Webupon

This animated GIF  http://www.mayhemstudios.com/HOWIES/images/designer.gif is a rather old image, and it’s quality is poor but it illustrates an exceptional point of view. Along time ago (I was fresh out of college) a friend of my fathers asked if I could create a website and do a few other design jobs. I have no problem helping out but I wanted to make sure we had one thing strait. Even as a friend, I don’t hand out freebies. I told him of this story:

“A car dealer asks a graphic designer friend of his if he could create a website for free, for his business. The graphic designer could put a link to his website on the bottom of the car salesman website for publicity. The exposure will ensure greater success. So the designer thinks about it for a minute. He asks if the car dealer could give him a car for free. It’s only fair. He’ll put a sticker at the bottom of the bumper with his logo and website. It will be excellent exposure. Everyone will know it was his quality car.”

Of course not. No sane car dealer will hand out cars for publicity. That’s how you make a living. He agreed and I was set to receive $25 per hour for my services as a graphic designer for his paralegal business. however hours dragged on for days, days turned to weeks and weeks into months. Finally the guy racked up $4000 in service. I had enough and it was time to collect what was owed me. I asked where my money was, we had an agreement. his reply: “what agreement”?

There are 2 morals to this story. First: don’t ever go into business with someone you think is a friend. Second: even if both parties has an understanding of what was agreed upon, you better have a signed contract (especially dealing with paralegals and lawyers). One side is always looking to get something for nothing. It’s for this reason, to this day I require full up front payment upon signing of a legally binding contract.