Kick Monday’s Ass: how to know if you’re charging too little (November 23, 2020)

It’s time to kick Monday’s ass…

Short and sweet this week…

For everyone in the US, this Thursday is Thanksgiving. And even though this year’s festivities are looking pretty different from years past, I can already sense folks checking out for the week to get re-centered on family.

I think that’s important – stepping back from work from time to time to remember what matters. Relationships. Down time. All the things we have to be grateful for (if you’re reading this email, likely because you’ve got internet and/or a smart phone, I promise you’ve got enough to be grateful for, even if it’s as small as “I’ve got internet”).

That’s not meant to read as judgy or shame-y if you’re not feeling particularly grateful these days. I know post-breakup Angie ain’t entirely feeling like Susie fucking Sunshine most days. But whenever I refocus my “woe is me” feelings to deliberately remembering everything I have going for me?

Suddenly life doesn’t feel quite as doom and gloom as it was before I practiced shifting my focus.

May we all find those things to be grateful for this week. I for one, am grateful for you. <3

That brings us to this week’s video…

 

Kick Monday’s Ass: calculating your “oh HELL no” number

 

I did this video earlier this year, because I get asked about what to charge and whether I think clients can afford a particular fee.

But what I don’t often see is people thinking about what they NEED to make to support their vision for the future, vs what they think the market will bear.

Pricing is one of the trickiest aspects of starting a freelance business – more often than not, you’re worrying about whether your price is too high (or too low), and comparing yourself to others you see on the market.

So here’s how I think about pricing and quoting for projects – and it will help you know quickly whether you should take on a project or pass.

Badass of the Week

Sharon Hebert is my hero this week, for taking a deeply personal tragedy and transforming it into something that helped the community around her.

After the sudden loss of her daughter this year, Sharon committed to sewing face masks in memory of Helen, who loved to sew. Through her commitment and hard work (seriously – she self-taught mask sewing via YouTube videos), she raised nearly $17K for her local food pantry.

(If you know someone who should be featured as my Badass of the Week, leave a comment and tell me!)

On Repeat This Week…

 

This is another gem I got from my recent binge-watch of House – and I feel like I gotta reiterate: whoever handled musical direction for that show was a freaking genius.

I was puttering around the house this weekend, cleaning up and keeping busy when this song came on. Not long after I had picked up on the melody and was sweeping/belting this one out to the cat (much to her chagrin).

Given how painful this year has been for nearly all of us, the message really spoke to me:

After all this has passed
I still will remain
After I’ve cried my last
There’ll be beauty from pain
Though it won’t be today
Someday I’ll hope again
And there’ll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain