I’m a big fan of work/trade. It makes me feel like I am sticking it to the man AND waving a middle finger at capitalism at the same time.  I wish I could barter my necessities like rent and food, but unfortunately, I still have to charge folks in real dollar bills. 

Alas, work-trade is DEFINITELY something I recommend, especially if you are a conscious business owner who is just starting out and needs to build a clientele/reputation. Not only will it allow you to get comfier with your offerings in a no-pressure setting but you can also use the work you produce as a case study or as a testimonial. Plus, in my experience, those who agree to do a work trade are usually MUCH easier (and more fun) to work with. Who knew that removing money from the equation made everyone feel like long-lost friends?

Here are some of the things I’ve work traded in my life: 

• A magical reiki-infused massage

• 6-week empowerment coaching

• Festival pass

• German language lessons

In addition, I will be soon submitting a proposal to a surf retreat. In exchange for helping them get a website up and running, I’ll hopefully be able to attend the retreat in Mexico. How gnarly is that, brah?

Sounds great, but how do you make work/trade work for everyone involved? 

Well, the first step is to ASK for what you want. You never know until you ask. If you need help getting comfy with the art of asking, I highly recommend this book. 

Yea but how do I “get paid”?

I handle the work trade clients the same way I handle my normie clients except instead of making dollars, I’m making sense. In other words, my work/trade is typically 1 to 1. For as many hours as it takes me to do x, y, or z, I expect an equivalent amount of time spent on me. So if I spend 90 minutes on website updates for a masseuse, I expect a 90-minute rub down. I also make sure to create a proposal and handle the job as professionally as I would if I were being paid in Benjies. The last piece of advice I would add is to make sure you document everything in emails, so details don’t suddenly get fuzzy and agreements get broken.

That’s it, there isn’t really anything else to it. God speed and happy trading!!

Have you ever work/traded? What was your experience like? How did it differ from a “real” gig?