Doing Business with Friends and the Cost of Creativity

As the New Year begins, I admit I’m still in a bit of a reflective mood.  Here are some brilliant insights in this post from Speak Up:

Art and commerce have an uneasy balance in all of our lives. Costs and figures and negotiating have a way of blurring the focus we should have towards the work. It is why pro bono work can be so fun. It is why creative directors have so many other things to do during their day besides create.

The stresses. The paperwork. The bad dogs, sick kids, missed busses and fights with our significant other can all factor into a job. Every job brings with it a new set of challenges. Some of which will not come from the work.

Just like there is a cost of doing business, there is a cost of creating. I am still learning how to put a price on that.