Unemployment works in mysterious ways. Since about Week 2 of Please Feed The Animals, not a day has gone by that someone hasn’t tilted their head like a confused puppy after learning of my disinterest in monetizing this space. Capitalizing on others’ misfortune feels wrong on many levels, but the most profound reason to keep it free is that I never want money for me getting in the way of people finding work. The second PFTA starts charging anyone to find each other, well, that’s a barrier. If imposing a fee prevents a hiring agency from finding an amazing media person on PFTA, who is that helping? No one, except maybe me. And I refuse to operate on that model.
With all of that said, it is also impossible for me to give PFTA the time it deserves without also earning a wage. This week alone, I have to meet with agencies to promote it, write press releases, try to get by-lines in trade pubs, organize and promote another online chat, keep up with the blog, develop a PFTA Facebook page, present final designs to the developers, write a business plan, go to New York for the PSFK conference, and stay on top of the dozens of other tasks that present themselves each day.
Note how not a single one of those things is billable to any client. As the sole breadwinner with three mouths to feed and no trust fund to tap, doing PFTA on the side without any income to rely on isn’t sustainable. Every second I spend on the phone about PFTA is a minute I’m not devoting to my freelance clients. Every moment I spend writing ads for freelance clients is time not spent on the PFTA launch.
This is all to say that I’m exploring ways to fund my full-time involvement in Please Feed The Animals. It may be that I turn it into a 501 (c)(3) and apply for grants. It may be that I develop a sophisticated pricing structure for banner space and help wanted ads. It could also be neither of those things or some combination of the two. But somehow, I need to support my family and avoid foreclosure in this effort, all while keeping PFTA free for talent and hiring companies to find each other.
What you won’t hear is the term “exit strategy.” I have no desire to sail away to the Cayman Islands with suitcases full of Monster.com’s money. The only reason I would shut down or sell PFTA is because ad talent stopped needing jobs. And somehow, I don’t think that moment is coming any time soon.
More news soon. Thanks for reading.
9 Comments
Erik: Let me know what I can do to help. I’ll lend you my producer chops to help you manage time, shift stuff from your plate.
Thanks Ted. I may take you up on that.
Much appreciated.
Erik,
I don’ think anyone would mind if you made a few bucks off this. The value you have already provided folks in this industry is beyond price.
Load this thing up with banner ads for porn, for all we care. The service is great. But remember it’s a service, not a charity.
You’re amazing.
I’m on the same side as Mike. Making a little money by posting some ads won’t keep people from coming back. It might also spark some interest if the unemployed could buy a banner for themselves. Even if their info is posted in the talent section, that extra cherry on top might get them hired.
I’m with Mike and Joel. Your ethical stance against “capitalizing on others’ misfortune” is admirable. Yet there’s absolutely nothing wrong with — and absolutely nobody will mind — a few unobtrusive banner ads.
Another option: following the sponsorship model used (created?) by John Gruber of Daring Fireball.
Your audience might not yet be as large as his, but it’s at least as if not more targeted. I’m not a media person, but I’d bet your prime advertiser is any of those buying space in Archive, CA, etc… or would if they could afford it.
I’m with Mike… load PFTA with banner ads!
Erik’s hard work, integrity and loyalty to his fellow colleagues should be rewarded.
Better yet… WAKE UP AGENCY CD’s… this blog is an outside the box idea started by a Creative who IS NOT a self-centered egotistical a-hole.
Hire this guy!
(Then hire the rest of us…)
I’m with everybody else.
If you’re going to spend your time helping everybody else, why shouldn’t you be able to put food on the table for yourself? It doesn’t mean you’re greedy. You’ve already shown you’re the opposite.
Go back to pre-Gorbachev Russia!
No, I’m kidding, but seriously “Capitalizing on others’ misfortune”? I think in anyone’s mind, if you provide a service, you are entitled to be compensated for the value of that service (even Karl Marx himself would agree with that). And in fact, isn’t service in exchange for fair compensation what this site is about? Hey, if you can get non-profit funding, and that’s the way you want to work it, more power to you. Something tells me that may not be such an easy route.
But good luck, and in the end, I know you’ll make the right decisions on where to take this site.
Look what you’ve done with it so far.
You’re all too kind. Thank you.
I’m working on a few Godin-esque, tribal-focused ideas to get people actively involved in their own success, as well as the success of PFTA. First up, perhaps, is a PFTA-wide assignment to launch the new site. Print, banners, guerilla. Will post about it soon.
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