One of the first questions received at Koai Lab every week is: But how to charge for the time that I spend creating? And when you then charge 'something' it's where clients take most efforts to question the amount or the listing in general. It's a pain in the butt!
Why is it so hard to accept creativity as a valuable asset? I've seen so many designers, creators, makers, developers not charge for:
* their design thinking process
* their research phase eg. in ux-design or product design
* their (pre)development process in general eg. development of fabrics materials, colours, workflows
* their innovative process
And then, why is it so hard to accept that this takes some time? We experience these discussions at CLAUS CREATIVES ... "You calculate 6 hours for this, but I can do it easily myself under 3." My answer - then you're smart to do it yourself.
"I can do it in 3 hours..."
Or - "why should I pay you for no real output?" No real output? If we don't sit down for those 6 hours (or more) to create, there will be no output - it's that simple.
1. You've not fallen out of bed being an expert of something - you've studied, educated yourself, spend endless hours growing into the topic at hand that you now master and sell. Don't take these years for granted. Ensure you pay them back - right now, right here.
2. Your work brings (financial) value to your customer, they will sell more, grow quicker, being able to express themselves better to increase revenue - this means the investment they spend on you, will pay them back. Your job is to explain what the benefits are of why you charge them for what. Don't slack here.
3. Creativity (and this is still a myth to some people) doesn't mean you're always doing something with your hands (knitting, sewing, etc). Creativity could mean, that your brain is seeking innovative ways to tackle existing and new matters at hand - making it better, or smarter or more efficient. Meaning, your brain is at work, not necessarily your hands. Meaning, innovation doesn't always mean - a finished tech product.
So - please don't forget to charge for this valuable time, and don't walk away from a discussion (you know will come). There comes a time where this is not a point of discussion and people will ask you - really? Only 6 hours for that amount? And you state - yes, I'm an expert! Knowing that next time, you can charge more ;).
xo Arinda
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You just started or are running a creative business (fashion, accessories, creative services, etc) and are hitting a wall.
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We deepdive into your business
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I love to inspire people during speaker events & workshops about consumerism, creative thinking and my Koai Lab let go, build & grow method.
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Inspire & motivate about the impact of visualization on creative business management
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