Connection
The key to freelance success is to abolish the myth that we’re in this alone. By creating true, deep connections with each other, our clients, and our community, we share mutual success. Successful freelancers actively contribute to their communities — the physical communities they live and work in, and also the larger creative freelancer and industry communities. We believe if you give more to your community than you take, you’ll always end up with more than you need.
Agency
We believe that freelancers have agency. We are in control of our own story, our own business, and our own successes and failures. We don’t tolerate victim mentalities or shifting blame. While we can and do work toward solving client problems, we approach all issues as opportunities to improve our own processes not blame “bad clients.”
The Pro Code
We commit to the “Pro Code”: Be where you said you’d be, when you said you’d be there, having done what you said you’d do. We expect our members to commit to the pro code with each other, with the co-op, and with their clients.
Brutal Honesty
Honesty is key to cooperation. As a group we’re open to our clients about our shortcomings, problems that arise, and our capabilities. Clear, honest feedback is central to freelancer/client relationships. It’s the only way we can grow. We’ll be honest with our members, with our clients, and with our team. In return, we solicit brutally honest feedback about how we’re doing.
Boldness
Success doesn’t come from copying. It comes from understanding market trends and best practices and constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We seek to experiment, innovate and stay on the leading edge of the freelancing industries.
Intentionality
Everyone has a system for how they work. The difference is whether it’s an intentional or haphazard system. We guide our members to be intentional and build better systems for productivity, marketing, and client relationships.
Figuroutableness
Challenges will happen. Challenges in life. Challenges with clients. We believe that every problem can be solved with creativity, experimentation, and persistence. We love being around people that keep going until they’ve got it.
Bon vivant
We love pursuing excellence in our creative life. The result is a beautiful, diverse, delicious world. We expect excellence from our vendors, employees, customers. And we all share in the spoils