning- wana come?
You must be at least “THIS” hung over to partake! (Last year some big you tubers were vomiting in a trash can or trying their finest to hold down a load of cafeteria chicken fingers- it was a success!).
Look, if you get a chance to climb under the taneu cover of someones truck with a bunch of new friends to drive to a Waffle House at midnight- ALWAYS DO IT. If your quest for chaco tacos takes you into a weird area of town- that’s fine! If a stranger you met at the internet offers to pick you up at the airport and drive you to an old man’s house that doesn’t want to sell anything…. DO IT, I got a 500lb fisher anvil from work bench con last year! When the security guard shuts the party down, throw your empties at them. If you’re coming solo- get the room with two beds, because even though your friends that saved money and got that Air B n B didn’t want to contribute and split the room costs with you, they’re going to sleep there. Heck, we had NINE PEOPLE staying in my room, and I didn’t even know all of them! (that got weird).
It’s a good time, you won’t regret going- but you will regret some of the decisions you make there, let’s make them together! Cheers, Friend!
For more information on Work Bench Con and to get your tickets- head over to their website, i’ll include the link to make things easy.
See ya there!