Getting Paid to Learn

Video editing, working with CMS tools, copywriting, mograph, audio production, generative AI, art direction. A non-exhaustive range of creative skills that I’ve picked up in varying degrees by saying yes (when it would have felt more comfortable to say no).

Over a decade ago, I worked as an in-house designer at a university. My marketing director at the time was raving about WordPress. I had no experience with web design but was forever intrigued with creativity on the web. Eager to learn, but not knowing where to start, I had to ask: “what is WordPress?” “This thing runs our website?” I was given the first step in a beginner’s guide to starting web design. The two of us talked shop for a bit, I was shown where to find WordPress, and I was lucky enough to have all of my eager questions answered. Afterwards, I took advantage of any free time and started to explore.

Coincidentally, or perhaps a sign, that same month a freelance client approached and asked me if I could help them build a website. “Yes.” I knew I could use WordPress to do exactly what they were looking for. I had the eye, I was tech savvy, and I was already venturing down a rabbit hole of WordPress learning.

This wasn’t impossible—I knew I could pull it off and provide?value.

There were headaches, confusions, worries, and mulligans. But, ultimately, it all worked out and I was paid to learn WordPress. The pressure of a paying client meant that I couldn’t back down or walk away. I had to stick to my process and deliver something. And, so I did. The result was a happy client who returned for basic web work whenever needed.

This story does come with a few disclaimers. I wouldn’t have said yes in this case if I hadn’t already been curiously playing with WordPress in most of my personal time. I wouldn’t have said yes if the website they wanted was anything extravagant or advanced. I wouldn’t have said yes if I wasn’t 100% confident that this was something I could deliver on.

A good analogy for when to say yes: imagine you routinely lift weights. Every once in a while, you’re ready to increase the weight of your dumbbells. By knowing your current limits and understanding your potential, you’ll know if adding five or ten pounds sounds like a safe “yes” or not. It goes without saying, you’d never say yes to adding 100 pounds to your usual weight in a single, determined jump. Apply this thinking to your creative work. Say yes only when you know you have it in you. When it won’t leave you (or your career) injured.

Warm up.

If you take on professional projects for completely cold skills?—?skills you’ve yet to explore or work on?—?you’ll only set yourself up for?failure.

There’s a fine line between translating pre-existing expertise into another creative language versus being a fraud.

To illustrate this fine line, you’re a graphic designer and you said yes to designing a vehicle wrap for a client’s business. You’ve made a bunch of assets for this client already—you know their brand. The wrap itself can be designed in Adobe, software you’re already very comfortable with. Have you designed a vehicle wrap before? No. But, you’re confident you can figure it out and adhere to any of the limitations or special requirements explained by the printer. This isn’t a “cold skill.” Get paid to learn!

Now, instead, you’re a traditional illustrator who generally stays away from digital mediums. Are you able to illustrate everything on that same vehicle wrap? Of course! And those illustrations will look great. But, you also said yes to providing the final print-ready file. You’ve never used Adobe. You’re in a position where you have to completely learn how to layout this thing having never booted the software before. You shouldn’t have said yes.

Mistakes are inevitable.

In any creative journey, you’re going to misstep at least a few times. These missteps will multiply when you aren’t well-versed with the process at hand. That’s okay, and that’s expected. What’s important is you’re nimble enough to pivot and find solutions. When I made my client debut on WordPress, there were times when things didn’t go my way. In fact, I spent almost half my time undoing versus doing. Prepare accordingly and be generous with how much time you give yourself on these sorts of projects. If the turnaround is too quick, don’t say yes.

These projects won’t always work?out.

A big consideration for taking these leaps is the uncertainty of there being somewhere soft to land on the other side. If you’re a freelancer, you should imagine the worst case scenario and how your client may react. Will a failure to check off this project cost you the client? If you’re not a freelancer, will a non-delivery result in unemployment? If the risk is too high and the ground is unstable, say no.

A must in these scenarios is to set and maintain expectations. “I’d love to help out on this project, I’m not well-versed in this area but it is something I want to learn more about.” A warning like this, followed by a rate reduction if you’re freelancing, can help to lay down some padding over what would have been a concrete landing zone.

Warnings aside, this diving-into-the-deep-end method of learning is owed to a lot of my current skills. For those who struggle with the long-term commitment of honing a skill, this is one way to progress. My first WordPress website led to saying yes to more WordPress websites. Eventually, all of that experience led to me saying yes to learn other CMS tools. Saying yes to those CMS tools led to me saying yes to conversion rate optimization tools. And then personalization tools. And then, and then. The list is still being written on that particular branch of learning.

While it may be a hectic approach to a new skill, it’s oftentimes a faster learning environment. This is also a great way to build confidence and expose yourself to creating while under pressure.

You’d be surprised by your own capabilities.

With a little confidence and a lot of determination, you can attack projects that punch back. Just remember to think realistically before saying yes. Make room for mistakes, and consider what happens if things don’t work out as (un)planned. Don’t shy away from these opportunities?—?even if you’ve been bitten by saying yes before.

One of the most important parts of being a creative is having a willingness to?learn.

What better way to learn than by accelerating your lessons under pressure and getting paid to do so?

One thing all of my creative chapters have in common? They’ve always begun with a big, ambitious “yes.”

If you liked this read, you’ll like my newsletter. Give it a shot to read creative blurbs like this just more personal and, well, blurbier. Plus, I’ll let you know when I publish my next article. And feel free to reach out if there are any specific creative affairs you’d like me to attempt to unpack.

Stay curious,

Kenzie.