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I used to be really bad at earning money.

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Early on, I was[br]a junior financial planner,

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and my job was to help people[br]manage their wealth.

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But my salary was so low[br]that I started riding my bike to work

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to save money on gas,

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and I started a garden[br]to save money on food.

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Now I run a bookkeeping agency

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that specifically serves[br]creative businesses.

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[TED: The Way We Work]

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[Made possible[br]with the support of Dropbox]

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This might sound strange[br]coming from a former financial planner,

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but I'm not a fan of capitalism.

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Almost everyone I work with and know[br]and love is an artist, including me.

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So I know, the way the system is set up,

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freelancers and artists[br]are too often way underpaid.

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They often feel like focusing on money[br]will corrupt their creativity,

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or they think they're just not[br]that good at making money anyway.

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But the truth is, we can be good at it,

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and in fact, we have to be,

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because our freedom is at stake:

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our freedom to create, to influence

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and to use the power of money

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to change the very exploitation[br]that keeps artists broke to begin with.

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I'm not struggling anymore,

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and I've learned a lot[br]since being a financial planner,

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and I just wanted to share that knowledge.

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So here's what I've learned and done.

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One: what you do.

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When it comes to your offer,

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you have to be able[br]to answer the following question:

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Why would anyone hire you[br]over your competition?

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If you can't answer that question,[br]neither can your potential clients,

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which means you can't charge more for[br]the thing that makes your work special.

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Price becomes a differentiator,[br]and bidding becomes a race to the bottom.

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What sets you apart could be what you do,[br]why you do it or how you do it:

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a string quartet that arranges[br]and plays hip-hop medleys

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or a branding firm that has a unique way[br]of marketing technology to Baby Boomers

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or a prop and set designer

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who's known for crafting[br]beautiful papier-mâché miniatures.

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Two: who you do it for.

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After you determine what sets you apart,

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position yourself for your ideal customer.

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In order for this to be effective,[br]you must narrow your focus.

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Without focus, you try to be[br]everything for everyone,

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and you end up being nothing for nobody.

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Then, use the kind of language[br]that appeals to your target customer.

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Create the kind of marketing materials or[br]the kind of portfolio that attracts them.

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Then be in the real-life[br]and virtual places they are.

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For example, if you're a videographer

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and you want to work[br]with mission-driven companies

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that bring clean water[br]to places where it's scarce,

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create a video trailer that shows exactly[br]how the power of film moves people to act.

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Three: when it's time to talk money,[br]understand the real value that you create.

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You're not just being compensated[br]for the time that you work on a project.

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You're being compensated[br]for everything you've learned

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and everything you've done over the years

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that make you excellent at what you do.

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Ask yourself questions like:

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How does your service[br]impact a customer's bottom line?

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How do you create efficiencies[br]that generate cost savings?

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How much money can your customer make

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from a product that[br]you helped them create?

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For example, if you're a freelancer[br]that helps YouTube creators

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develop merch like T-shirts and dad hats,

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mention how much money[br]you've helped your clients generate.

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Or, if you've created a diversity[br]and inclusion training program

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for corporations,

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talk about how much time and money[br]a company saves purchasing your product

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instead of developing their own.

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Four: make sure your price includes[br]your taxes, your overhead and your profit.

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When you're a freelancer,[br]you are your own business,

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so you're responsible for marketing,

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accounting, taxes, legal, insurance,

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overhead and profit.

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If you price too low,

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you've already negotiated[br]against yourself.

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And if a potential customer[br]balks at your pricing,

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don't apologize.

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Just say that you're running a business

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and you can't afford[br]to do the work for less.

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Instead of corrupting your creativity,

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focusing on making more money[br]could actually enhance it

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by giving you the freedom of choice.

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Because when you earn enough[br]working with clients that value your work,

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you don't have to compromise[br]by working with clients who don't.