The Minimum-Wage Portfolio Trap

1 min read

Six days of wage work to afford one free shoot is backward. Here is the fix.

The trap

Working six days a week at minimum wage just to buy free time for unpaid portfolio work.

Why it is backward

The wage job pays for the portfolio, and the portfolio pays nothing back. Both drain the same hours.

Portfolios are for selling

A portfolio is a sales tool. If no one sees it who can hire you, it is a scrapbook.

Price it

Charge something for portfolio work, even a small fee. Paid clients take the work seriously, and so will you.

Shoot for a buyer

Before a shoot, name who would pay for that kind of image. Then show it to them.

RelatedLA Promoter Math: Bring Five or Pay

Track it

Count which portfolio pieces led to paid jobs. Make more of those.

Anthony’s rule

Price your portfolio work so it pays for itself. Your time is the one resource you cannot get back.

Sources

• Anthony Perlas, field account from LA nightlife (his experience, not a survey).

Part of Is There Room for You? The Heaven Room series.

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Anthony Perlas · nightlifereport.app

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