Sharon Hayes: 7 Reasons Why I Can’t Do “Free”

Many freelancers will nod their heads in agreement while reading entrepreneur Sharon Hayes' seven reasons why she has pretty much stopped doing unpaid work for the many people who request it from her every day.

3. It Zaps My Creative Juice

Each of us has only so many truly productive hours in a day. In my own case, I can get in about 5 solid productive hours on a typical day. It’s like a bank for me. Each day, I start off with this reserve of 5 hours. As I do work through the day, the reserve gets depleted. But it gets depleted at a faster rate when I have to shift gears more frequently. If I had a day where all I did was fulfill 5-10 minute requests, it would likely mean I’d be able to do maybe 20 of them in a day and absolutely nothing else productive. A complicated “simple” request might mean I need to do an hour of background thinking to figure out an answer, it might mean 20 minutes of research, it might mean contacting one or more people for input.

I think that a part of the issue is that some people see me active in social media and engaging, so they assume I have all this time available. Bantering with people about our respective days, the weather, the weekend or some current event topic does not require creative energy on my part. This is mental downtime. It doesn’t impact what I can get done in the day. Ask me to put on my thinking cap, even for a ‘simple’ question, and it’s a different story.

6. It Doesn’t Stop at One Request

I used to be much more generous with my time -- that is until I got to the point where it was detrimental to my own life and well-being. One of the things I discovered is that a significant percentage of the time when I helped someone out for free, they would come back -- often repeatedly -- for more free help. It has to end somewhere.

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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http://www.acmedigital.com ebiii

She is SO right. And people will always ask and that’s fine, but you do have to draw the line.
Remember Dylan’s lyric about Rubin “Hurricane” Carter and fighting “it’s my work he’d say, I do it for pay”.Great article, great advice. thanks!
https://twitter.com/Thejackthompson Jack Thompson

I didn’t walk into this looking for problems, but isn’t it a little suspicious that, 24 hours after posting this, she’s got a (supposedly affordable) webinar organized to help differentiate between paid and free?

Maybe she’s a big name in the business world, I don’t know, but my first impression was that somebody just tried to sell me something.

And GOOD FOR HER. That’s fine. But if it’s true, the presentation (“There’s been so much interest so I thought, “hey! Let’s sell a thing!”) feels contrived.
- sharonhayes
  
  Hi Jack,
  
  The post was written because it is a problem I deal with daily. I had several dozen people come to me after writing the post saying how much it was a subject that troubled them and difficulties they had. I put together a training program based on the concerns/issues people had. I also wrote several other free blog posts giving solid tips. The couple of paragraphs which followed a very long post were meant to inform readers who *may* need additional help and be willing to pay for it. If you aren’t in business and in a position of high visibility, then I can appreciate how you wouldn’t see it as a problem for others and that they would be willing to pay for help.
  
  I don’t think there’s anything different I did than what people – including artists, writers, etc – do daily. If they have a product or something else that is relevant to a post to mention it. In this case, when I wrote that post, I had no intent of offering a training program. When I put it together, I added a couple of paragraphs at the end of the post.
  
  What would you have suggested I do? Not mention the training program at the end of the post?
  
  As an FYI – I am not a consultant nor am I available at hourly rates for anyone. I run several companies.
  - stephenl123
    
    Hi Sharon -
    
    You said:
    “I am not an online marketing consultant.”You also said:”I am not a consultant nor am I available at hourly rates for anyone. I run several companies.”
    I find this confusing.
    - sharonhayes
      
      Stephen, originally Mark had written in his commentary I was an online marketing consultant. This has since been changed. I mentioned this to clarify what I do to Jack since he was not familiar with me.
http://twitter.com/jct821 Chris Turner

I’m reminded of the Joker’s advice on doing things for free: If you’re good at something, never do it for free.
nvlady

As a creative professional, I get asked to do stuff for free all the flippin’ time like they are doing me a ‘favor’ by giving me work.

I hate the dreaded, ‘It will be good for your portfolio.”
- http://www.acmedigital.com ebiii
  
  Early on that was true, but after a while I just said “my portfolio’s already good, that’s why you want to hire me”. Not always aloud, but that was how I parsed the remark. After 30 years as an illustrator, I still hear it sometimes.
http://shadowfirebird.tumblr.com shadowfirebird

I LIKE free. Not just for the not paying thing; yes, I’m a skinflint, but that’s not even the important part of it.

I like the whole ethos that comes with free, I like the feel of it, the idea that someone wants to share themselves in a safe way. And if I was able I would give my time and effort for free, too. (It so happens that I don’t currently have anything creative that anyone in their right mind would want … at the moment. Working on that.)

But, the most important thing about free is that the *idea itself* is free. You have to be free to do it, or free not to do it. (I’m aware that I’ve just conflated two separate meanings of the word free, but they are not as separate as you might think, IMO.)

So I would never ask someone of their creative work, “Why is this not free?” — because if I have to ask, then it’s not free. Even if I don’t have to pay.
Sagodjur

Obligatory: http://clientsfromhell.net/post/388979980/but-i-thought-you-were-a-freelancer
- Paul Renault
  
  Doubly Obligatory: Mike Monteiro, Author of ‘F*ck You, Pay Me’:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVkLVRt6c1U
  - http://germanwotd.com Amelia_G
    
    Thanks! Enjoying this. Mike’s recommendations include one of my favorite advice items to fellow freelancers: Raise Your Rates.
mesocosm

Hey, as long as she doesn’t ask for anything for free, great!
simon_for_hire

I do things for free, with the understanding that I’m doing something I want to do in the manner that I want to do it. I also do things for money, but I only accept the work if it’s something that I want to do, in exchange for whatever commerce considerations are in play. I have little stress because I’m only doing what I want to do. Sometimes my motivations are that I feel the need for a challenge, there’s an opportunity to work with interesting people, or I cast the I-Ching sticks and went along with the toss, etc. I think you just need to know yourself and to thine own self be true. People will take advantage of you, paid or unpaid, you just need to stand up for yourself.
http://www.facebook.com/blastedruin Cliff White

Interesting to see how the response to internet professionals differs from the response to the professional musician…are Sharon Hayes and David Lowery seeing different facets of the same problem, or not?
- http://repeaterband.com skeletoncityrepeater
  
  I’m speaking as a professional musician. Creating original music, writing an album, or fine art for that matter; it’s hard to quantify. People should definitely pay you if they play your music and use it, but they can’t be held responsible for your artistic suffering. My point is that it’s hard to quantify and that’s why there is an ongoing, decades-long debate.
  
  If someone asks you to do work on demand, for their company, like design, development, or commercial music for that matter, then they should always pay you something up front. It’s a lot different than art and a lot easier to quantify. Don’t do work FOR someone unless they want to give you something in return.
- Baldhead
  
  I suspect you mean the ongoing piracy debate, and have missed that most artists signed to labels see the labels take over 90% of the profits with them. Kinda the same as working for free isn’t it? A better equivalent would be the people who ask my girlfriend to play this show or that show for free because “it’s good experience” or whatever, when in fact they are trying to keep costs down while maximising value- forgetting that they are flat out telling people they aren’t worth paying.
jonas feit

It may be that, if one’s work is valuable to others, one can extract payment for the work.

The problem may be, then, that some people have difficulty with determining the precise extraction method.

Another potential problem, of course, would be the improper calculation of another’s value of one’s work.
ackpht

The problem is too many thieving, egocentric SOBs who will not pay you because they never intended to in the first place. The trick is to recognize these clowns early on and cut them loose before you lose your shirt.
Antinous / Moderator

If you’re going to do work for a charity, it’s better to bill them for it, then donate it back. It quantifies the work and frankly makes it easier for charities to get donations.
chai

Why on earth do you need 7 reasons justifying it?

If you don’t want to do things for free, then don’t. Don’t pretend it’s for any other reason than that you can’t be arsed.

There’s absolutely no reason why you can’t, in any profession, be disciplined about how much pro bono work you can afford to do. If fucking lawyers can manage it, the rest of you can too. Say no when you haven’t time, and say yes when you do. It’s as simple as that. Don’t pretend that your blanket refusal to ever do anything for anyone for free is reasonable.
sharonhayes

Thanks so much for including this! Just to clarify one thing – I am not an online marketing consultant.
- Mark_Frauenfelder
  
  I’m sorry Sharon! How should I describe you?
  - sharonhayes
    
    No worries Mark! I even confuse myself at times on that :) Entrepreneur is fine. Thank you again for thinking enough of the post to share it with the readers here!
princessalex

After reading the first couple of paragraphs on your website, in the “About” section, I can’t think of another title for you than that one. Do you have one you prefer? If so, and if you would like Mark and/or BoingBoing to change it, you really should say what you’d like it changed to.
- sharonhayes
  
  Good point – I’m an entrepreneur.
princessalex

Wait. From your website:

“I’m writing this update after just over 24 hours have passed since publishing this post. The comments and requests I’ve received have been overwhelming. I wrote a bit about it in my daily update.

Through the responses, I came to see that this is an area a lot of small business owners need help with. I’ve put together a live training program that starts July 11th. There will be 3 webinars, a Facebook support group and materials. I’ve tried to make the program as affordable as possible so that it is possible for anyone who needs this information to be able to attend.”

After “just over 24 hours” of receiving “comments and requests” she came up with a “live training program,” that includes three webinars, a FB support group, and materials?? Either she works very fast, or . . . . . ?
- sharonhayes
  
  I do work very fast. All of the points of the program came directly from things that people said they needed help with. The training program started 3 weeks after the post which gave me time to put everything together.
ujin

I am the only one who has a problem with the concept of only having 5 productive hours per day? It was difficult for me to take anything else in the commentary seriously after reading that.
- sharonhayes
  
  The potential for productive hours depends on the nature of your work, your responsibilities and your life in general. In a typical day, I spend 3-4 hours alone on the phone with clients and team members – most of this I wouldn’t classify as being productive.
- Xof
  
  Try measuring your actual productive time sometime. You might be surprised. Especially if you work for yourself, the amount of overhead time required to manage the business (as opposed to actually do the work you are getting paid for) is astonishing.
http://about.me/nakeva Nakeva Corothers

Working for free no matter what job description fits is always a 50/50 experience. Sometimes you have to do free work to get to the paid work. Other times contributing your service or product at no charge is a natural progression for the right audience. As a photographer, you can bet a billion dollars I have been asked to do work for free or a seriously insane reduced price! What I found is exactly stated in Sharon’s tips. The exception is nonprofits; what I do for nonprofits is a choice and unselfish service. Clients, on the other hand, its a strategic matter. The best advice I can offer for anyone in business is this: when doing work for free its up to YOU to market yourself professionally and network in the environment. Just because you are giving your product or time for free doesn’t mean your marketing sits on a shelf.

In regards to Sharon Hayes: in the time I have known her she has always been straight forward about her work and business ideas. I have watched her grow over the last year or so and get to the point of this particular post. I personally was relived to read it because I constantly deal with moving my business forward while potential clients or friends either ask for free photos or photo services. The line does have to be drawn somewhere, but strategically. The fact that Sharon took the time to LISTEN to people’s needs and generate a program to answer those needs feeds the long-time phrase: “Add value to your network.”

On my agenda after reading her post and these comments: I’ll be creating tip sheets for clients and doing something with the basic questions people ask when discussing free photography. Adding value, being valuable and knowing when free is not really “free.”

Rock on Sharon Hayes!
taghag

very useful article, thanks! i can’t wait for the follow-up article with tips on how to deal with these requests, especially from friends unknowingly overstepping the line between friend and leach.
- sharonhayes
  
  Hi and thanks! This post was actually written over a month ago and there have been several follow-up posts at my blog published already.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Katrina-van-Malksvig/100000571611598 Katrina van Malksvig

So how does this negative attitude to free-ness fit in with the (generally beloved by the Boing Boing audience) FOSS movement?
Is the difference between writing code (which I certainly consider creative work) for free, and doing other types of creative work for free, eluding me somehow?
- penguinchris
  
  There is a very important distinction, and it was covered in the comments here already regarding music.
  
  If you choose to write software and release it as FOSS, that’s your choice. If you choose to draw a webcomic and release it for free, that’s your choice. You may or may not have a plan to extract money from such things (e.g. advertising, selling merchandise, whatever – in the case of FOSS it might lead to a job).
  
  What’s being discussed here is freelance work, not individual creative output you do for yourself. That is, somebody contacting you and asking you to use your talents for their benefit. You (normally) have no incentive or desire to do this other than money.
  
  To take it back to FOSS, you wouldn’t work for Red Hat or any FOSS company for free. If you’re doing a job, you must expect to get paid for it.
http://twitter.com/nightowlspress Night Owls Press

Oh, yeah. Freelancers and independent professional should never feel guilty about saying “no.” You are first and foremost a business and you need to be upfront with your expectations when it comes to work. I often get requests to do freebies by clients after a project is completed and while I’m hardwired to give excellent customer service, I also have to draw the line. If you want to be “the nice guy” about it, pick your pro bono work strategically. Only do it if you think the work has other intangible rewards (e.g. adds to your portfolio, is a creative challenge, the client donated a kidney to your only child and it’s the least you could do…)
http://www.facebook.com/andrewzacharywolf Andrew Wolf

Made me think about this
http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html
http://germanwotd.com Amelia_G

In my freelance field, it seems it’s the bigger agencies’ business model for PM’s to wheedle, bully, insist or casually overlook as many details and aspects as possible all in the same direction, of getting my colleagues and me to do free work for them. We don’t have a union, but if we did a key tenet would be always saying no to free work (and ignoring project managers who say “everyone’s doing it”). This became so ingrained that, when I started taking classes for something to do after the Lehmann Bros. collapse, I was surprised to note again the amount of free work that keeps academia running.
$28084830

“I’ve put together a live training program that starts July 11th.” Blah blah blah.

And the whole thing turns out to be basically an advertisement.
bengee

Wow! This is a really amazing example of some totally recursive and viral ponzi scheme type bullshit!

Post an article about how hundreds of people are constantly trying to get your services for free ( in order to convince people your marketing and life coaching advice is actually worth anything), and allow comments and reblogging so that every other sort of mildly useless creature of the internet that wants to remind all of their imaginary subscribers that they are in fact worth money will repost it with their own bizarre and imaginary stories.

Kudos Sharon Hayes! You have won the internet!