FREELY: An Anti-Capitalist Guide To Pricing Your Work

FREELY: An Anti-Capitalist Guide To Pricing Your Work is a three-part webinar series that covers both the theory and practice of how to be in business in an anti-capitalist way. We look at internalized capitalist notions that we must unearth and undo, the ways those frequently show up in our businesses, and the visionary strategies that we might employ instead.

Capitalism sucks. Let’s start there.

It’s making life harder for most people regardless of if you work a traditional 9-5 or if you’re a millennial freelancer. Being forced to trade your singular, precious life-hours in exchange for a wage is, in itself, a form of oppression, not to mention the many intersecting layers of marginalization many of us endure.

Lots of us have opted out of cubicle life in pursuit of something just a bit freer, with more flexibility and autonomy, albeit with less security and wayyyyy fewer of the bells and whistles that make more normative careers so seductive.

But somehow we’re still stuck in the same traps as before—never enough time, still not enough money. Our dreams about escaping the capitalist machine evaporate quickly for most self-employed folks. Online business “experts” and law-of-attraction honchos peddle all the same tricks as their corporate counterparts.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s a way to do business that doesn’t require replicating the same oppressive structures you were trying to escape in the first place.

“Bear's practical approach was game-changing…their work has changed my professional life.”

-Emily Ballard

My name is Bear Hebert, and I’ve been in business since 2010. Over the last decade, I’ve run into these same walls over and over again. I’ve asked myself these same questions: How do I make a living and still do right in the world? I developed this course out of years of my own experience and experiments in doing business differently. I made this for you because I want to give you hope--things can be different! AND I want to give you skills—here’s how!

You should know: All my work happens in an anti-oppressions framework. I recognize that capitalism is rooted in an interlocking system of white supremacy, patriarchy, ableism (and more). I’m actively looking at the intersections of power and privilege in the world and in myself and I’ll ask you to do the same. Yes, the irony of me charging money to teach “anti-capitalist” business practices isn’t lost on me. I’ll talk honestly about my own business practices and how I make sense of it all in the webinar as well. Because yes, I want to help people, and yes, I also want to get paid.

I believe in a future in which money is no longer a barrier to survival, in which we all have equal access to joy and beauty and ease, regardless of our financial status. I believe in that world deeply, and I’m working every day to help get us there. But before that visionary new world exists, we have to survive the current, flawed, oppressive, dangerous world of right now. In the meantime, we deserve to thrive. I believe we can mitigate the harm we cause along the way.

“TOOK THIS COURSE AND IT’S BEEN LIFE-CHANGING.”

-Linda Tucker

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“Brilliant anti-capitalist work!”

-Danny Brave

FREELY, Part One: How To Set Your Rates

Hint: It has nothing to do with “charging what you’re worth.”

What should you charge for your services? How much can you charge and still consider yourself fair and equitable?

These are ever-present questions for most entrepreneurs who care about justice. You know you’re here to help and serve your clients, so how do you do that in way they can afford that still lets you pay the bills? How do you “charge what you’re worth” but still keep your work financially accessible? These questions aren’t fun, and they make most of us pretty squirmy.

In this 90-minute webinar, I teach a clear framework for understanding why “charging what you’re worth” doesn’t work, and offer a direct formula for how to price your work instead. The framework and formula will alleviate doubt about what you’re charging, and make conversations with clients (and potential clients!) about what you charge infinitely easier.

FREELY, Part Two: How To Make Your Work Financially Accessible

Enact alternative financial models without going broke.

Is it possible to keep your work financially accessible without going broke? It is.

Are there anti-capitalist practices for selling your services that don’t require you to suffer along the way? There are. Can you make sure those who need your services can actually afford them but still manage to pay your bills? You can. This 90-minute webinar digs into a myriad of models for keeping your work financially accessible. (Going broke isn’t one of them!)

We cover best practices for how to use sliding scale, barter, scholarships, payment plans and many other approaches. We’ll look at what keeps alternative pricing models from succeeding, strategies for overcoming those barriers, and why we keep replicating capitalist practices inside our businesses despite our best intentions.

FREELY, Part Three: How To Be Financially Secure

It has less to do with dollars than you think.

Making more money doesn’t guarantee relief from money anxiety. Contrary to popular belief, even hyper-wealthy people worry about their financial stability. Law of Attraction philosophies tell us that if we just had an “abundance mindset” that our money woes would disappear, but an anti-capitalist analysis sees straight through that kind of classist, victim-blaming malarkey. 

If making more money is not the answer, and neither is “manifesting wealth,” are we doomed to worry about money forever? Is it possible for self-employed people to find financial stability without selling our souls to the six-figure capitalist machine?

This 90 minute webinar digs into the problems with standard “money mindset” advice and offers solutions that are oriented around justice and liberation. We’ll talk about how to internalize a sense of enough-ness without spiritual bypassing. Together, we’ll radically re-imagine what abundance and stability can look like. This class gives practical action steps for implementing real change in your daily life so you can get on with living, without always worrying about making a living.

“Powerful, important work. It’s a game-changer.”

-Eadaoin Curtin

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“This Beautiful webinar...was amazing!”

-Toi Smith

Solidarity Discounts

Solidarity rates are available for marginalized people with financial need. I offer solidarity discounts not because I don’t need the money (I DO!) but as a commitment to anti-capitalist practices in my business.

For my own financial well-being, I need most of the people who sign up for my classes to pay the full rate. 

Solidarity discounts are not intended for people with class-based privilege, even if you’re in a moment of financial discomfort.

In addition to your current financial situation, I ask that you consider identity-based privilege, relative earning potential, and access to financial support from your family/network. If you have people in your life who could give or lend you the money to pay for this course, please utilize that network rather than the discount codes. Paying the standard rate if you’re able allows me to offer discounts to others. 

If you are marginalized and the full cost of this course prohibits your participation, the solidarity discounts are for you.

My commitments:

I don’t put a limit on the number of discounted spots for open-enrollment classes.

I trust my students to accurately self-assess their financial need.

There are no major hoops to jump through to access the discounts.

I’m grateful for all my students, regardless of what they pay.

My requests:

Please use the discounts only if you truly need them.

Please do not use the solidarity discounts because of preference to pay a lower cost or a fear of future scarcity. If you have people in your life who could give or lend you the money to pay for this course, please utilize that network.

Please make your assessments based on facts, not feelings.

How to actually use the discount:

Use discount code SOLIDARITY50 to pay half, or use discount code SOLIDARITY100 to access the course for free, as needed. 

Discounts are on an honor system in good faith with no application process. During checkout, you’ll be asked to share one sentence about why you qualify for a discount. I ask this to make sure the program is working as intended. There are no other hoops to jump through.

If you want to pay a different amount than $25 or $0, feel free to use my Tip Jar to chip in what you like: bearcoaches.com/contribute.

THE FINE PRINT: The FREELY webinars happened live in the summer of 2019. Your purchase is for the recordings of three 90-minute webinars, which live in an online course hub with a few bonus resources. When you purchase, you’ll get an email with instructions for accessing the course hub. No refunds or exchanges for any reason.

ACCESSIBILITY: Audio transcriptions and downloadable audio files are included automatically with every purchase.

“Thanks for illuminating a better way!”

-Jaclyn Hubersberger

“HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!”

-Melinda Alexander