Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Wilson.
Hi Erin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My career began almost immediately after receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Digital Filmmaking and Video Production. I just knew after college, I was destined to work and build my career in entertainment in some way. That was true for a long time until it wasn’t. I spent the next year after school working for a small production company, then a talent management company. The following year, I landed a job at Lionsgate where I started building my career in an industry called “Location-Based Entertainment.” We essentially extended our IP off-screen into real life, immersive/interactive experiences. My focus area was Business Development and Partner Relations. I always say “Lionsgate is where I earned my degree in Business Administration.” While I hadn’t formally gone to school for business, I did gain hands-on experience being able to observe and work closely with some high-level execs and leaders in that industry. I spent a total of six years with Lionsgate.
Coming out of the pandemic coupled with the actors’ and writers’ strikes, the entertainment industry was suffering. Restructuring happened internally, forcing my team to make some cuts. In April of 2023, my time with Lionsgate concluded. I confidently reentered the job market, which was a humbling experience, to say the least.
While I enjoyed my work, team, and industry, I continuously asked myself if I loved it enough to return to a similar position. After leaving corporate, I questioned if I truly wanted to return to that lifestyle. I enjoyed the stability and all the perks that came within entertainment, specifically a studio, but there were also so many nuances I was frustrated with.
A month before my layoff, unknowingly, my business idea was birthed. I was sitting down with my best friend for lunch. We’d just wrapped up a new exercise class we tried for the first time with Class Pass, and the topic of conversation was what we wanted our year to look like, particularly our summer. We mentioned some hobbies we both wanted to adopt and activities that we both wanted to experience. They included ceramics, candle-making, fragrance curation, cooking classes, jewelry-making, etc. I couldn’t help but wish that there was an app or service that had all these offerings in one place to find and book multiple experiences through a subscription service like “Class Pass.”
I thought I was just making light conversation and had no intentions of creating what I hoped was available for my friends and I to use. A year later, while trying to determine my path forward, this idea came back to me. I realized there was still nothing exactly like what I wanted on the market, and I finally had my lightbulb moment.
At the end of May this year, I decided to pursue my Entrepreneurial MBA through a program called “One Day,” a curriculum designed specifically for mentoring entrepreneurs with new business ideas or entrepreneurs with active businesses while simultaneously providing the opportunity to earn a degree.
Today, I’m actively building my business, “CRAFT Pass,” a subscription service that helps creatives, hobbyists, and experience-seekers discover and book a range of in-person creative workshops catered to their interests, skill level, and region. The goal is to create an ecosystem that holistically supports the arts and creative community by making experiences and workshops more accessible while helping to sustain the growth of local artisans, business owners, and art studios. The app is not ready just yet, but those interested in the service can join a waitlist at mycraftpass.com.
In addition to creating this ecosystem, I want to add to it. While I’m working towards developing the app, I’m building up the Craft Pass community by hosting curated experiences in partnership with local creatives. Fruition Creative Studios (@fruitioncreativestudios), owned by Mai Nicole in Downtown LA, is currently the home for all Craft Pass events. We just wrapped up our first floral-arranging workshop, “Fall Into Florals,” in partnership with Stem and Story (@StemandStorySD), where owner, Nikki Oguntoyinbo, facilitated the class. It was a massive success, and I’m excited to continue to host and bring new workshops to the community each month! Our next experience, “Bloom & Glow,” is set for November 22nd. It will be a 2-in-1 workshop, a fusion of candle-making and floral arranging. More details and the link for tickets will be available via the Craft Pass instagram, @Craft.Pass.
Being from LA, there are so many parts of the city that speak to different phases and segments of my life. Growing up, I was always the friend to host something that brought people together, that intersected the various sectors life naturally divides us into. Coming from an industry centered around immersive experiences, combined with my love of connecting people, and my strong desire to tap into different art mediums, building this business feels like a full-circle moment. Many of these workshops and experiences aren’t common, heard of, or even accessible in a lot of neighborhoods in LA. Craft Pass will serve as the bond that connects communities through creativity — bridging the gap between accessibility, artistry, and shared experience across the city that raised me.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Stepping into entrepreneurship definitely has its challenges. I think that’s only natural when deciding to start a business. There’s, of course, all the logistics and trial and errors to go through, but I’d say the biggest challenge is getting out of my own way. I’m a chronic perfectionist and over-preparer; so the moment I decided to stop applying to corporate positions and start a business, I threw myself into research mode. I wanted to have all the answers and protections. I kept the business close to my chest for a long time. Before starting the One Day program, I was struck with analysis paralysis. There were so many decisions I felt I needed to make, but I was uncertain on which was the best place to start, and I didn’t want to make the wrong move. Unfortunately and fortunately, with entrepreneurship, you have to get comfortable with failing forward. The perfectionist in me hates this because nothing is ever really perfect, but I’m learning to accept it. The truth is you’re never going to feel 100% ready, and a lot of the time you have to do THE THING — scared, without all the answers. You have to learn and pivot along the way. Being stagnant felt worse than making the wrong move. At least if I made a decision, wrong or right, I was moving forward and learning something I didn’t know before. I’ve already met a lot of amazing people along the way, and I’m just getting started. I wouldn’t have met them unless I took the chance, had faith, and put myself out there.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Craft Pass?
Craft Pass is a community that connects people to in-person creative workshops ̶ from floral arranging to candle-making and beyond. Our mission is to make creativity more accessible and affordable, while building stronger communities and helping local artists and studios thrive. Three key pillars define Craft Pass: Exposure & Accessibility, Community & Connectivity, and Building as We Grow.
By committing to Exposure & Accessibility, Craft Pass brings innovative, educational, and creative workshops to communities that have traditionally had fewer options. Our mission is to make hands-on creativity affordable, approachable, and accessible to all.
We value the magic of shared experiences. Whether it’s a solo outing that turns into a group adventure or a student finding their teacher, we create spaces where creativity builds community — bridging cultures, generations, and passions.
Finally, we’re committed to amplifying the businesses and artists we partner with. The goal is to expand our partners’ reach, drive new clients, and build their brand exposure while creating affordable, high-quality experiences for our future members. When our partners succeed, our community succeeds.
While Craft Pass is a service and place to discover new crafts and experiences, we’re community-driven and focused. We want our service to be more than transactional. We want to build a relationship and connection between our users.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
I’m still in the early stages myself, but what I can suggest is to do whatever it is you’re aspiring to do “scared.” Share your idea, ask for help, run experiments to test, and validate your assumptions about the market you’re trying to enter. It’s okay if everything isn’t perfect. You can always iterate or pivot!
Also, it’s okay to start from scratch. Through every experience and phase in life, there is a purpose and a lesson. I turned 31 in September and never expected to be rebuilding a career. Perspective is everything, though. One might see it as starting over, but I see it as transforming. All the lessons, experiences, skills, and networking I’ve gained through the years has only compounded to better equip me for the position I’m in today. Take away something from every experience, meet new people, ask questions, bet on yourself, save money, and invest!
Contact Info:
- Website: mycraftpass.com
- Instagram: craft.pass
Image Credits
Maiyah Nicol @maiyahnicole
