As a freelancer, you should have YOUR OWN contract or SLA that the client signs BEFORE commencement of any work. Don't wait for the client to give you their contract and don't buy any 'gentleman's agreement'. That has worked for me.

On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 11:54 AM, James Muendo <timrick@gmail.com> wrote:
Brian, 

I agree. I can also jump and help. Definitely learnt somethings the hard way and especially when dealing with the big boys aka bluechip companies. 

Regards, 


On 26 June 2012 10:49, John Gitau <jgitau@gmail.com> wrote:
As a newly minted free lancer I have to say that :

1: Be professional, fake it if you're not: This means using professional paper work, quality work, proper project management be organized. Don't appear desperate. Clients can sniff this. Learn to negotiate and sell. Get legal advice, a lawyer pal to every once in a while stamp a document helps. You probably have no money to pay him apart from maybe eternal gratitude. Or throw a lawyer in as a partner
2: Be so good at what you're selling they can't really afford to mess with your money. Tweeter (#GetPaidNotPlayed)
3: Black list clients. Mention them here. You owe them nothing if they are delivering grief to you. http://www.worldslongestinvoice.com/,
4: follow up to 3 above: Have a database of 'bad clients' black list, blog about them, tweet the heck out of them start a hash tag like #GetPaidNotPlayedKE; buy a megaphone.
5: We can and probably should start a freelancers 'union'. freelancers lose out on quite a number of things like low insurance rates, group covers etc. As a group we can bargain better, have lawyers who understand our needs, figure out KRA.....etc
If  I am to continue this path (freelance contracting|), I will definitely be involved (start/join) something like http://www.freelancersunion.org/index.html and ohh its such a wonderful life

gitau


On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 10:12 AM, Agosta Liko <agostal@gmail.com> wrote:
to add to Mblayos class

There should be a standard freelancers contract ...

saves on legal fees


On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 8:42 AM, Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe@gmail.com> wrote:
Nice to see there is some interest. I will give it a think and see if I can come up with something that will genuinely add value instead of just serving as a juicy distraction....

Best regards,

Brian


On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 8:21 AM, Peter Karunyu <pkarunyu@gmail.com> wrote:
@Mblayo, why don't you? Then we can organize a meetup at iHub and share horror stories :-)




On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 7:59 AM, Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe@gmail.com> wrote:
I should design a course called "FreelancingKE 101" and invite ma-skunk to learn some of the hard lessons I have picked up over the past 20yrs in IT.....

Mblayo


On Mon, Jun 25, 2012 at 8:35 PM, Joseph Maina <mainasoft00@gmail.com> wrote:
My Style

1. Contract...  and if not contract... pre-paid services  
otherwise .. I dont need your money..


On Mon, Jun 25, 2012 at 7:13 PM, Kivuva <Kivuva@transworldafrica.com> wrote:
If I was was a lawyer, I would keep away from such stunts. Some people have been shot for lesser offenses. I'm not implying anything though 



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