SkillPop

SkillPop is a community-powered learning platform that organizes and sells hands-on, beginner-oriented in-person classes taught by local experts. Class topics span craft and DIY, cooking and cocktails, art and watercolor, photography, floral design, calligraphy, charcuterie, business and marketing skills, social media, and personal growth. Sessions are designed to be short and focused — proposals from prospective teachers are structured around a roughly two-hour class — with materials and setup provided so attendees can arrive empty-handed.

The company positions its classes as social experiences as much as instructional ones, marketing them for date nights, girls' nights, birthdays and group outings, and noting that a large share of attendees come alone. Beyond individual tickets, SkillPop runs private and group sessions for corporate team building and professional development, and offers virtual classes that are recorded and available to rewatch for 12 months. Operations center on weekly class drops promoted through a Tuesday email newsletter, with gift cards, credits for cancellations made at least 48 hours ahead, and a general minimum attendee age of 10 (under-16s accompanied by a parent or guardian).

Teachers are recruited through an open class-proposal process, and the company has invited customers to nominate new cities for expansion. As of 2025 SkillPop reported over 6,000 events hosted, more than 100 expert instructors and a 4.9 average rating.

Founding story

Haley Bohon, a mechanical engineer who had worked at a Fortune 500 company and in the startup world, started SkillPop in 2015 because she felt the in-person, social and community-building aspects of learning were missing from online how-to content. She observed peers new to Charlotte seeking out pop-up fitness classes and networking groups for activities outside work, and concluded that classes such as photography should happen locally and in person. While developing the business plan she researched adult learning options in Charlotte and recruited expert acquaintances as prospective teachers, including gathering feedback from designer friends at a dinner party. Bohon has said the company reflects what learning felt like for her growing up: hands-on, social and taught by real people.

Business model

SkillPop sells seats in short, expert-led in-person classes through its website, where customers search for and pay for individual sessions; gift cards can be applied at checkout. Local subject-matter experts teach the classes at local venues, and SkillPop supplies materials, tools and setup for most sessions. Alongside individual tickets, the company sells group and private bookings for teams, corporate team-building and professional development, quoted via a request form, and offers virtual classes whose recordings subscribers can rewatch for 12 months.

Revenue comes from per-seat class ticket sales, typically in the $30-$45 range for featured Charlotte sessions, plus gift card sales, shop items, private and group class bookings quoted individually, and virtual classes. Tickets are non-refundable; cancellations more than 48 hours ahead receive class credit rather than a refund.

Traction

Since launching in 2015 SkillPop reports more than 6,000 events hosted, over 100 expert instructors and a 4.9 average rating. Earlier coverage reported the company had surpassed 20,000 cumulative student attendances, that at least half of students attend alone, and that the team consisted of five full-time and roughly 20 contract employees.

Latest developments

In 2025 SkillPop was marking ten years since founding, reporting more than 6,000 events hosted, over 100 expert instructors and a 4.9 average rating. Its class calendar covered Charlotte, Raleigh and the newly served Lake Norman area, with featured September Charlotte sessions such as thrifted art makeovers, sourdough breadmaking and a class on safe social media for teens priced between $30 and $45.