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My first client at the Portland coffee shop offered me $50 for a full website and I just walked away.
He laughed and said 'beginners should be happy to get any work,' but that moment taught me to never let someone else set my worth before I even start.
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karen_hill36mo ago
Walking away from fifty bucks seems a bit dramatic for a first gig. Everyone starts somewhere, and that offer might have been a foot in the door. Getting paid anything at all when you have zero experience is a win, not an insult. Maybe the lesson is to build a portfolio first before worrying about your "worth.
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kevinw946mo ago
Ever consider what that foot in the door actually costs?
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emma_lee226mo ago
My first long haul run paid eighteen cents a mile. Karen_hill3 has a point about starting somewhere, but that foot in the door can slam shut on your fingers. Working for almost nothing teaches people they can always pay you almost nothing. I took that bad rate once and it took me two years to get clients who respected my time. A fifty dollar gig for real work just sets a low bar for everyone trying to make a living.
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