the_daniel•6d agoTop Commenter

Pro tip: Don't take a handshake deal without a contract

I lost a $4,200 freelance gig last month because a former colleague backed out of a verbal agreement after I finished the work. Now I always send a simple one-page contract before starting anything has anyone else had a handshake deal blow up on them?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly9686d ago

Been there, lost way more than $4,200 to a handshake deal a few years back. It's a really painful lesson. My advice is always get something in writing, even if it's just an email that says "just to confirm our agreement." But a real contract is even better because it has all the terms spelled out like payment schedule and what happens if they back out. For the future, try using a simple template from a site like LegalZoom or Rocket Lawyer, you can customize it in ten minutes flat. It might feel awkward asking a friend or former coworker to sign it, but it saves you from this exact nightmare. You did the work, you deserve to get paid for it, no exceptions.

sandragonzalez6d ago

Yeah, that "just to confirm our agreement" email is key, but it's CRAZY how many people skip it because they're afraid of looking suspicious. It's like we'd rather risk losing THOUSANDS than feel awkward for five minutes.