Comments on: Working for Yourself is Awesome http://www.fixpert.com/web-design/freelance-awesome/ the bike lane of the internet, a blog about track bikes, fixed gear bicycles, comics, illustration, random acts of awesomeness! Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:50:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Tucker Waldruff http://www.fixpert.com/web-design/freelance-awesome/#comment-80 Tucker Waldruff Fri, 20 Jan 2006 19:35:42 +0000 http://www.fixpert.com/?p=57#comment-80 Hi Sally, I worked with Jim when he incorporated Nowhere Inkwell. He mentioned that you were branching out, doing more freelance work. Based on the "Working for Yourself is Awesome" page on your site, it sounds like you have a lot going on. If you are at all interested, I'd be happy to chat with you some time about the tax implications of self-employment, and various strategies for dealing with them. Just let me know. And good luck with your projects! -Tucker Hi Sally,
I worked with Jim when he incorporated Nowhere Inkwell. He mentioned that you were branching out, doing more freelance work. Based on the “Working for Yourself is Awesome” page on your site, it sounds like you have a lot going on. If you are at all interested, I’d be happy to chat with you some time about the tax implications of self-employment, and various strategies for dealing with them. Just let me know. And good luck with your projects!
-Tucker

]]> By: Jeff McCormack http://www.fixpert.com/web-design/freelance-awesome/#comment-74 Jeff McCormack Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:55:16 +0000 http://www.fixpert.com/?p=57#comment-74 Regarding website design contracts, I insist that the client submit their content in final form before I start their website. Because clients can often take a long time to complete their material, I have this wording in my contract: "If the Client does not supply JHM Designs with complete text and graphics for the site content, the entire amount of this contract becomes due and payable by ______________, and the Client’s site will be removed from the JHM Designs staging server (temporary hosting during development). This serves two purposes: (1) to make space available on the staging server for other sites under development, and (2) to ensure that all site content is received by a reasonable date in order to complete the project." I had one client for whom I completed 85% of their site 5 years ago, and never submitted the final copy - hence the wording above. The client has now asked for a new site, has submitted all material, and I requested payment up front. Otherwise I charge usuall charge 40% up front, and the remainder based on a benchmark and final launch. Regarding website design contracts, I insist that the client submit their content in final form before I start their website. Because clients can often take a long time to complete their material, I have this wording in my contract:
“If the Client does not supply JHM Designs with complete text and graphics for the site content, the entire amount of this contract becomes due and payable by ______________, and the Client’s site will be removed from the JHM Designs staging server (temporary hosting during development). This serves two purposes: (1) to make space available on the staging server for other sites under development, and (2) to ensure that all site content is received by a reasonable date in order to complete the project.”

I had one client for whom I completed 85% of their site 5 years ago, and never submitted the final copy - hence the wording above. The client has now asked for a new site, has submitted all material, and I requested payment up front. Otherwise I charge usuall charge 40% up front, and the remainder based on a benchmark and final launch.

]]> By: Tim McCormack http://www.fixpert.com/web-design/freelance-awesome/#comment-69 Tim McCormack Tue, 10 Jan 2006 05:24:25 +0000 http://www.fixpert.com/?p=57#comment-69 Get the <a href="http://dev.wp-plugins.org/wiki/TextControl" rel="nofollow">TextControl</a> plug-in. That's what I use. Get the TextControl plug-in. That’s what I use.

]]> By: Sally ala Fixpert http://www.fixpert.com/web-design/freelance-awesome/#comment-68 Sally ala Fixpert Mon, 09 Jan 2006 22:29:08 +0000 http://www.fixpert.com/?p=57#comment-68 Ha ha, done. How is everybody feeling about the automatic graphical smiley face? I kind of prefer the classic punctuation-based emoticon. I wonder if that's a preference I can turn off in WordPress if others feel the same way. Ha ha, done. How is everybody feeling about the automatic graphical smiley face? I kind of prefer the classic punctuation-based emoticon. I wonder if that’s a preference I can turn off in WordPress if others feel the same way.

]]> By: JP http://www.fixpert.com/web-design/freelance-awesome/#comment-66 JP Mon, 09 Jan 2006 19:43:37 +0000 http://www.fixpert.com/?p=57#comment-66 At least take out the smiley? At least take out the smiley?

]]> By: Sally ala Fixpert http://www.fixpert.com/web-design/freelance-awesome/#comment-65 Sally ala Fixpert Mon, 09 Jan 2006 16:19:48 +0000 http://www.fixpert.com/?p=57#comment-65 HA HA!! I can edit your comments I think, but it's so funny! Thanks for the advice everybody. I do have a contract that includes milestones for my work, but also spells out what the Client is to supply, and by when. I think that's a good idea to have dynamic due dates for milestones, to stress the fact that I am relying on the Client in order to do my part. And of course, I do the 50% up front fee, and then the final 50% of payment due upon project completion. That seems to be a good way to break up the payment schedule. HA HA!! I can edit your comments I think, but it’s so funny!

Thanks for the advice everybody. I do have a contract that includes milestones for my work, but also spells out what the Client is to supply, and by when. I think that’s a good idea to have dynamic due dates for milestones, to stress the fact that I am relying on the Client in order to do my part.

And of course, I do the 50% up front fee, and then the final 50% of payment due upon project completion. That seems to be a good way to break up the payment schedule.

]]>