A reflection on being undervalued, learning to advocate for yourself, and applying an entrepreneurial mindset to your career.
What is your work actually worth?
In this solo episode of Alien Eyez Photos Industry Talk, photographer and creative entrepreneur Steve Jackson reflects on one of the lessons that shaped his entrepreneurial mindset: learning how to recognize when you are being undervalued and having the courage to speak up.
Steve looks back at a period when he was taking on additional responsibilities at work, covering duties across multiple departments, staying late, and carrying responsibilities that weren't part of his original job description—only to receive a 25-cent raise.
That experience became bigger than a story about a paycheck.
It became a lesson about self-worth, negotiation, advocacy, career growth, entrepreneurship, and standing on your dreams.
Steve also reflects on his younger years, his experience working at a grocery store, being approached about military service, choosing an artistic path instead, and eventually transitioning from music into photography, video, and creative entrepreneurship.
The central message is simple:
You have to recognize your value, use your voice, and continue building toward where you actually want to go.
Whether you're an employee, freelancer, artist, photographer, creative entrepreneur, or business owner, this episode is a reminder that your current circumstances don't have to define your future.
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