Getting paid is weird and sometimes hard

Cassidy Williams, a software engineer based in Chicago, reflects on the complexities of getting paid for her work in a recent blog post. She shares her experiences with various projects, many of which are offered for free, despite her desire to earn income from them. Williams highlights specific instances where she contributed to projects, such as a course on Scrimba and professional videos for Prismic, but did not receive compensation. She expresses disappointment over the financial outcomes of her DSA Scrabble keycaps, which were affected by the bankruptcy of the manufacturer.

Despite these challenges, Williams acknowledges her privilege in the tech industry, allowing her to offer free resources. The recent shutdown of her startup, Brainstory, has intensified her feelings about financial expectations. She is currently participating in a program called Big Cash Money (BCM), which has positively influenced her perspective on financial well-being. Through BCM, she has learned to value her work, as evidenced by her project W-9 Crafter, where she received encouragement to set a price for her offerings.

Williams concludes that the process of getting paid is both straightforward and complicated, emphasizing the mental shift required to navigate financial expectations. She recognizes that if she adjusted her expectations regarding income, it might alleviate some of her frustrations. Ultimately, she reflects on the challenges of capitalism and the importance of continuing to create and ship projects.