Like all creatives, I’ve always been more motivated by the work than the money. But over a long career providing creative services to corporate clients, I’ve learned how much value creatives provide and should be compensated for. Today I use that knowledge to help creatives all over the world deal with difficult issues like negotiations. Over the last couple of years I've returned, in part, to my creative roots. By creative roots I mean writing and illustrating a fictional serial novel set in the near future. As of today, 3/25/20, I've written 26 chapters and deeply into writing chapter 27. You can find the serial on my blog at ted leonhardt.com.https://tedleonhardt.com/category/co-op-serial/?submit=Go I became an advisor to creatives after a long career in design. You might ask, why the shift? And the answer is that something was missing. It may have seemed like I was professionally fulfilled, but I wasn't – in spite of my success. A quick career summary: I started as an illustrator in an in-house design group, then worked for a design consultancy before starting my own firm, which grew steadily over many years. I sold The Leonhardt Group after it reached $10 million in fee sales and had a staff of 50; I stayed on for the new owners as Chief Creative Officer. In that position I was based in London, and was responsible for something like 500 creatives in 27 offices worldwide. Next I spent a couple years helping a group of investors buy design firms. It was while acquiring independent creative firms that I began to realize I was on the wrong side of the table. I wasn’t helping the creatives I know and love ¬– just investors who were only interested in financial returns. I have no problem with people making money from creative expertise. I do have a problem with people who treat creatives solely as financial instruments – as widgets on an assembly line.I’ve made many changes since I realized something was missing in my life. I’m much happier, I’m writing almost every day and I have a busy practice helping both individuals and small groups.Today I focus solely on making it possible for creatives to thrive. I live in Seattle, where my office is aboard the De Anza III, a lovely all-wood motor yacht. De Anza was built just north of Vancouver, Canada, by the Western Craft boatyard. They launched her in 1959.