A few weeks ago I was forced with a decision that I wished I would never have to make. I was forced to distance myself from clients that I have had for nearly SEVEN years. It had been hard to do but let me explain.
Several years ago I started submitting work to an organization on a monthly basis, it was near and dear to me and I was pleased to do my part. They had offered to pay me and I accepted it for the first year but, by the next year, thought that it was almost my duty to submit my cartoon work and NOT charge for it because it is what I call, “a God-given talent.”
My mentor at the time was furious with me. We had several meetings and at one point even my wife got into the conversation to try to persuade me. “You should charge for your work, if not for the work, then for the experiences that brought you to this point to be able to do the work!” It was all to no avail, I had made up my mind and that was that, I believed that because I knew the organization’s core principles, it was not necessary for me to make a contract with the group because I believed them to be morally upright and that if something was to go wrong or be changed, they would communicate that to me.
This went on for several years, I met deadlines on everything and my work was printed and nothing needed to change. I was proud of the ethics that I shared with the group and thought it was something that would never change.
Then, the man who had brokered the deal, my mentor, passed away.
Everything went well for a couple of months, I met deadlines, took requests and stayed true to my end of the deal but, I started to notice the publication that had my cartoon work in it wasn’t showing up in my mailbox. 1..2..3 months went by that I had submitted work to this group and saw nothing in return, even though they took my work in email form and confirmed that it was acceptable.
A month after that, I found out that there was a discrepancy on the printer’s side and no publications had gone out. To continue to take work from an artist (me) knowing that these items were not going to be used even though I was continuing to invest my time with the understanding that this was a way for me to still give to this organization since my time was scarce, I have to tell you I was very hurt. I saw this as a clear disregard for my work, my time and my respect.
I recently received an email from the group asking if I had anything I wanted to give them since their printing was back up and running now …
… no, I don’t think so. You are not going to take my work, disregard my time and investment and not even communicate with me. I am going to focus on those who want my work. I do wish you the best of luck, but this is not how things started and if this is the way that things will continue, I don’t want to be part of it. I know that I am nobody special but, this is not the way a deal is held up. You have managed to take something special, that has been in place for years … and cheapen it.
My mentor would be ashamed of you.
Now, how do we turn this around for something good? Easy. Sometimes things change, life changes, situations change. We must learn to roll with the punches. I am saddened with the lack of decorum from this group but, as I have said before, “not everybody is going to like my work.” There is no greater testament to it than the above situation and that is their choice. I will respect this and wish them well.
You will find people that will say one thing to your face and another behind your back, you will find those that misjudge you and think of you only in a certain light. You’ll even find those that will disrespect you, sometimes they may not even be aware of it. What is important is how YOU react to it. Will you let it slow you down? Will you let it derail you from being a better you, or will you grab a broom, brush it to side and make room for something or someone else that WILL find you important …
… after you clean house?
Go turn your day around!
Beautifully said!