written by Nada Jones

Creativity forms the bedrock of who we are. Just ask Amy Tan. The founder and designer, who is widely known as Amy Tangerine (the name of her company), helps people unlock their dreams and essence by making tangible, unique art pieces. Amy’s workshops and books, including the bestseller Craft the Life You Love, have attracted people worldwide for their digestible, approachable tips. Because, as Amy believes, we all have a creative spark inside of us.

So, given that Amy fills her days workshopping, making art herself, and collaborating with brands while being a mom, she is uber thoughtful of her time. We wanted to know: In her packed world, what makes her say yes—or rather, heck, yes—to a new client, project, or partnership? Is it the money, or are there other factors?

We’ll let Amy tell you of her brilliant technique in her own words.

I call it the three F's. These are the most important things for me when it comes to working with others and in life. The three F's are freedom, fulfillment, and fun. So if a brand is approaching me, they have to meet two of the three at least. 

So, it has to buy me freedom, which means paying a lot. Or it has to be really fun. Or it has to be very fulfilling and fun if they don't have a budget.

There are different ways to work around this. Everybody should decide how they want to value their time and their relationship with the collaboration or the brand.

I've been approached by many brands that I've said no to. At one time, [these] products were being touted on Instagram. I had no desire. They could have offered me five figures, multiple five figures, and I still would have said no to it because I didn't feel like that's what I wanted to share with my audience. I could not wrap my brain around it.

So, it's about deciding how you want to work together. Then, always ask yourself, what do you bring to the table? That is a true collaboration. It's not always necessarily monetary or anything that you can measure. It must feel like a give-and-take. There has to be a mutual benefit.

To learn more about Amy, visit amytangerine.com.

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