Stop Asking People for Free Work

Seriously, just stop. (Image description: a woman with dark, curly hair holds her open hand in front of her face.) Photo by Isaiah Rustad on Unsplash

A few months ago, an old friend reached out. A former colleague of hers was looking for some help getting his organization’s name out in the wider world. Was I interested in speaking with him?

I was, and she connected us, and after a lengthy phone call with this person and his colleagues, I sent a comprehensive proposal that explained my approach to strategic organizational storytelling. One of the steps…