BTI #362: Sex Sells Part 3 - Decriminalizing Sex Work with Ariela Moscowitz
Release Date: 04/20/2022
Stop Answer "What Do You Charge?" Like an Amateur
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“What are your rates?” It sounds simple, but most photographers fumble this moment and cost themselves money in the process. In this episode, we break down why answering too quickly puts you at a disadvantage and how to take control of the conversation instead. You’ll learn the key questions to ask before giving a number, how to position yourself as a professional instead of a commodity, and why pricing without context is just guessing. If you want to stop underpricing and start leading your client conversations, this episode is for you. Visit: Instagram: Substack:
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Should You Put Your Rates on Your Website?
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Ego vs. Critique: What’s Really Hurting the Photography Industry
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The Truth About Underbidding in Creative Work (And Why It Hurts Everyone)
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When a client takes one creative’s bid and shops it around to get someone else to undercut it, they’re not evaluating based on value, vision, or fit, they’re turning it into a race to the bottom. That devalues the work across the board. And on the flip side, a photographer who’s willing to drop their rate just because they saw someone else’s numbers isn’t really pricing based on what the project is worth, they’re just reacting to pressure. That’s not sustainable, and it hurts the industry long term. Healthy competition is presenting your best work, your best concept, and your...
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Stop Wasting Money: What Doesn’t Grow Your Photography Business
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Most photographers don’t have a revenue problem… they have a focus problem. In this episode, I’m breaking down the biggest money traps in the photography industry. The things we’re told will grow our business… but don’t. From expensive websites and paid ads to studio spaces, rebrands, presets, and productivity tools, I’m sharing what I personally invested in that didn’t move the needle and why. More importantly, I’m unpacking what actually does drive growth so you can stop wasting time, stop wasting money, and start building real momentum. Because looking like a professional...
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Stop Worrying About Copycats: The Truth About “Stolen Ideas” in Photography
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What should you do when another photographer copies your work? Nothing. In this episode, I break down why the fear of “stolen ideas” is one of the biggest things holding creatives back. After a recent post sparked debate, I dive into the difference between inspiration and theft, what copyright actually protects, and why most photographers are focused on the wrong problem. We’re talking about: Why ideas aren’t the asset, execution is The truth about “first usage rights” and copyright How a scarcity mindset slows your growth Why competition is actually a good thing And how...
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Can A Bad Logo Ruin your Company?
Beyond the Image Podcast
Imagine if every single person thought the name of your company was something different. Not just a slight mispronounciation, but a fundamentally different word altogether. They would not know what to call your business, they would not know how to find it, how to search for it online and thus, they would be unable to ever actually hire and work with you. This is the situation a small business found themselves in. A low investment into a brand logo that was designed esthetically but not legibly led the company to waste tens of thousands of dollars on wasted marketing materials, product...
info_outlineToday, we’re going to be talking about sex. Specifically, we will be unpacking the act of having sex as a means of labor. If you’re thinking, I don’t have sex for money, nor do I want to have sex for money and I don’t know anyone who does have sex for money. Why would I continue listening to this episode? You’re right to ask that question - and what you will discover is that even if you are not in the sex work industry, there is still a lot you can do to both end human trafficking as well as promote health and safety for all those who are involved.
To give this episode some further context - earlier this year, I had an unpleasant interaction with a man who was under the full belief that because a woman was doing a photoshoot in a public setting, that she had given up her own rights to the agency of her body and could be leered at and gawked at by anyone who chose to.
This is the exact same rhetoric that leads to statements like, she would not have been sexually assaulted had she not worn that outfit. What this did was create an ongoing conversation around the idea “sex sells.” I was asking the question, who is profiting? It seemed to be okay if a man was profiting but raised a lot of concerns when it was a woman who was profiting.
I’ve talked to my dear friend and sex therapist, Dr. Jordan Wiggins about what consent is and is not. I also had a conversation with Nikole Mitchell, a top OnlyFans worker, about the misconceptions of sex workers and why there are such stigmas around those who choose to sell images of themselves if they are profiting.
Today, we’re going to zoom out and take a look at sex work from a broader context. My intention is to provide an economic exploration into the world’s oldest profession and efforts to decriminalize sex work.
My guest is Ariela Moscowitz who is the Director of Communications for Decriminalize Sex Work, a national organization pursuing a state-by-state strategy to end the prohibition of consensual adult prostitution in the United States.
“If you really hate it so much and you don’t want people to do it, the best thing you can do is to decriminalize it.”
IN THIS EPISODE
- The true definition of sex work.
- What makes sex work illegal by the definition of the law.
- The difference between consensual sex work and human trafficking.
- The historical context of sex work.
- The 3 major objections to the trade.
- Why sex work needs to be decriminalized.
- Discrimination in the field.
- Selling a service versus selling their bodies.
- How the legal system punishes sex workers.
- The currently role that police play.
- Legalization versus decriminalization.
- Steps we can take to improve the safety of those involved.
Connect with James
Website: jamespatrick.com
Instagram: @jpatrickphoto
Text me marketing questions @: 480-605-3254
Connect with Ariela Moscowitz
Website: decriminalizesex.work
Share this podcast with a friend and remember to leave a 5-star review!
For more, visit jamespatrick.com