Education & Workshops

Designing the Row’s founder Katherine Forbes is a trusted educator, event host, and panelist spanning many industries…

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Empowering others to grow their personal brands and creative careers with confidence.

BEST FOR EVENTS & CONFERENCES

Social Media Marketing Workshop

Social media is one of the most powerful tools for driving traffic and visibility—but only when it’s connected to a clear strategy. In this hands-on workshop, Katherine breaks down how social media fits into the larger online ecosystem and shows attendees how to use it intentionally to support their brand and business goals.

Participants will audit their current profiles, learn the key elements of effective content (including reels and carousels), and create a draft post during the session. By the end of the workshop, attendees will understand how to move beyond random posting and begin using social media as a strategic tool to bring the right audience back to their website.

  • 1-1.5 Hour Interactive Workshop

  • Worksheet for attendees

  • Attendees must have laptop / phone and wifi.
    White board or easel for presentation.

BEST FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS & YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Career Talk: Turning One Open Door Into the Next

Creative careers rarely follow a straight line—and that’s often where the most interesting opportunities appear. In this moderated fireside chat, Katherine Forbes reflects on the journey that led her from music and artist management to entrepreneurship, website strategy, teaching, and speaking.

Through candid stories and audience questions, Katherine discusses how creative professionals can build meaningful careers by recognizing opportunities, developing their personal brand, and allowing curiosity to guide their next steps. The conversation offers practical insights for students and emerging professionals while encouraging attendees to think differently about how careers evolve over time.

  • 50 minutes - 1 hour “Fireside Chat”

  • Moderator interview guide

    • Moderator from your organization / department (this will help give the conversation a customized experience for your audience).

    • 2 chair setup.

    • Mics depending on audience size.

BEST FOR ORGANIZATIONS & SMALL BUSINESSES

Elevate Your Personal Brand: A 3 Pillar Framework

Many professionals focus on individual pieces of their online presence—social media, a website, or branding—without realizing that these elements only work when they function together. In this workshop, Katherine introduces her three-pillar framework for building a strategic online ecosystem: defining your brand and message, creating a website that converts visitors into leads, and using marketing channels like social media to drive traffic intentionally.

Through real examples and practical exercises, attendees will learn how to identify gaps in their current approach and develop a clearer path forward. The goal is to help participants move beyond scattered marketing efforts and begin building an online presence that truly supports their work and goals.

  • Half day small group intensive

    • Branding workbook

    • Digital templates and custom tools

    • Attendees must have laptop and wifi.

    • White board or easel for presenter.

  • Approved TREC Course Instructor - 4 CE credit course.

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Meet Katherine Forbes

Katherine moved to Nashville the day after graduating from college and quickly found her way into artist management and the folk and bluegrass side of the music industry. After five years working closely with artists and navigating the realities of creative careers firsthand, she founded Designing the Row®, a web design agency that has since served hundreds of clients including GRAMMY-winning artists, bestselling authors, and creative businesses across many industries.

Along the way, Katherine discovered a passion for teaching and mentorship. She currently serves as an adjunct professor at East Tennessee State University teaching branding and music marketing, and is a member of the Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts Advisory Board, supporting students as they navigate creative careers of their own.

Her work has been featured on Forbes.com, she’s recognized as a Squarespace Expert and Squarespace Authorized Trainer, and has spoken on panels hosted by YELP, the Music Business Association, Nashville Design Week, and many others.

She believes that “your success depends on you taking action” and is passionate about motivating and encouraging others to do just that!

Squarespace Expert
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★★★★★

Consistently Delivers in Clear, Engaging Ways

“As lead presenter for our annual “Navigating the Digital Jungle” panel, Katherine consistently delivers the latest social media insights in clear, engaging ways. Her generosity in answering questions and tailoring advice to each attendee makes her sessions invaluable to anyone eager to grow their online presence.”

— Casey Campbell, IBMA's Leadership Bluegrass Program

Interested in hosting a Designing the Row workshop?

Fill out the form below (or email Katherine at hey@designingtherow.com) and we’ll be in touch very soon to share more information and chat details.