Monday, December 10, 2012

Just Because I Love what I do... Doesn't mean I will do it for Free...




I have been wanting to write about this for awhile and have been asked many times because I have a few interesting thoughts about this.
Some agree and some don't and that is all good.  
So here are a few of my thoughts on this subject.

First let me start off with:
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WE ALL DESERVE TO GET PAID FOR WHAT WE DO... and these are all my Personal Opinion and I am not giving anyone financial or legal advise... Now, that the disclaimer is out of the way...

Now... 
How to get paid Abundantly and what You Deserve for doing what You Love... Well... This all depends on many people's unique version of what they hold true for themselves as to what is getting PAID Abundantly, what they Deserve, what Values they hold and in what currencies they are willing to get paid in and what that all means to them personally...

Ok - before we go on let me address the BIG PINK ELEPHANT in the Room... Yes- we are living in the 20th century in which actual currency is in the form of $$$ - Money and we all have Bills to pay and a certain lifestyle we have chosen. I am also going to say upfront that I believe that Yes, You can be Spiritual and Abundant...  And... Will add to that, that the more wealth you have, the more Flexibility you will have to help others and self... It is what it is... 

Now... 

Having grown up overseas, seen various cultures and having myself been very Wealthy, and Very Poor, even on Disability a few times due to medical issues,  and having Lived off the Grid, Off the Land, Owned several businesses, did the 9-5, Self Employed, Full Salary, Only Commissions, Part Salary-Part Commissions, Part Barter, Full Barter etc... etc... etc...

Grown up in Mansions-Like the one Above - Seriously I used to get LOST in my own homes as a kid sometimes... Ridiculous..  I can also say I didn't grow up with a Silver spoon in my mouth, quite the opposite. The Houses where Amazing, yet I wore hand me down clothes, never went to summer camps like everyone else, except Once... etc... etc.. etc... Not the time or place to get into further details - Just providing reference points of talking from experience... 
Left home before graduating High School and got creative housing by Babysitting and House Care taking in exchange for Room and Board while I still went to school.  Over the years have owned several large houses, Many toys, and also have Lived in a ONE Room Flat, Lived and slept in the middle of a Jungle for up to 6 months with a screened in kitchen, an outhouse etc... etc... etc...  So- I can talk from experiences from all sides of the situation.  I can't claim to having ever been a Multi-Millionaire however, worked with many and handled Accounting and Funds in the Millions for clients, and have created massive abundance for clients and an abundant living for myself when not  in Medical Crisis and having multiple surgeries - again not the place, just giving you reference points. Yet regardless of setbacks I ALWAYS Rose back up thru the ashes if you will...



I can AGREE on the Following:
When we PROVIDE:


-Massive Value
-Quality
-Authenticity
-Growth
-Experience
-Problem solving
-Solutions
-Creativity
And... All of the above has been done with excellent Customer Service with an Open Mind and Heart...  I absolutely AGREE we all deserve Payment:
Now here is where I am more of a BOTH and... will explain more below.

-Some only Choose to work with Extremely Wealthy Clients.
-Some only Choose to work with the underdogs.
-Some only take Cash
-Some do Smaller Front Ends, and bigger back ends once they have proven
their theory and or success for their clients.
-Some will do a Larger Front end and then a certain lower back end.
-Some do not believe in Sliding scales
-Some do not believe in Charity
-Some refuse to do MLM's
-Some Swear by MLM's
-etc... etc... etc...

Here are my Both ANDS...
In today's society there is this merging bridging with Eastern and Western ways. And... There is a Large gap in Abundance cross culturally and economically...  And with the economy being the way it is...
WHY would one ONLY Choose ONE way...  

There are a few books I Love that speak to this - of course in their own unique 
perspective, and discuss Values, Giving, Authenticity, Out of the Box thinking +++  I Love reading them because they always make me smile, because I have always gotten a lot of BS if you will for not doing things the typical, dogmatic way when it comes to Abundance or Livelihood if you will:

Here are a few of my Favorite Books: 
-The Go-Giver by Bob Burg
-Up, Down or Sideways by Mark Sanborn
-Risky is the New Safe - The Rules Have Changed by Randy Gage
-Don't Gobble the Marshmallow... Ever ! by Joachim Posada
and Many More...

I encourage anyone to read them if they haven't.

Now back on topic... So where I am going with this - Well, I absolutely Love to work with Amazing, Intelligent, Abundant People and Companies of all walks of Life, Cultures, and Abundance... Not just the wealthy, not just the underdogs...  I have learned VOLUMES From both and...

I do have some boundaries when it comes to the both and...
I also do believe that boundaries have a purpose and can serve to empower both parties...

***I do not give services and or product away for free, unless I have chosen to donate my time to a charity or an event for a specific reason.
Let me Clarify:  Writing Blogs Posts, giving information of value for free I think is great, however giving away actual product and services I have found... 
***Most people DO NOT get the value if something is given to them for free. 
They don't take it as seriously so think they can do the tasks etc... whenever it so suits them etc... 
***And... Studies show you just wind up creating an Email list that the industry has called: - The Freebie List.  

I want to Empower, Teach and Give to people who REALLY want it, will follow thru and understands, values and respects themselves and the services I am providing.

I have therefore done all sorts of creative ways of payment when working with people who in my opinion don't need a Hand-OUT... Need a Hand-UP if you will either thru knowledge, skills, connections, Love, Self-empowerment, Inspiration, Guidance etc...  Keeping in Mind when I say Payment that does not ALWAYS mean $$$.  ***I do make sure to keep the percentages of unique payment arrangements in check with actual physical currency to meet my responsibilities.

***I only turn people away for lack of commitment, due diligence, and not following thru with appointments etc... If someone shows me commitment, drive, willingness to learn and have an open mind, I will find a way for both parties to be happy.

**I do not tolerate passive-aggressive, I know it all, constant negativity behavior.

I believe that Deep down we all Crave, Inspiration, Empowerment, Love, and Success... and all of those things mean Different things to everyone... and if I am not willing to meet people where they are at and ONLY Choose ONE WAY
I too am loosing out on a lot of Learning, Inspiration, Empowerment, Love and Success...

I hope you all find your own Unique ways of making you Happy, Successful, Healthy and Abundant doing what you Love...



As always Enjoy the Journey...
Another Midnight Production
©CarlyAlyssaThorne

8 comments:

  1. Carly, from the client side it comes down to the old saying: "You get what you pay for." BTW, did you grow up in Brazil?

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    1. Sharon I Left the US When I was 5 Yrs old first stop was Mexico for 2 yr next stop Caracas, Venezuela for 2 yrs and next stop was Sao Paulo Brazil for 3 yrs then back to the US

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  2. Carly, I couldn't agree with you more! I often times find that when you do something "free" for someone they tend to take advantage of you and do not understand the time and effort it takes to complete the task for them. It also "waters" down your services in the eyes of the person you are doing it for, not to mention doing to many freebies can become a time-sucker in which you cannot go find someone willing to pay you for your services! Thank you for a great blog.

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  3. Carly, I couldn't agree with you more! I often times find that when you do something "free" for someone they tend to take advantage of you and do not understand the time and effort it takes to complete the task for them. It also "waters" down your services in the eyes of the person you are doing it for, not to mention doing to many freebies can become a time-sucker in which you cannot go find someone willing to pay you for your services! Thank you for a great blog.

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  4. Carly, I couldn't agree with you more! I find that most times you are giving your services for free that people do not appreciate you and will often times continue to use you. Doing to many freebies can also become a time-sucker that will not allow you to go find clients who are willing to pay you for your time which is well deserved! Thank you for your great blog.

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    1. LOL Laura I guess It Liked Your Comment... x3... Thanks for the Great comments and I agree with you as well. It can be very draining...

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  5. "Most people DO NOT get the value if something is given to them for free."
    Definitely agree! We must define the boundaries between our free and paid services and you clarify really well.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Tereza I have found boundaries to be very important...

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"We are the Actors/Actresses, Writers, Editors, Producers, Directors, Co-Creators of Our Lives, we can create anything, anytime... Let's Do it." Carly Alyssa Thorne