Skillshare Teacher Spotlight
As a member of the Skillshare Community team, I have the opportunity to work with our 5,000+ teachers on a daily basis and am continually impressed by our teacher’s expertise whether it be their knack for SQL or their mastery of brush lettering. Even beyond their skills, I am often most inspired by the unique paths each of our teachers has taken to create a successful career on their own terms.
Recently, two teachers’ stories in particular resonated with me — Artist and Designer, Cat Coquillette who started the brand, CatCoq, and Product Designer, Rich Armstrong who opened his own studio in Amsterdam.
After graduating from college, Cat worked as a Designer and Art Director. While working full-time, she continued to paint and began posting her watercolor illustrations on Instagram, eventually building up a significant following. Her growing fan base and love of illustration gave her the push she needed to leave her full-time job and found the brand CatCoq. These days, Cat is a Digital Nomad based out of Chiang Mai, Thailand. She divides her time between teaching on Skillshare, partnering with licensing companies and retail brands like Urban Outfitters and Modcloth, traveling the world, and earning her motorcycle license.
Cat believes that people find success when they see an opportunity that no one else has and are willing to take a risk. She says, “for me, the ‘safe path’ was working as an employee at a firm with full benefits. It was daunting to leave all that behind, but ultimately I believed in myself, desired a life of freedom, and embraced entrepreneurship.”
Rich Armstrong studied multimedia design and developed a passion for coding as he aimed to bridge the gap between designers, animators, and coders at his workplace. He began teaching his coworkers how to code before work and eventually decided to share his skills with a larger audience on Skillshare.
Fast forward a few years — he and his wife moved to Amsterdam and started their own studio. Rich is now a full time freelancer and divides his time between teaching, client work, and research. For those working towards a freelance career, Rich recommends taking small steps at first. “If you’d like to work remotely read Remote by the guys at 37 Signals, and either try picking up freelance work before quitting your job, or get your boss to allow you to work a few days a week, or month, at home (even if it’s a trial). Remote work is a real thing now, and it’s cheaper than office work, and way more productive.”
We are inspired by our teachers ability to follow their passions and create their dream jobs — and we hope you are too. Feel free to contact us with questions about Rich & Cat or Skillshare at teach@skillshare.com.
