12/17/2020
This year has brought on so much change that we may not feel like the same person we were at the beginning of it, I know that’s how I feel.
This message is for my artist friends and those I’ve met along the way. It seems that a reoccurring topic of conversation revolves around how we value our work, the importance of pricing our work properly and how difficult it is to communicate that to a client. The act itself is very taxing and some even avoid it at all costs because of how draining it can be. A while ago I heard the words from a video on YouTube on how to price your time and work. The lecturer was a man named Chris Do that owns and operates a design firm in LA. I was barely getting into branding work, but what he said resonated with me on so many levels. So much that, to this day, I continue to mention it in talks at the studio.
“Saying yes to those that won’t pay is saying no to those that will.”
I know talk of money comes across different to everyone, but for some, our talents have become our only source of income. So this is a very important topic. This season has made it very clear what a recession, pandemic and civil unrest has done to us as a society and individually. We’re not only quieter, but some of us have also lost sight of our value and what our purpose is. Perhaps we’ve taken on new kind of work just to get by. Made deals that undervalue our worth. Some of us have even given away our time in the name of art in hopes that paid work will come out of it. There’s nothing wrong with these “new normal” adaptations, as long as we recognize that they should be temporary because of how detrimental they can be in the long run.
I feel we don’t often hear words of motivation unless it comes from a corporation trying to get us to work longer hours or a faith based organization pushing conversion. If you’re reading this today, keep grinding. Call people out when they low-ball you and learn to say NO to work that doesn’t benefit you. Strengthen relationships with other artists and learn from each other. Let’s value one another more than ever, but most importantly KNOW YOUR WORTH.
TL;DR: FYPM
