My Epic Lupus Awareness Month In pictures

As many of you know, this year I decided to do more than put on purple for Lupus Awareness month in honor of my mom who passed from the disease. To save time/space, click here to read my story on my mom and lupus.

On May 3rd, I woke up and looked up lupus related events for Chicago, I figured I may as well get active in the lupus community. I tried to get active years back, but the timing wasn't right and many opportunities didn't come through on behalf of the two main lupus foundations in Chicago. I saw there was a walk scheduled for the 31st of the month and I checked my calendar to make sure I'd be in town. I set up my walk page, kinda typed through a few tears as I filled out the "Why I am walking" section of the team page. I designed a couple of quick graphics to help promote the walk and my quest to raise funds. I set my goal rather low, as I've never been a fundraiser- I set it at $500. By the time I went to bed, I had about $375 donated toward my walk.

That next morning, I get a couple of back to back phone calls from numbers I don't know, and sent them to voicemail. I check the phone and it's Joan Pendleton, Senior Walk Manager of the Lupus Foundation of America. I gave her a call back and she spoke about how touching my story was and how quickly I raised funds in a very short period of time, which was about 4-5 hours. As we talked, I told her I really wanted to do more than walk and raise funds. I felt I owed to my mother as well as my cousin and friends who are battling lupus each day. We set up a meeting for the following week to discuss the inaugural Chicago walk and beyond.

The rest is in the photos below...

"Show me who your friends are and I'll show you who you are"

That's the first quote to come to mind when I got home from the walk. I have dope friends who are supportive, thoughtful, reliable, and giving. This wasn't about raising money, recognition, etc. It was about my friends supporting me in honoring my mother's memory by doing something for someone else.

The goal of all of this was, to do as much as I could, with what I had, when I could- for someone else. My mother may be gone, but my hope isn't gone for a cure or a continued quality of life for others. 

I've only received one other award in my life, and receiving this lupus warrior medal- as insignificant as it may seem to others, means a lot to me. I'm sure my mother is proud of me, it's the least I could do.

I'm not done, the walk was just the beginning. Lupus awareness is lacking in our communities, and I'm committed. I don't care if you get sick of seeing my face, the word lupus, nor the color purple... The cause speeds on.

THANK YOU!

For mom, and everyone else in the battle against lupus.

For mom, and everyone else in the battle against lupus.

The side effects of doing free work.

This post is in reference to an article by Allen Murabayashi, The Consequences of Working for Free.

 

Artists are frequently promised exposure and future paid work for giving their creations for free…Promises are for tomorrow and tomorrow never comes.

Thanks for sharing this Keisha Jordan. I have many enterprising friends who may not know their worth and I hope this helps them.

Something I learned 13 years ago as Assistant Property Manager for Village Green Apartments in Ann Arbor, MI, was "any price is too high without perceived value". This was shown to me while leasing $1,200+/month apartments in a college town with $600 rents as the average, and we stayed at 90-95% occupancy on the regular basis.

Folks are willing to pay for what they value. That's been my leading thought since I learned that back in 2001 and also within my business. My time + my experience + my education + my tools = worth paying for. 

That window of free work should be planned. "I'm going to build my portfolio and do free work for the next 6 months", then cut it off and charge. Someone is always willing to pay for your skill be it on the beginner or expert level. "Future work" never comes and "building your portfolio" doesn't pay the bills.

I've been in this game for a long time, I still do free work from time to time, based on the trade off. I have to get something out of the deal, be it an in-kind advertising trade off or personal satisfaction, but that's my call.

If your boss asked you to do free work off the clock, would you? Same thing.

Final thoughts on doing free or low ball work:

  • You can never raise the price (get market rate) on your consumer once you've spoiled them. They're going to expect that same price or low ball, or go to someone else.
  • Never be afraid to turn down business because you have a bill due, I get it, I've been there. Self-respect matters, and low balling leads back to point #1.
  • Keep stepping your game up to be able to command market rate, or higher if you have a specific niche you're filling or specific expertise.

I've failed MANY times and got burned MANY times. Listen to folks, you don't need to recreate the wheel.

Be dope. Create. Get Paid. Respect the Brand. ‪#‎kevindavisbrand‬

 

When someone works for free it decreases what services are considered to be worth and, therefore, decreases what professionals can charge.