Being a digitizing instructor at a high-end sewing gallery is a really fun and rewarding job. However, it also has a lot of pitfalls, mostly related to each customer's specific needs not being met. Digitizing as a whole is a very expansive and complicated subject, and every customer wants to do something different with their digitizing software. I don't teach classes on every single style because there are just so many styles and ways to do it and details that are particular to each person's needs that it's almost impossible to do.

But I'd like to :) However, I don't have the time at work to devote to learning the full spectrum of digitizing, and I have no access to the software outside of work. I work... maybe 20 hours a week at this job. 4 to 8 of those hours are spent teaching classes. 5 to 12 of those hours are spent doing managerial work (paperwork, receiving inventory, orders, repairs, shipping, stocking, pricing, sales setups, etc). 3 to 6 hours are lunch breaks and trips to the bank. 2-4 hours is cleanup and end-of-day closing process. Most of the in-between time that's left is spent helping customers. This means I usually have about ten to thirty minutes here and there to even mess with the software.

My solution? Buy the software for myself. As an employee, I can purchase it for up to half off, which is still about $1,400 USD after tax, and I just don't have immediate access to that kind of money. New solution? Start an indiegogo campaign to raise the funds to become a skilled digitizing instructor. This way I could finally have the knowledge and experience to help anyone who comes to me for help, no matter their skill level or desired project.

The plan is to buy the software, spend at least a month delving into it in my spare time (both at work and at home) until I've got a really good handle on at least a few different methods (I'm already well on my way, but it's getting down to the nitty-gritty that takes a lot more time and trial-and-error to really learn), then start not only teaching these classes at work, but making video tutorials to make available to those who wish to learn embroidery digitizing but can't attend my classes. All indiegogo supporters (if the campaign is successful) would have early access to the videos and be able to make requests for further videos that would possibly be included in the final set as "bonus tutorials". All indiegogo perks would center around my digitizing skills being put to use for the donors, creating unique designs for them to use as they please.

Stretch goals would include 24/7 tech support for the software and an embroidery machine to test the designs on and make products or samples for perk-holders.

So who's interested?