Fair Pay, Clear Boundaries, and the Studio You Actually Want to Run
Scaling your studio means more than systems—it means doing right by people.
Let’s Talk Fair Pay & Ethical Leadership in Creative Studios
Before we jump in—quick plug. If you’re building a creative business solo or with a small team, check out Wethos. I’ve been testing it out lately, and I really dig the smart scoping feature.
Now, onto today’s topic.
A Thought That’s Been Sitting With Me
Hope your Tuesday’s off to a good start—or whatever day you're catching this. I’ve been working on a new Webflow tutorial that’ll drop next week, but in the meantime, I wanted to talk about something a little heavier that’s been on my mind lately: fair pay and ethical leadership.
When I left a toxic work environment, I made a promise to myself—I wasn’t going to recreate what I walked away from. And if you’re building your own agency or creative team, I hope you’re thinking about that too.
Contractors Aren’t Employees—There’s a Line You Can’t Cross
Let’s get real for a second. We all want strong margins, but there’s a fine line between treating people like collaborators and treating them like employees (without the benefits or protections).
Especially if you’re in California like me, you need to be extra mindful. Here’s what my lawyer reminded me recently:
If you’re hiring contractors, you can’t:
Set their rates
Dictate their working hours
Micro-manage their approach to the project
As tempting as it is to treat everyone like they’re in-house, the law sees it differently. And trust me, you don’t want to find out the hard way. Protect yourself, protect your people, and talk to a lawyer before you scale your team.
If you're working with contractors, the key is collaboration—not control. Let your team bring their ideas to the table. If they say, “What if we tried this instead?”—that’s the energy you want.
Pay People Fairly—Even When It's Not Easy
Here’s one more thing I want to say loud and clear:
Say no to outsourcing just because it’s cheaper.
In my studio, we pay based on the cost of living in Los Angeles. That means we don’t undercut just because someone lives in a different zip code.
Sure, you could send work overseas and kick back. And look, I get it—freedom is one of the reasons we all go independent. But I challenge you to ask yourself: Are you growing as a leader when you remove yourself from the work entirely—especially early on?
Put in the time. Get your hands dirty. Learn what your clients really need. That experience?
That becomes your studio’s edge. Your unique POV. The reason clients want to work with you.
Final Thoughts
We’re building more than businesses—we’re building cultures, experiences, and opportunities. So let’s do it the right way.
Pay people fairly. Set up the right systems. Challenge yourself often. And most importantly—treat people how you wish you were treated when you first started out.
I shared a few ways I’ve been challenging myself lately. Now I want to hear from you—
What are some ways you’re growing as a business owner or creative? Drop a comment, shoot me a DM, or hit reply if you’re on the newsletter.
Talk soon,
—Dexter