Your business should be a beacon for the right people. It should effortlessly connect with the customers and clients who can benefit most from the product or service you have to offer.

But with the market getting noisier and noisier, it can be hard to stand out.

The good news is that you can design your business to be that beacon. You can bake what makes it unique into everything you offer and every message you bring to market.

Tara Gentile, one of our bestselling Money & Life instructors, has developed a system for ensuring your business stands out, without resorting to fads or formulas. Tara helps you tap into what makes your business naturally attractive so customers want to do business with you.

In this 25 lesson course, Tara Gentile guides you step-by-step through how to:
 

- Use your natural strengths to shape your business even if you’re new to entrepreneurship

- Leverage your passion so you can create marketing that’s natural & authentic

- Find your Unfair Advantage so you can stand out from the crowd

- Focus on a singular goal and start creating your legacy

- Build on a set of Guiding Principles so you always know the right decision

- Share your vision so you can create a community and audience

- Speak with a unique voice so you’re never mistaken for the competition

Throughout the course, we’ll tackle goal-setting, community-building, social media, content marketing, metrics and analysis, sales, and product development.

By the end of these 25 powerful lessons, you’ll have a complete blueprint for building your stand-out business and leading yourself to the success you dream of.

Don't have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC yet? Save 13% off here and get everything you need for your business.

Learn the basics of metalsmithing to make stunning statement earrings (and more!) - no torch required!

Getting started in metalsmithing doesn’t have to be scary. In Foundations in Metalsmithing: Statement Earrings, you’ll learn the basic skills you need to start making metal jewelry, as well as the design principles to create your own unique pair of statement earrings, all with less than $100 in tools! (And, you’ll be able to apply those tools and newfound skills to expand your ideas into a full line of jewelry!)

In this class, jewelry designer and metalsmith Megan Auman will show anyone how to get started making one-of-a-kind metal jewelry.

You will learn how to:

- Choose the right tools and materials for your metal jewelry projects.

- Design incredible (and comfortable to wear) statement earrings with balance and movement.

- Saw and pierce to create any shape from sheet metal.

- File and finish your metal pieces so they look professional.

- Create your own ear wires to finish off your unique design.

Whether you’re looking to grow your existing jewelry making knowledge or for a new creative outlet that you can proudly wear (and show off!), you’ll leave this class with your own pair of stunning statement earrings - and the skills and design chops to expand your ideas into a complete line of jewelry!  

A portfolio is a designer’s calling card. Job-seeking designers must capture the interest of potential clients and employers, but the elements of an attention-grabbing portfolio are far from obvious. Create a Knockout Design Portfolio changes that.

In this class, Ram Castillo will help you through every stage of portfolio development from conceptualization to organization to dissemination.

Think of your portfolio as a sales pitch – as a designer you are selling a service the employer is buying. Learn how to sell your skills through the contents and structure of your portfolio. In this class, Ram will help you develop a clear action plan for creating a design portfolio that stands out. 

You’ll learn how to:

- Filter and organize your design work

- Photograph and/or render project pieces

- Choose an online portfolio structure

Ram will help you develop a portfolio that clearly articulates who you are as a designer and the skills, insights, vision, and potential you bring to the table.

A portfolio is a designer's opportunity to showcase their work and put their best foot forward. Take full advantage of this opportunity and Create a Knockout Design Portfolio.

Rule The Runway.

Interested in the world of fashion? Even if you're not an aspiring fashion designer, you’ll enjoy this class. Jay Calderin is the Director of Creative Marketing and an instructor at the School of Fashion Design. He is the author of three top-selling books on Fashion Design, and the founder and executive director of Boston Fashion Week.

In Fashion Design: Start to Finish, Jay Calderin will get you started through hands-on demonstrations and step-by-step guidelines. Learn to navigate through the design process, from conceiving a garment to marketing it.

The various phases of fashion design will be covered, including:

- research and mood boards, collections and trends

- sketching, draping, pattern making, construction

- branding, marketing, and industry positioning

Fashion does not have to be intimidating. This class is a beginners guide to the world of fashion design, led by an industry professional.

Learn how to get the most out of your Sony® A7 Mark II series camera. Whether you've chosen the Sony A7R Mark II, the Sony A7S Mark II, or the Sony A7 Mark II, this class will give you in-depth instruction on your camera’s critical functions. 

John will guide you through the features, menus, and buttons on your camera, giving you the confidence you need to take pictures like a pro.

You’ll learn about: 

- The features, menus, and buttons on all 3 Sony models 

- How to use the cameras in different shooting situations 

- Maximizing the use of the cameras 

This in-depth class will help everyone from amateurs to professionals, get the most out of the incredible Sony® A7 Mark II series cameras. 

Break free of traditional portrait and wedding photography! In this fashion photography workshop, Lindsay Adler teaches you how to apply the concepts of fashion photography to your own work to create truly striking and unique imagery. Whether using props, unusual locations, lighting, styling, or retouching, this class shows you how to give that unique edge to help you stand out from your competition!

For the basic point-and-shooter to the more advanced SLR user, this class will teach techniques, concepts, and innovative ideas that will open your eyes to the world around you and set you on a course for taking your photography to a higher level. Before unleashing your creative vision, you first need a solid understanding of your camera and some technical details: the photography basics. This course will take you step by step through the maze of technical jargon and equipment to help you achieve your full artistic vision and on your way to taking great pictures. 

In this Photography Basics course, you will learn everything you need to know in order to get started with your camera, the essential techniques, and the fundamentals of composition. All the components that go into making a great picture.

Get the most out of your new Sony A7r III with this complete step-by-step walkthrough of the camera’s features. You'll learn why this camera is highly sought after by enthusiasts and professional photographers alike. Join expert photographer John Greengo as he gives you all the information you need to understand the camera's buttons, menus, and functions.

In this Fast Start class John will discuss:

- Improved performance at 10fps for shooting action shots

- High speed continuous shooting

- Improved 5 axis image stabilization

- Faster, lower-noise image processing

- High quality 4K video

John is a CreativeLive veteran instructor and an experienced photographer. With over 50 Fast Start classes in the CreativeLive catalog, he will discuss the complete breakdown of your camera’s exposure, focus, metering, video and more. John will also explain how to customize the Sony A7r III settings to work for your style of photography.

You need great photos of your craft products if you want them to sell online, but just because you are awesome at making things doesn’t mean you are great at taking photos – until now. 

In Craft Photography Fundamentals with Candice Stringham, you’ll learn everything a craft merchant needs to know to take photos that really showcase the story behind your work. 

You’ll learn about: 

- Creating affordable, photogenic backdrops and sets 

- Capturing all kinds of textures 

- Shooting with an iPhone and DSLR camera 

- Edits that add polish to your final images 

- Creating a consistent look that makes your brand stand-out 

You’ll learn the basics of photo staging and you’ll see how a few simple lighting tricks can transform the look and feel of your final image. You’ll also get tips on working with props so you end up with a catalog-quality shot. And Candice will help you take advantage of your camera’s settings, the easy way. 

If you want to produce photographs that are as beautiful as the product you are showcasing, join Candice Stringham for the beginner-friendly class, Craft Photography Fundamentals. 

Adobe® InDesign CC® enables you to create rich documents and layouts that combine graphic elements, images, and text. Advance your design skills with Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud Intermediate: Beyond the Basics with Erica Gamet.

In this class, Erica will help you tackle complex design projects and share best practice techniques in Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud.

You'll learn how to:

1. Manage multi-page documents and use master pages
2. Automate your workflow and save time
3. Select character and paragraph styles

You'll learn about advanced exporting options and she'll offer tips on taking advantage of the extensive selection of assets in the Creative Cloud® Libraries.

If you've mastered the basics and are ready to advance your design skills, don't miss Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud Intermediate: Beyond the Basics with Erica Gamet.

Level: Intermediate/Advanced. Recommended prerequisite: Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud for Beginners