Filbert Street Garden

💜💜💜

A little transparency from a full-time artist, yoga teacher, sound healer, and small business owner.

I often receive requests to teach for free, provide services for free, donate my time, or allow people to use my space for free. While I truly appreciate that people value what I offer, I don’t think many people realize that this is not my hobby—this is my livelihood.
This is my job.
Just like many people wake up and go to their 9-to-5, I wake up around 6 a.m. and often work until 9 or 10 at night. I work weekdays, weekends, holidays, and everything in between to sustain my business and continue serving my community.
I would love to say yes to every free opportunity. I really would. But when rent is due, I can’t tell my landlord that no one showed up for class that day. I can’t tell my bills that I spent my time offering free services instead of doing paid work. Every time I say yes to unpaid work, I’m often saying no to income that helps keep my doors open.

Unlike many organizations, I don’t have grant funding supporting my day-to-day operations. What I do is funded directly from my own pocket. The free community classes, discounted offerings, supplies, rent, utilities, and countless behind-the-scenes expenses are often covered by me.

So when you ask an artist, healer, teacher, or small business owner to work for free, please consider what you’re really asking. Would you take a day off from your job to work for someone else for free?

This isn’t a complaint. It’s not a beef post. It’s simply a reminder that creative work, healing work, and community work are still work.
I am grateful for every person who supports my business, attends a class, books a service, makes a purchases, shares a post, or recommends me to others. Your support allows me to continue doing what I love while also keeping a roof over my head.

Thank you for understanding the value of the work.
❤️

People often say they support artists and small businesses. One of the best ways to do that is to respect that their time, skills, space, and expertise have value.”

With so much love😘& Respect✊🏾