Why I give away my best ideas for free (and you should too)

Hey there. Happy Saturday! Today, I want to share some thoughts on building business as creatives.

A couple of months ago, I saw a designer publicly call out a company for "stealing" her ideas during an interview. She was frustrated—and rightfully so. The project was closely tied to the company's roadmap, and after multiple rounds, she got a rejection with no explanation. She felt used. So she took it to social media, naming the company and warning others to steer clear.

I couldn't stop thinking about it—not because I disagreed, but because if I applied that same lens to my own experience, I would've quit by now.

What happened to me might even sound worse. I once spent an entire week analyzing a product, only to find out the founder had no funding. I've audited product flows, tested experiences, given design ideas... and never even got a follow-up email. I've crafted full hero section options—beautiful, strategic, tailored—and heard, "We're not ready for design yet."

If I measured my ROI based on short-term gain, I'd be burning out fast.

The mental shift that changes everything

But I'm not chasing a job—I'm building momentum.

This is the mental shift I've had to make. Unlike a full-time job search, where landing the offer means rest and reset, running a business means I'm "interviewing" every single week. Some days it feels like rejection after rejection. But other days, I realize how far I've come because of those very interactions.

Here's what keeps me going:

Every product I touch sharpens my eye. I've now seen so many user flows, conversion strategies, and design patterns, it's like getting a mini MBA in product design—week by week.

My ideas still bring value. Even if the founder doesn't hire me, my feedback helps them move forward. That builds goodwill—and sometimes, it brings them back later.

It's not about winning every deal. It's about building reputation, relationships, and range. The seeds I plant today might take months to grow—but they do grow.

The long game pays off

If you're building a business—especially in design—you have to get used to showing up without guarantees. Your best ideas might go unpaid. Your time might not feel valued. But if you play the long game, those early efforts compound into trust, referrals, and clarity.

The work that feels "free" today becomes the foundation for the business you'll have tomorrow. Every rejected proposal teaches you something. Every unpaid consultation builds your reputation. Every "we're not ready yet" conversation plants a seed for future opportunity.

Shifting from scarcity to abundance

The biggest transformation happened when I stopped seeing every "no" as a loss and started seeing it as data. This mindset shift is everything.

Scarcity thinking says: "I gave away my best ideas for free. Now they'll use them without paying me." It assumes there's a finite amount of work, creativity, and opportunity out there. It makes you hoard your knowledge and approach every interaction with suspicion.

Abundance thinking says: "I have more good ideas where those came from. The right clients will recognize my value." It assumes that by sharing generously, you attract the people who want to invest in that level of thinking.

When you operate from abundance, you realize that your best ideas aren't diminished by sharing them—they're multiplied. The founder who "takes" your free audit and doesn't hire you? They're probably not your ideal client anyway. The one who sees the value in your strategic thinking and wants more of it? That's your person.

The compound effect of generous expertise

Here's what I've learned about giving away your best work: it doesn't make you less valuable—it makes you more valuable to the right people.

When you consistently demonstrate high-level thinking, a few things happen. You become known for a particular kind of insight. People start referring others to you, not just for your execution, but for your strategic perspective. And perhaps most importantly, you develop the confidence that comes from knowing you can create value anywhere, anytime.

I've had founders come back to me six months later, saying "Remember that audit you did? We implemented everything, and it changed our conversion rate. We're ready to work together now." I've had people refer me to their networks specifically because they experienced my thinking firsthand—even if they didn't hire me.

That's the abundance mindset in action. There's enough good work to go around. There are enough clients who value strategic thinking. There are enough opportunities for everyone who shows up consistently with generosity and expertise.

The question isn't whether you can afford to give away your best ideas. The question is whether you can afford not to.

Have you found a way to stay motivated when the work doesn't pay off right away? I'd love to hear your thoughts—hit reply and let me know.

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