Hi friend 👋

It’s still my birthday month, so I’m allowed to keep talking about it 😂

Just before my birthday, I had my first proper birth chart reading.

I’ve spoken to psychics before, but this was new for me. And look, I’m naturally skeptical, but I do find it fascinating.

She started talking about how much I need to be cozy, with a blanket and the lights off. Which is funny because I literally travel with a blanket. There’s not a lot of room when you live out of luggage, but I make room for that.

And ask Patrick what I complain about more than anything. Why did you turn the lights on after 6 p.m.?

So when she’s telling me all this, I’m sitting there thinking, okay, yes, this is very accurate.

We also talked about slowing down, which was a little harder. I told her I was making a lot of decisions about things I hadn’t done before. I like that challenge. I just need to figure out how to balance it better.

And I know “say no to more work” isn’t especially helpful when you’re already doing that. Some of the offers are really good! You like the brand, the money’s good, and you’re trying to figure out how to fit it in.

Before you start moving things around, though, I’d want to see what you’re agreeing to do for that money.

When I look through a creator’s past deals, a bigger payment obviously gets my attention.

But then I usually want to pull up the contract and see what it really was.

What did you do for it?

Two offers can both include a video and still be very different jobs.

For one, you’re demonstrating a product you already use. For the other, you need to learn the product, build a custom workflow, test it and then film it. We haven’t even got to the editing yet.

That extra work might be exactly what you enjoy. Great. I’d want the brand to know that’s part of what they’re buying, and I’d want you paid for it.

Same with speaking. Giving a talk you’ve already developed is different from creating a new workshop. And an hour on stage can come with travel days, prep calls and content you owe afterward.

Before you agree, ask for the full list, including the meetings, revisions and any work expected before or after the event. Also check what they want to do with the content and whether you’re agreeing not to work with other brands. Those are part of the offer too.

You don’t need two offers in your inbox. Your last good campaign gives us something to compare with.

For each one, write down:

That first number isn’t all take-home pay. It still has to contribute to your regular business costs and taxes. But it lets you compare what each campaign leaves in the business.

Say the bigger offer includes an event, while the smaller one is a video you can film at home. If the extra travel and production costs are more than the increase in the fee, you’re keeping less money.

And if you are keeping more, how much more of your time does it take?

I’m not telling you to charge by the hour. I want you to know whether the extra money is worth the extra work to you. Especially if taking it means turning down other paid work or delaying something you’ve been trying to launch.

Ask your editor or assistant what they’d need to take it on too. Don’t assume they have room just because you do.

Start with the part that makes it hard to say yes.

If it’s the cost of traveling, ask for travel to be covered separately.

If it’s the preparation, quote for creating the workshop as well as delivering it. If they need everything next week, check whether the date can move.

And did they actually say the budget can’t change, or was that just the first number they gave you?

If it really is fixed, offer the work you can do well for that fee. For example:

“I’d love to do this. For [fee], I can deliver my existing workshop. Developing a new session and adding the recap video would be [fee], with travel covered separately. Which version would work better for your plans?”

You’re giving them a choice, rather than agreeing to the whole thing and hoping you can make it work.

There are times I’d still consider the more demanding deal because of where it could lead. But I’d want more than “there might be future work.” Have you talked about a longer partnership? Does the brand have plans and budget for it? Is this getting you into a room you already wanted to be in?

I wouldn’t use a possible renewal to cover a gap you can’t afford now. And if you decide to make an exception on price, show your usual fee and explain what you’re agreeing to for this project. Your contact needs to know what to budget for next time.

Before you reply, write down what would make this worth doing. A different fee, a smaller job, more time to deliver it? That’s what I’d take back to the brand.

Talk soon,

Tara

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