I love that your rants are still very professional and classy. I see many other youtubers ranting, cursing and making a complete fool of themselves and their brand.
For some reason, I find your "rants" very interesting and informative. I do agree with everything that you stated and all of the points you bring up are completely valid.
+Brent Harris Thanks for watching man. Yeah I lean in a bit on this one. There are some interesting myths that ppl like to throw out to justify not investing in creative sometimes.
I'm going to be doing a few speaking engagements, you can talk to your school and see if they will bring me out and pay my appearance fee. I'd be happy to help your class prepare for life in the industry after college
Straight up Roberto! I run into this a lot in my industry. My clients pay my rates because they are getting 30+ years of knowledge in the executive administrative field with nearly 13 years running my own business. Don't even get me started on Fiverr and all the dirt cheap fly by nights. I can't tell you how many potential clients have come to me to fix problems those "organizations" caused, thinking I am going to fix the problem for $5. I could go on a full long rant myself.
Last year, this very thing happened to me with a startup. I drove for 2 hours to meet them contract in hand after speaking with the person over the phone for an hour only days before. I gave a small proposal/presentation but when price came up they responded, "We could get it done by a guy for $50." I explained to them the value but they were stuck on price. In which was actually at a cut rate because of some connections that were in place. I completely felt disrespected, my time, gas, and skills were degraded by someone who has no idea the amount of work that actually goes into what we creatives do.
Elijah Williams Which partly why I won't agree to face to face meeting outside of Skype that require more than 20 minutes of travel without an upfront commitment or consulting payment. It's not good business and if people want to fish for pricing they don't need to waste your time or gas. I don't like Fiverr (for design, for other things that menial or non time intensive it's fine) but for people who want cheap design and don't care about value, maybe we are better off that they go there and live with the consequences and as professionals we just turn away people who want to haggle.
After that meeting, I did develop that into my practices. I was also driving there with personal objectives in mind but those objectives only came since I was meeting them. Now if they do want to meet face to face it will require a fee that includes gas and time. But mostly I have Skype and Google Hangouts.
I haven't personally experienced this but some of my friends have, my friends or family would say, " I could do that, its not worth that " but I always try to defend my friends because I understand the value of graphic design ( I make apps and websites so I've dabbled into it and know the experience)
Damien Dunn You're fortunate and it's great that you stand up for your friends and understand the value of what they do. Reach out to me in email with your app and web design portfolio. I'm looking into how develop Free Apps that will help designers and other creative professionals with some of their task.
Roberto Blake I just got started ( im 19 studying engineering in college) so I only have 2 published work to show you so far, I'll surely send you though. I have many other projects working on that i'm planning to perfect and release in summer.
Good rant. I do some stuff on Fiverr as it's the only place I feel I can market the things I offer and it's quick and easy, but there are some people who expect the world for $5. Not cool.
Great video Roberto. My father is a mechanic and you'd be surprised how many people he deals with daily that low ball him and his services. One guy came into the shop and said he needed new brakes, my dad did an inspection and gave him a very reasonable quote and the guy started yelling saying a shop 3 miles away quoted him half of what my father was saying, which is obviously a fat lie unless he was gonna put some plastic brakes on with duct tape haha. So I'm gonna assume it just happens in every service oriented career and we just gotta deal with them.
ArmedTechie Interesting, that is so weird and maybe. My dad was a mechanic on the side (came up in the military doing that before he moved up the ranks to E9) and people never haggled with him, but it was a different time back then, maybe everyone is haggling today across the board. I don't haggle with my mechanic, plumber or service providers. I do shop around unless I have someone that I absolutely have a great relationship that always delivers, but I never haggle. I tell people what I have to work with and let them know if they can't handle that budget I completely understand and will work with them down the road in another scenario that works for both of us. I find they respect me more and often will work with me because I didn't haggle with them. I do the same thing with people, kinda like a test if you will.
Yup, times have changed I guess. I also think people like you who have dealt with hagglers and low ballers are much less likely to try and haggle because you understand what it feels like. Also, some people are just naturally assholes (crude but true).
Oh Snap! The passion is real in this video, lol. I hate to be on the wrong side of your Cheerios today. Just Kidding. Great video, dude. The truth was definitely spoken and let the church say AMEN!!!!!
Hey Roberto! I was wondering if you could maybe do a graphics design tip video talking about choosing the right fonts for a project, and how to kern fonts properly. I think this would really help out a lot of people. Thanks man!
I remember watching this during grad school and was scared to price anything higher $100. I'm climbing the ladder but now I'm charging $500 - $1000/t shirt design.
Just a month or so back, I was stressed out because I didn't know where to get a logo for my film business. I was even so desperate I tried Fiverr which ended horribly, but then I went to a facebook group to show the logo the fiverr sent me and someone commented saying they could work for my budget which was $50. I never told them their work wasn't worth that, they pretty much came to me. They understood I had a small budget and didn't have any income. But they still delivered a sweet result! It pisses me off when people haggle.
+0AndrewShepherd0 many people don't know this but we designers make an evaluation of the client's business and we're willing to work in stages to build up a brand. It just takes a bit of trust and a some initial investment from both parties. The best you can do is secure that designer and establish a good relationship. You'll both be happy.
I like when you rant about these topics. It help me deal with my own problems too. I'm not the only one then. But right now I'm taking a break from Graphic Design. I been heart-broken too many times after working so hard and still people want to put you down and under pay you. I'm very stress out at the moment. I'm also having Creative-blockage if that even a word. The funny thing is that I'm working as Security Guard for the time being and i'm making 3 times more money than what I used to made before. Obliviously its temporary until I figure out what I want to do with my life. Anyway, Enough of my sad life. Roberto, I don't how you do it but I pray to god to become stronger as you and get the strength to pick myself up. But I'm so tired and sometimes I want to give up.
Jorvis Hitokiri Have some patience. Understand that you can't change other people, only yourself, your circumstances and that if you do change other people it will be because you have put yourself in a position to create value for them. Maybe you focus on yourself a bit and work on your Design Process and getting better at the technical aspects and principles of design. Find a cause or an idea that you believe in and try designing something around that just for yourself, something to put on the wall or coffee table. To improve your process try recreating famous work you admire. Ignore stigma of copying, because it's stupid. You're not putting this in your portfolio. Learn to replicate the process by reproducing others to understand how it is created an to empathize with them and unlock their secrets and the thought process behind that creativity. As a result the flood gates in your own imagination will open. Feed your creativity with music, magazines, paintings and also life experiences. take long walks, eat great meals, meet wonderful people go out on dates. I'm telling you all of these things will make you a better designer...
Dude. I feel you too. I am going through something similar. I had to take a break from it all and got a job as a printer doing quality control. I started watching some great designers here on UA-cam that really boosted my confidence. Your life isn't sad. Everyday you wake up is a day to embrace and be thankful you are alive. I am going through some tough crap myself that has set me back but you know what, there is always tomorrow and I have time to get it done then. At least that is the way I see it. Roberto Blake So about that community we talked about... I know I joined it but when are you going to promote it, lol. Obviously there is a need.
TheSkoolLive Has some great videos on how to get stock options and things like that. They are very good at breaking down how those type of negotiations work. Love them!
***** I do as well. I actually did an interview with TheSkoolLive about two weeks ago with Chris and Jose. I really enjoy their content and love what they bring to the table!
I produce corporate videos and commercial photography (greatly architectural and event photography for hotels and 5-star resorts) but one of my customers is an up-scale shopping centre who I did 1 free job and 2 heavily discounted jobs for to build a relationship. I then told them the prices needed to go up so we had a meeting where their corporate office provided a maximum figure that is only 30% of my normal rates and they knew it. I got pretty upset and was ready to walk away when they asked me if there was anything else that could make it happen so I started listing off demands that I thought were unreasonable based on their initial feedback of my proposal, there were terms like 24/7 unrestricted access to use all of their space at no charge for my other clients, to be the exclusive video production company working in the shopping centre for all events held even if they are not being organised by the shopping centre, a minimum of 6 jobs per year, 50% of the annual contract to be paid in advance, my companies logo and website at the end of every video as a production credit, I own the sole rights to all content I shoot without limitation to usage, and the list went on. After my long list of demands I was floored when they said "OK, we can agree to all of that". What this has given me is value I cannot calculate in financial terms right now - just 4-months into a 24-month contract. I have now shot one of the most famous comedians in Brazil and am getting ready to use some of the footage to promote my own company, I have worked with an internationally renowned painter, I will be shooting some international models and a variety of other VIPs in the coming months. My profile as a professional is much higher and my opportunities are growing as a result. In saying all of that, financially I'm not where I need to be on this deal but I am catching up with all the benefits I have and hopefully by the end of the year it will be a different story. I have found it to be a double-edged sword exchanging money for other benefits and have learned what makes it worth doing for me and my company - my biggest advice is to make sure you know what will really make it work for you and your company before you go into a deal like this.
Ryan Portsmouth I've done EXACTLY that same thing before and you are right. Wow, should really cover this in a video about the whole working for FREE thing. But I do mention this, that yes I would work for other considerations beyond money that are valuable, like access that I couldn't buy if I wanted to! But agree with your advice, you should have a plan for that type of negotiation and know what you want and how you can leverage things outside of money. ***** talks about this fairly regularly and I've always agreed that their are things that have more value in a business deal sometimes than money. But you do have to be in a position where you can handle that. So you need to be aware of your situation and whether that is something you can afford to do. Thanks for sharing that.
I am still watching the video, and I can't hold my self, this is a FUNNY RANT video Roberto ! ahahaha Is being very interesting ! I love Your talking, is exactly what I think about all this...
I hate when people try to put a price of their own in my time; but I hate more when other designers tell my, I can't design for free. I'm not saying this is the case, but there's a lot of designers out there that treat me like shit If I do work for free. It's my time, my knowledge, my price. Awesome videos by the way.
alejandro esteban diaz conias You're right, but unless you are giving context, the are just going to feel that you're devaluing the industry, which as professionals they are going to feel upset about. If you're not worried about making friends within the design community its not an issue, but if acceptance is important to you among your peers it could be a problem. If you are doing work for free for friends and family, its one thing. But if you're giving free work to a local small business, you're literally taking work away from people who are trying to earn a living. You can't expect that they won't be upset about that and attack you for it... it is your right, but it is also their rate to state their feelings about it. You have to be willing to accept the consequences of that choice...
Concerning the topic working for free an awesome video you can always show is jeff, the graphic designer :D You should be able to find it by searching sth like "life on a limb - graphic designer"
SiriousArts I'll look into it. I have a whole video I'm planning on the working for free in addition to cutting a segment from this video as a secondary on that topic just as a short.
it's so ironic and funny how the worlds most recognized and reputable companies, had logo's that were designed so casually haha like it's nothing.. then gradually became super famous
Catnique Coca Cola had no idea it would become successful, Nike was Blue Ribbon Sports company and a side gig for one of the founders who was teaching. Google was a college project. Twitter was the side hustle of a programmer for traffic dispatch... you'd be surprised. These companies had humble beginnings. Even so they either leveraged the resources they had (employees they paid a salary) or in the case of NIKE paid someone for their time (adjusted for inflation $35 is $217) or like Google they did it themselves. Not one of these famous examples was truly free and again the older companies that got free logos echo back to a time when people gave away ideas and intellectual property all the time...You may recall people didn't think that they needed to protect their software as inventions until Bill Gates and Steve Jobs made it a thing... that was in the 80s....
Clients need to understand that it doesn't matter how much time it takes a designer to do a logo. They're paying for the experience, knowledge, and education of the designer.
LMAO! You are funny as bro, trying to get work that involves access to stocks in companies that are in their first stage of 'Angel Investing'. What a boss! Nice one, I knew I signed up to hear this!
Hey Roberto.. I really love ur videos.. I'm thinking abt becoming a graphic designer, but not sure how to go about it.. Is there any point in doing a bachelors in Graphic Design, when I can take some courses online and master Indesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator? Would a sound knowledge of these three softwares be enough?
We once designed a logo and a business card for my sister for free. We even printed the cards for her at a friendly company for a discounted price. Next she comes to me and asks if we are interested in designing a logo for her boyfriend who is in the music industry. We said "fine but this time there will be a small fee of 80EUR for the time we spend doing it". She said in this case she would find somebody who could do it for free. And so she did go to that person and he did the design but in the end decided to charge her 300 euros. Now she regrets not paying us the 80 EUR :D But this taught us a lesson not to work for free because people will use and abuse you.
Estera Edu Always look at what your end game is and your end result is going to be and if you are going to do something for "free" it should take the minimum investment of your time and you should communicate that and let people decide if they are willing to invest what it takes to get a commitment from you.
So true, I recently had a client that liked my portfolio but would try and make every excuse in the world so could get it cheap. he would say I just don't know if you can give me exactly what I need. I was hurting business at the time so I went down to about $200 just to get the job and prove to him that I can shock the hell out him. but I guess now I realized he was just trying to get it cheap and he won. but he needed label designs so I charged him up the ass for that. Lol
Thats so true . I am 16 years old and i create some logos for my classmates for free because i know something more about adobe illustrator . (j learn graphic design , i am a beginner ) but if i have to live from graphic design i will absolutely not ...
I also enjoy making Posters themed off my favorite bands or band members etc. But I want to show this video to someone I once knew. he's a UA-camr who apparently admired my work but he felt like just because he had 100,000 Subscribers that I would work for him for free with nothing in return. First off I charge UA-camrs extremely less than I'd charge an actual business or industry because I know the Budget Differs. He wanted a T-shirt Design and I was offering a good $35 for it. Not too shabby imo. But when he realized I was actually going to charge him, he decided to drop me completely. Not that I really care there are always other clients, but the fact he thought that I'd work for free just because his Subscriber count made me outraged. I'm going to show him this video
Tiryyfic Also he was likely going to be selling that Tshirt in his online store that is not exactly fair... if he was going to guarantee you a shout out and feature you or bring you in a hangout on air and drive traffic for you, that would have been different. But to expect you to do that for free and not even offer you promotion is disrespectful to your time and craft.
Speaking of stock options, I wish I were both old and wise enough in the late 90's to invest in or make my parents invest in Apple. They were trading at like $6 a share. The $150million Microsoft invested back then would be worth like $23billion now. If not more. But for some reason they got out in 2003 just when Apple were starting to really take off with the iPod. Good to see Microsoft miss boats even during their prime haha.
I been watching your videos for awhile now and this particular video reminded me on how I was duped into remaking a logo. Let me try keep it short. A person that I went to school with crossed paths with me at the movies. He asked me to design a logo for him for his Radio segment. At this time, I was still in school and I was known as"the girl who designs". I agreed to discuss this further and was told I were to get paid. Mind you, I'm still in school and I saw this as an opportunity to build my portfolio. I went ahead and made the design. I presented him with the finished logo (watermarked of course) he asked me what I'd charge for my work and I said +/100 euros. He didn't pay me. I didn't give him the logo. And I was told that I was too expensive and I should have done this for free because we went to school together. I don't know the person on a daily or personal level. We just shared halls at school. What's your take on this?
May I add to this video for those of you who think designing an "at-a-glance" logo like twitter or Nike? The logo may have only cost $15-20, or whatever the in house designer charged. BUT.....how much money was in vested in marketing that brand logo to where you recognize the company at a glance? I rest my case. If you know anything about marketing, then you know a LOT of cash was paid for public recognition.
I love that your rants are still very professional and classy. I see many other youtubers ranting, cursing and making a complete fool of themselves and their brand.
Anna bella LOL. Wow, I don't really watch other people's rants except about movies and such. I'm glad you like my style.
For some reason, I find your "rants" very interesting and informative. I do agree with everything that you stated and all of the points you bring up are completely valid.
Thanks
I love that you put "[rant]" in the video title. It gets me excited knowing it's gonna be a great inspirational video. Thanks Roberto.
+Brent Harris Thanks for watching man. Yeah I lean in a bit on this one. There are some interesting myths that ppl like to throw out to justify not investing in creative sometimes.
My university absolutely needs lecturers like you. You're a natural born educator.
I'm going to be doing a few speaking engagements, you can talk to your school and see if they will bring me out and pay my appearance fee.
I'd be happy to help your class prepare for life in the industry after college
Straight up Roberto! I run into this a lot in my industry. My clients pay my rates because they are getting 30+ years of knowledge in the executive administrative field with nearly 13 years running my own business. Don't even get me started on Fiverr and all the dirt cheap fly by nights. I can't tell you how many potential clients have come to me to fix problems those "organizations" caused, thinking I am going to fix the problem for $5. I could go on a full long rant myself.
Maybe you should lol
Last year, this very thing happened to me with a startup. I drove for 2 hours to meet them contract in hand after speaking with the person over the phone for an hour only days before.
I gave a small proposal/presentation but when price came up they responded, "We could get it done by a guy for $50." I explained to them the value but they were stuck on price. In which was actually at a cut rate because of some connections that were in place. I completely felt disrespected, my time, gas, and skills were degraded by someone who has no idea the amount of work that actually goes into what we creatives do.
Elijah Williams Which partly why I won't agree to face to face meeting outside of Skype that require more than 20 minutes of travel without an upfront commitment or consulting payment. It's not good business and if people want to fish for pricing they don't need to waste your time or gas. I don't like Fiverr (for design, for other things that menial or non time intensive it's fine) but for people who want cheap design and don't care about value, maybe we are better off that they go there and live with the consequences and as professionals we just turn away people who want to haggle.
After that meeting, I did develop that into my practices. I was also driving there with personal objectives in mind but those objectives only came since I was meeting them. Now if they do want to meet face to face it will require a fee that includes gas and time. But mostly I have Skype and Google Hangouts.
Elijah Williams I should cover this in a video.
That'll be great
I haven't personally experienced this but some of my friends have, my friends or family would say, " I could do that, its not worth that " but I always try to defend my friends because I understand the value of graphic design ( I make apps and websites so I've dabbled into it and know the experience)
Damien Dunn You're fortunate and it's great that you stand up for your friends and understand the value of what they do. Reach out to me in email with your app and web design portfolio. I'm looking into how develop Free Apps that will help designers and other creative professionals with some of their task.
Roberto Blake I just got started ( im 19 studying engineering in college) so I only have 2 published work to show you so far, I'll surely send you though. I have many other projects working on that i'm planning to perfect and release in summer.
Damien Dunn I look forward to it.
Good rant. I do some stuff on Fiverr as it's the only place I feel I can market the things I offer and it's quick and easy, but there are some people who expect the world for $5. Not cool.
EposVox Have you looked at Envato Studios, Freelancer, Guru, Behance, People Per Hour or Elance? Also leveraging social media converts very well.
Roberto Blake is a common sense and knowledgeable rock star designer. Listen to him and pick his brain. This video is free to us. Thank you Roberto!
Amen bro! Right on the mark with all key points. Greatest difficulty is articulating this to a problem client without conflict.
Adam Smith Having the full story and context helps a bit. Just have to correct their "facts" sometimes or break down the process.
Great video Roberto. My father is a mechanic and you'd be surprised how many people he deals with daily that low ball him and his services. One guy came into the shop and said he needed new brakes, my dad did an inspection and gave him a very reasonable quote and the guy started yelling saying a shop 3 miles away quoted him half of what my father was saying, which is obviously a fat lie unless he was gonna put some plastic brakes on with duct tape haha. So I'm gonna assume it just happens in every service oriented career and we just gotta deal with them.
ArmedTechie Interesting, that is so weird and maybe. My dad was a mechanic on the side (came up in the military doing that before he moved up the ranks to E9) and people never haggled with him, but it was a different time back then, maybe everyone is haggling today across the board. I don't haggle with my mechanic, plumber or service providers. I do shop around unless I have someone that I absolutely have a great relationship that always delivers, but I never haggle. I tell people what I have to work with and let them know if they can't handle that budget I completely understand and will work with them down the road in another scenario that works for both of us. I find they respect me more and often will work with me because I didn't haggle with them. I do the same thing with people, kinda like a test if you will.
Yup, times have changed I guess. I also think people like you who have dealt with hagglers and low ballers are much less likely to try and haggle because you understand what it feels like. Also, some people are just naturally assholes (crude but true).
Just wanted to say you are very inspirational. I am glad that I came across your channel!
larryhill41 Thanks so much for watching!
always calm my man i love your videos, keep it coming!
I look forward to your thoughts and info all the time. Great job on this video too.
David Eastham Thanks!
Oh Snap! The passion is real in this video, lol. I hate to be on the wrong side of your Cheerios today. Just Kidding. Great video, dude. The truth was definitely spoken and let the church say AMEN!!!!!
***** I came very close to pulling out a red lightsaber for this video but the editing would have taken longer than I wanted...
Hey Roberto! I was wondering if you could maybe do a graphics design tip video talking about choosing the right fonts for a project, and how to kern fonts properly. I think this would really help out a lot of people. Thanks man!
OptimisticDingo | CoD & GTA Videos Mon-Fri Will do.
I remember watching this during grad school and was scared to price anything higher $100. I'm climbing the ladder but now I'm charging $500 - $1000/t shirt design.
Just a month or so back, I was stressed out because I didn't know where to get a logo for my film business. I was even so desperate I tried Fiverr which ended horribly, but then I went to a facebook group to show the logo the fiverr sent me and someone commented saying they could work for my budget which was $50. I never told them their work wasn't worth that, they pretty much came to me. They understood I had a small budget and didn't have any income. But they still delivered a sweet result! It pisses me off when people haggle.
I hear you!
+0AndrewShepherd0 many people don't know this but we designers make an evaluation of the client's business and we're willing to work in stages to build up a brand. It just takes a bit of trust and a some initial investment from both parties. The best you can do is secure that designer and establish a good relationship. You'll both be happy.
Cuban Nerd this is exactly so!
I'll be sharing this with all the design students.
I like when you rant about these topics. It help me deal with my own problems too. I'm not the only one then. But right now I'm taking a break from Graphic Design. I been heart-broken too many times after working so hard and still people want to put you down and under pay you. I'm very stress out at the moment. I'm also having Creative-blockage if that even a word. The funny thing is that I'm working as Security Guard for the time being and i'm making 3 times more money than what I used to made before. Obliviously its temporary until I figure out what I want to do with my life.
Anyway, Enough of my sad life. Roberto, I don't how you do it but I pray to god to become stronger as you and get the strength to pick myself up. But I'm so tired and sometimes I want to give up.
Jorvis Hitokiri Have some patience. Understand that you can't change other people, only yourself, your circumstances and that if you do change other people it will be because you have put yourself in a position to create value for them. Maybe you focus on yourself a bit and work on your Design Process and getting better at the technical aspects and principles of design. Find a cause or an idea that you believe in and try designing something around that just for yourself, something to put on the wall or coffee table. To improve your process try recreating famous work you admire. Ignore stigma of copying, because it's stupid. You're not putting this in your portfolio. Learn to replicate the process by reproducing others to understand how it is created an to empathize with them and unlock their secrets and the thought process behind that creativity. As a result the flood gates in your own imagination will open. Feed your creativity with music, magazines, paintings and also life experiences. take long walks, eat great meals, meet wonderful people go out on dates. I'm telling you all of these things will make you a better designer...
Dude. I feel you too. I am going through something similar. I had to take a break from it all and got a job as a printer doing quality control. I started watching some great designers here on UA-cam that really boosted my confidence. Your life isn't sad. Everyday you wake up is a day to embrace and be thankful you are alive. I am going through some tough crap myself that has set me back but you know what, there is always tomorrow and I have time to get it done then. At least that is the way I see it.
Roberto Blake So about that community we talked about... I know I joined it but when are you going to promote it, lol. Obviously there is a need.
TheSkoolLive Has some great videos on how to get stock options and things like that. They are very good at breaking down how those type of negotiations work. Love them!
***** I do as well. I actually did an interview with TheSkoolLive about two weeks ago with Chris and Jose. I really enjoy their content and love what they bring to the table!
I produce corporate videos and commercial photography (greatly architectural and event photography for hotels and 5-star resorts) but one of my customers is an up-scale shopping centre who I did 1 free job and 2 heavily discounted jobs for to build a relationship. I then told them the prices needed to go up so we had a meeting where their corporate office provided a maximum figure that is only 30% of my normal rates and they knew it. I got pretty upset and was ready to walk away when they asked me if there was anything else that could make it happen so I started listing off demands that I thought were unreasonable based on their initial feedback of my proposal, there were terms like 24/7 unrestricted access to use all of their space at no charge for my other clients, to be the exclusive video production company working in the shopping centre for all events held even if they are not being organised by the shopping centre, a minimum of 6 jobs per year, 50% of the annual contract to be paid in advance, my companies logo and website at the end of every video as a production credit, I own the sole rights to all content I shoot without limitation to usage, and the list went on.
After my long list of demands I was floored when they said "OK, we can agree to all of that". What this has given me is value I cannot calculate in financial terms right now - just 4-months into a 24-month contract. I have now shot one of the most famous comedians in Brazil and am getting ready to use some of the footage to promote my own company, I have worked with an internationally renowned painter, I will be shooting some international models and a variety of other VIPs in the coming months. My profile as a professional is much higher and my opportunities are growing as a result.
In saying all of that, financially I'm not where I need to be on this deal but I am catching up with all the benefits I have and hopefully by the end of the year it will be a different story. I have found it to be a double-edged sword exchanging money for other benefits and have learned what makes it worth doing for me and my company - my biggest advice is to make sure you know what will really make it work for you and your company before you go into a deal like this.
Ryan Portsmouth I've done EXACTLY that same thing before and you are right. Wow, should really cover this in a video about the whole working for FREE thing. But I do mention this, that yes I would work for other considerations beyond money that are valuable, like access that I couldn't buy if I wanted to! But agree with your advice, you should have a plan for that type of negotiation and know what you want and how you can leverage things outside of money. ***** talks about this fairly regularly and I've always agreed that their are things that have more value in a business deal sometimes than money. But you do have to be in a position where you can handle that. So you need to be aware of your situation and whether that is something you can afford to do. Thanks for sharing that.
I am still watching the video, and I can't hold my self, this is a FUNNY RANT video Roberto ! ahahaha
Is being very interesting ! I love Your talking, is exactly what I think about all this...
I hate when people try to put a price of their own in my time; but I hate more when other designers tell my, I can't design for free. I'm not saying this is the case, but there's a lot of designers out there that treat me like shit If I do work for free. It's my time, my knowledge, my price. Awesome videos by the way.
alejandro esteban diaz conias You're right, but unless you are giving context, the are just going to feel that you're devaluing the industry, which as professionals they are going to feel upset about. If you're not worried about making friends within the design community its not an issue, but if acceptance is important to you among your peers it could be a problem. If you are doing work for free for friends and family, its one thing. But if you're giving free work to a local small business, you're literally taking work away from people who are trying to earn a living. You can't expect that they won't be upset about that and attack you for it... it is your right, but it is also their rate to state their feelings about it. You have to be willing to accept the consequences of that choice...
Like I have said to a so called client.
Client: You know there is a thing called Fiverr
Me: Go get Fiverr quality.
Client: good point.
Lol
1 of my favourite Reborto Blake videos
Awesome, ty for sharing this, you're absolutely right, it's really important to know all this because it happens all the time
ladyshadowVE no problem, yeah we see it all the time so I wanted to address it! ;)
Great video Roberto! I agree
Concerning the topic working for free an awesome video you can always show is jeff, the graphic designer :D
You should be able to find it by searching sth like "life on a limb - graphic designer"
SiriousArts I'll look into it. I have a whole video I'm planning on the working for free in addition to cutting a segment from this video as a secondary on that topic just as a short.
it's so ironic and funny how the worlds most recognized and reputable companies, had logo's that were designed so casually haha like it's nothing.. then gradually became super famous
Catnique Coca Cola had no idea it would become successful, Nike was Blue Ribbon Sports company and a side gig for one of the founders who was teaching. Google was a college project. Twitter was the side hustle of a programmer for traffic dispatch... you'd be surprised. These companies had humble beginnings. Even so they either leveraged the resources they had (employees they paid a salary) or in the case of NIKE paid someone for their time (adjusted for inflation $35 is $217) or like Google they did it themselves. Not one of these famous examples was truly free and again the older companies that got free logos echo back to a time when people gave away ideas and intellectual property all the time...You may recall people didn't think that they needed to protect their software as inventions until Bill Gates and Steve Jobs made it a thing... that was in the 80s....
Boom! Knowledge just dropped.
ROBERTO OROZCO yup
just clap, nothing else needs to be said. happens to be one of the nicest way to let people know.
Clients need to understand that it doesn't matter how much time it takes a designer to do a logo. They're paying for the experience, knowledge, and education of the designer.
Could not agree more! I have a few videos where I mention exactly that point!
Had to become a subby! This vid was spot on lol
A quote from The Joker in Dark Knight says this perfectly: "If you're good at something, never do it for free."
LMAO! You are funny as bro, trying to get work that involves access to stocks in companies that are in their first stage of 'Angel Investing'. What a boss!
Nice one, I knew I signed up to hear this!
😉
Wow, that is some very interesting food for thought. If you aren't reading these comments you are missing out on some great follow up information! ^_^
Teddi M. Yep!
agree to this video alot,our time,concept,and creative process is of a great value
keifer simpson yep.
keifer simpson Also, one video comment asking people to look at your portfolio is enough...
Hey Roberto.. I really love ur videos.. I'm thinking abt becoming a graphic designer, but not sure how to go about it.. Is there any point in doing a bachelors in Graphic Design, when I can take some courses online and master Indesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator? Would a sound knowledge of these three softwares be enough?
I have a recent video that covers this in depth , the most important thing is to examine your motives, situation and the end game you have in mind.
Excellent video!!!
brcktnrwdsn Thanks! Any suggestions for future video topics?
As a fellow graphic designer...this is VERY inspiring! :)
AND empowering!
Awesome!
We once designed a logo and a business card for my sister for free. We even printed the cards for her at a friendly company for a discounted price. Next she comes to me and asks if we are interested in designing a logo for her boyfriend who is in the music industry. We said "fine but this time there will be a small fee of 80EUR for the time we spend doing it". She said in this case she would find somebody who could do it for free. And so she did go to that person and he did the design but in the end decided to charge her 300 euros. Now she regrets not paying us the 80 EUR :D But this taught us a lesson not to work for free because people will use and abuse you.
Estera Edu Always look at what your end game is and your end result is going to be and if you are going to do something for "free" it should take the minimum investment of your time and you should communicate that and let people decide if they are willing to invest what it takes to get a commitment from you.
You so right Roberto! 👏
So true, I recently had a client that liked my portfolio but would try and make every excuse in the world so could get it cheap. he would say I just don't know if you can give me exactly what I need. I was hurting business at the time so I went down to about $200 just to get the job and prove to him that I can shock the hell out him. but I guess now I realized he was just trying to get it cheap and he won. but he needed label designs so I charged him up the ass for that. Lol
You are absolutely correct!!!!!
try working as a server in a restaurant. You have no choice of whom you serve and they don't have to pay you at all if they don't want to.
awesome attack on Titan wallpaper!
Thats so true . I am 16 years old and i create some logos for my classmates for free because i know something more about adobe illustrator . (j learn graphic design , i am a beginner ) but if i have to live from graphic design i will absolutely not ...
I've done charity work for free, and when my fellow UA-cam friends that are very close, but clients are strictly business
Tiryyfic As it should be!
I also enjoy making Posters themed off my favorite bands or band members etc. But I want to show this video to someone I once knew. he's a UA-camr who apparently admired my work but he felt like just because he had 100,000 Subscribers that I would work for him for free with nothing in return. First off I charge UA-camrs extremely less than I'd charge an actual business or industry because I know the Budget Differs. He wanted a T-shirt Design and I was offering a good $35 for it. Not too shabby imo. But when he realized I was actually going to charge him, he decided to drop me completely. Not that I really care there are always other clients, but the fact he thought that I'd work for free just because his Subscriber count made me outraged. I'm going to show him this video
Tiryyfic Also he was likely going to be selling that Tshirt in his online store that is not exactly fair... if he was going to guarantee you a shout out and feature you or bring you in a hangout on air and drive traffic for you, that would have been different. But to expect you to do that for free and not even offer you promotion is disrespectful to your time and craft.
He offered to buy me a shirt and make a thank you tweet of it on Twitter. Not worth my time in my opinion
Speaking of stock options, I wish I were both old and wise enough in the late 90's to invest in or make my parents invest in Apple. They were trading at like $6 a share. The $150million Microsoft invested back then would be worth like $23billion now. If not more. But for some reason they got out in 2003 just when Apple were starting to really take off with the iPod. Good to see Microsoft miss boats even during their prime haha.
TalesOfWar all I can say is....ouch.
This was hilarious :)
and educational
Gussy .D I try to keep things fun and informative if possible! Design is too interesting to ruin with being boring and monotone.
Gussy .D glad you enjoyed it!
Facts Only!
Supreme Vandals lol
I been watching your videos for awhile now and this particular video reminded me on how I was duped into remaking a logo. Let me try keep it short. A person that I went to school with crossed paths with me at the movies. He asked me to design a logo for him for his Radio segment. At this time, I was still in school and I was known as"the girl who designs". I agreed to discuss this further and was told I were to get paid. Mind you, I'm still in school and I saw this as an opportunity to build my portfolio. I went ahead and made the design. I presented him with the finished logo (watermarked of course) he asked me what I'd charge for my work and I said +/100 euros. He didn't pay me. I didn't give him the logo. And I was told that I was too expensive and I should have done this for free because we went to school together. I don't know the person on a daily or personal level. We just shared halls at school. What's your take on this?
May I add to this video for those of you who think designing an "at-a-glance" logo like twitter or Nike? The logo may have only cost $15-20, or whatever the in house designer charged. BUT.....how much money was in vested in marketing that brand logo to where you recognize the company at a glance? I rest my case. If you know anything about marketing, then you know a LOT of cash was paid for public recognition.
Can someone make me a logo