Another point - in the real world, businesses often work for nothing. I'm not just talking about professionals of all disciplines who carry out pro bono work for worthwhile cases where the client cannot afford the fees. Businesses tendering for work often spend large amounts of unpaid time and money in the hope that it will secure them a profitable contract. In the case of large projects, this can run into millions.

Firms have to invest in developing their business. This may mean spending money or taking on unprofitable work in the hope that this will lead to better things. Ann Lister's example above is how this can apply to musicians. Not all musicians seem to understand this.