It was 3/6/04 8:25 am, when Jonathan Brown wrote: > If you're going self-employed, one of the hardest lessons is charging > friends and acquaintances for the work you undertake. Best to learn it > fast. <BG>
JB Hate to disagree with anyone but I would never dream of charging a friend for imparting knowledge - especially knowledge that can be gleaned from lists, websites and books for next to nothing. If a friend wanted to charge me, I wouldn't call them a friend anymore but an acquaintance or a "oh, him." One of the hardest lessons to learn in life, IMO, is to value the seemingly valueless and to devalue the seemingly valuable! Put another way, you should value your friends and not reduce them to the level of a meal ticket. Best to learn that lesson before that big, black curtain descends for the last time. No one knows for sure, and I mean no-one! what's on the other side but we do know what's on this side and we should learn to place value on the unique that's here and now: family, friends, flora, fauna, art, music, etc. Over the years, I have earned far, far more, financially (through introductions), emotionally and spiritually, from my friends simply because I have not reduced them to the level of a client. I get many emails from total strangers after they've found my website. They usually start with a compliment and then ask how to do xyz in Photoshop or how to find a job. If I'm feeling gracious, I send them to some lists. If I'm feeling impish, I point them to my Ask a Photoshop Question link (never hear from them again when they know they have to pay - usually too mean to pay even a measly fiver! That tells me how much they value my knowledge). If I'm feeling mean, I hit the delete button. However, if a friend asks me, I make time! My advice is to put a value on your hard earned knowledge and experience. Sell it to strangers and acquaintances if you cannot profit from it otherwise. Give it away to family and friends (it will come back to you with interest when the conditions are right). To do otherwise is unwise because, as sure as there is no heaven or hell after this life (don't listen to the religious fanatics), you ain't gonna take it with you. As a long haired, bearded wise man once said "..Oh, boy when you're dead, you don't take nothin' with you but your sou-ou-ou-hol. Think!" As regards how much to charge per hour, charge whatever you think you are worth! There are people who charge a minimum of $150 ph to just do a bit of tweaking of ONE image. If you are going to impart knowledge that will enable someone to tweak hundreds/thousands of images, well, just ask yourself if they can afford $300 ph for "personal" tuition, whether you need that $25-30 dollars and whether charging them a pittance is going to make them value you so much that they are going to recommend you to all their clients - highly unlikely if you do not value your skills. The less you charge, the less they will value you. Personally, I wouldn't get out of bed for $60 ph for consultancy. That's more like what I would charge for travelling within a 25 mile radius of my base. My tupence worth. <g> Shangara Singh. __________________________________________________ :: Photoshop CS Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) :: Photoshop CS Essential Tips && ACE Exam Aids && Glossary :: http://www.photoshopace.com && http://www.examaids.com =============================================================== GO TO http://www.prodig.org for ~ GUIDELINES ~ un/SUBSCRIBING ~ ITEMS for SALE
