… used my “lines I don’t cross.”

– my personal list of things I don’t do and/or require related to my work.

One of them is a minium fee for “getting on an airplane.” I love speaking to groups and in the past, when someone would call and invite me to speak at a conference, it was hard for me to say no. Eventually I came up with a rule: I need $xxx to get on an airplane, minimum.

Last week I was invited to speak at a conference and they made me an offer on the speaker’s fee. I told them my rule. I wasn’t really negotiating, I just said I can’t do it for less.

Interestingly, because I had already decided on it well before they called, it almost felt like it came from something bigger than just me, and so it was easy for me to stand behind.

Five minutes ago they sent me an email agreeing to pay the fee. That simple rule was worth $2,500.00 – the difference between our two numbers.

What are your rules?!