Don’t work for free. Create for free.

I really feel that most, if not all, of you have this slightly mixed up. And it is not entirely your fault. For over the last decade, you have been convinced that if you post on social media and “work for free,” one day someone, some brand, or some business will notice you and you will become rich. Or maybe just visible enough for people to think you are a celebrity. In exchange, you clock in day after day, multiple times a day, sometimes across several apps at once. 

Some of you even eat lunch live during your break at your digital, unpaid internship for apps worth billions. All of this is justified by hard work, consistency, and a lack of understanding that you have been training, and are still training, their systems in exchange for your privacy, your mental health, and your self-esteem. 

But hey, maybe you will go viral and everything will change, right?

Wrong. And by now, I am sure you know that. At least, I hope you do. If you do not, now you know. I would be a hypocrite if I said I never worked for free. I did. We all have. The moment I realized what was happening, over a decade ago, I stopped.

Did it impact my life? Of course. But in this overly saturated, overly hyped, trend following world, it actually made my transition easier when it came to creating for free instead of working for free.

So what does creating for free actually mean? For me, it means creating by any means necessary. Creating is my default. The moment anyone or anything outside of that asks or requires me to create, it becomes work. And we, as creatives, do not and should not work for free.

I could keep breaking this down, but today I am going to be blunt and say this. What is understood does not need to be discussed. If you want a full, in depth breakdown, consider joining me for a one on one creative direction session.

So in conclusion, do not work for free. Create for free. 2026 is the year you rebuild your house and become intentional about everything you put inside it and who you allow into your space.

You have five days left to shed the old skin.

Hope this helps,

-B