After wrapping up a wedding this morning with two extraordinary talented freelance artists, Anjelica Bannos on makeup and Gigi Conrad on hair, I thought to myself, “Wow, I know some effing amazing people.”
Despite the over all consensus brought to you by non-freelancers everywhere, we don’t set our own hours. If that was the case I promise you we wouldn’t work Sundays, Holidays, Saturday mornings, Saturday nights or weekdays after 6pm. Now don’t get me wrong, I would never go back to a 9-5er, but I just want to set the record straight that we work when work calls or we don’t make money. Every successful freelancer I know is driven, motivated, intelligent, disciplined and talented. We are all our own CEOs, accountants, marketers, social media strategists, networkers, secretaries, on-site workers, sales reps, inventory checkers… you get the point. We might be to blame for it as well, but we are never “off the clock” and we don’t get to leave work at work. We are all on our own path to find the perfect balance of work, life, friendships and family.
After finishing the wedding today, Anjelica and I waited for the valet to bring our cars around. (We waited about 45 minutes, but whos counting!) It really was a blessing in disguise though, because we were able to catch up on each others lives for a little. See, we (us freelancers) live in a little world filled with other self-employed peers who find their own little way to succeed in a huge city like Chicago. My personal journey has brought me in contact with some of the best people I’ve ever met. It dawned on me today, more than ever, that I just love my little bubble of artists I’ve been lucky enough to work along side. I’ve never once felt alone in the field, or that I didn’t have anyone to understand how much energy is exuded during a consultation, or how awesome it is to carry 90,000 bags plus a chair and a light up 4 flights of stairs or what exactly it is I do everyday or how one fly-away on a green screen can literally ruin your life.
I love knowing that although I don’t technically have any co-workers, I know a fairly large group of ladies who always show up when they say they will, always have my back, and who I generally just cannot wait to see at 7am on Saturday’s. (Seriously though!) In this field, it is really easy to be judgmental or intimated by someone else’s success, envious of someone’s life changes or god given talent. Somehow I’ve crossed paths with artists who are just genuine, good people who realize work is work and being real is so much more important. I personally know my success would be non-existent without the referrals, support and inspiration I get from those artist around me. So thank you to all you rock stars! I love you dearly and you are amazing!