As a rule of thumb, when starting a new business venture of any kind, we should be prepared for the inevitable “working for free for a while in the beginning” : the time to create a name for ourselves, to improve and perfect our product or service, to start earning a reputation within the market, etc. For example, in coaching, the model of 3-3-3 is a relevant one:
But where exactly is the line when we are supposed to stop offering our services for free, especially when it is in our nature to help people? How do we judge our value when competing in a market where no one wants to feel like they are consistently ‘sold to’? When we have the tendency to put people first, is pro bono helping “us” (the provider) or helping them ’the customer’?
Listen to the arguments from an entrepreneur’s working with entrepreneurs point of view.
