Foreword

You’re reading an excerpt from Art For Money, by Michael Ardelean. This small but powerful book helps every creative freelancer know their value and scale their business. Purchase the book to support the author and the ad-free Holloway reading experience. You get instant digital access, commentary and future updates, and a high-quality PDF download.

I first met Mike a couple years ago at a coffee shop in LA, when my husband and I sat down for a cortado with him and his wife. Mike, a former Pro BMX colleague of my husband’s, struck me as the quiet type—pensive with a propensity for listening. His remarks were measured. When he spoke, we listened. It wasn’t just what he said that intrigued me, it was the affirmation in which he said it.

Over time, our mutual affinities and beliefs sparked a series of conversations.

We connected through social media and discussed creative ideas, future business goals, and matters orbiting life itself. Mike would present his opinions with the tenacious confidence of someone who had experienced many facets of business, and learned diligently from them. I’d gravitate towards his words, then I’d walk away with a perspective that would soon become my own.

As a Creative Director, agency founder, and influencer, I was wading through the murky waters of freelance contracts and expectations. To put it simply: I was having a difficult time pricing my worth, creating healthy relationships, and establishing a business structure that supported me.

I reached out to Mike for help, knowing he’d built several ventures across multiple creative mediums, and he said “hold tight.” Then he sent over the book you’re about to read.

After that, my income tripled. My self-worth skyrocketed. And my clients respected my role as a creative with the same fervor that I poured into my craft.

This book became my North Star.

So, to the other creatives who look to the stars, to the writer, the graphic designer, agency owner, software builder, entrepreneur, painter, musician, storyboarder—Mike wrote this book for you.

In the pages that follow, he shows you how to respect your business with the same passion you use to create; to build boundaries that set the framework for mutually beneficial relationships; to organize your business structure for profitability; to ensure every client respects your time.

He shows you how to make your art and get your money.

As creative entrepreneurs, we don’t create to make money. We nurture our art because there is simply nothing else we’d ever do. Period. Through Mike’s storied experiences and successes, he reshapes the narrative of the Freelancer, putting us in the driver’s seat.

Instead of a 300-page manifesto on how to dominate the freelance market, he breaks down certain phenomena at the human level, addressing the psyche on both sides (client and freelancer) and presenting his information in under 80 pages of no-bullshit action items.

Through this short and entertaining lecture, I found my moral compass in the Wild West of freelance business. This book offered me perspective by answering questions like:

What do I need from my clients? What do they need from me? Where are those needs misaligned and how do I, in a professional manner, ensure they run parallel prior to diving into a project I haven’t yet been paid for?

At the end of the day, this guide isn’t just a commentary; it’s a toolkit that helps you actualize the solutions Mike presents. One that’s applicable to creatives and freelancers alike.

So, if you’re ready to reclaim agency of your craft and start making more money (and sleeping eight hours a night), then it’s time to turn the page.