Thread by @HQawiyy

Attention Freelancers

The 1 Biggest mistake I ever made Last year

A lesson for all established and upcoming Freelancers

I hope you do find one or two things to learn from this

It’s a THREAD

Sit Back and Enjoy while at it

Late last year in the month of October, I got approached by one of the biggest financial corporations in Africa

They were planning to spread their tentacles into Nigeria and as such I got an email from them

How did they get my email? Wel they did via LinkedIn

I was excited right? You bet!!!

Surely I was because it was a multimillion dollar brand

But I made a terrible mistake which till date still haunts me deep in my sleep

I serve as a consultant to 6 Figure brands.

After we spoke, that is; one of their reps & I.

Read on 👇🏽

I was ready to work and map out strategies for their brand and also how they could penetrate the Nigerian market

Note; I was doing all this without getting paid yet but I was plain minded

Initially I often send an agreement indicating my fee and duration but ☹️ this time?

No I didn’t

Why?

I guess it was the excitement of the vast opportunities it seemed to present

I was always working day and night to meet up with deadlines and all that. Yet I haven’t received a penny

So things were looking pretty good right?

Yeah I was frigging stupid to have done that but well that’s not even the worst part

Read on

I was doing all these and all agreements was being finalized over the phone

I should’ve suspected but I just was caught arms down

We never really had a written or inked agreement 😪

So I had finalized it all and was asked to share the blueprint but I was adamant not to

When I do stuffs like this

I often charge $15K-$20K

So I asked that I at least get $5K and once I send the rest we can now discuss the terms of agreement and possibly meet with a rep

Lmao

That was my undoing

I received $5K and sent the whole document ☹️ and till date I’ve not even heard nor received my balance from the brand

But wait it was a learning curve for me

Read on to learn what I figured out 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

1. Never start a work for a client without a well spelt out agreement

You should always document every and any form of agreement

There are some deals you work on that requires a NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

2. Never be too trusting; business is war map out your plans with sense

3. A commitment Fee first before you work, an agreed amount of money upon completion before handing over of works

& you could also agree to a % as royalties

4. Always have an extra person or signatory as evidence of your work. If they deny paper agreement they can’t deny humans

Lastly be wise in your dealings

Nothing is guaranteed in business but make sure that your first fees are enough to cover the bills even if they don’t honor your agreement

This wasn’t structured lol

I just felt like sharing how it felt