FreelanceSweat

I was doing some consulting for a mid-sized company. I mapped out and spec’d an ecommerce site and squared the graphics and design elements away, and the client asked me to refer Web developers/programmers to implement the specs. I had a casual friend who had an unrelated day job, but looked like had some skills and experience and needed a better opp in the field to go even further — he already had a few good-looking sites up he said he did for clients.

ME: You understand, you aren’t working for me. They’ll be your client, just like they’re mine.

FRIEND: Sure.

ME: Before they’ll give a go-ahead, give them a proposal on how much it’ll all cost. They’ll dicker, but when price is set, you’ll do contracts. Their deals are usually 50% paid upfront, then 25% on the first milestone, then the balance on delivery.

FRIEND: Sure.

(I gave him all client contact info and details.)

Next day

FRIEND: Hope you don’t mind, I hired some programmers and began work on the project.

ME: Mind? Hired? Who? Where?

FRIEND: Some Indian guys I use on Elance. You’ve seen their work (referring to his “client” sites).

ME: (Smelling something off) Did you send a proposal?

FRIEND: No. But I wanted to get started ASAP.

ME: So I guess I won’t have to ask about you having a contract.

FRIEND: Don’t worry about it.

ME: Did you even contact them?

FRIEND: Don’t worry about it.

Long story short, despite repeated attempts to get him to dot his I’s and cross his T’s — or heck, to even contact the “client” — nothing happened. Just as the client and I were getting ready to get moving another direction, an email from this guy pops up in my inbox: “It’s done, here’s the link.”

Needless to say, it was crap. I started making a list of changes that needed to be done; it got too big, and I just gave up. I had to apologize profusely to the client for essentially causing the slight delay with my referral, but they were pretty cool about it, up to a point.

ME: So, when are you going to tell him he’s fired from the project?

CLIENT: Fired? We never hired him. Don’t even know him. Your problem.

Later that day

ME: Sorry man, you’re off the project.

FRIEND: What about my money?

ME: What money? You didn’t tell anyone, least of all the client, how much you’ll charge to do the work. No one agreed to anything, no dollar amount, hell, not even a job.

FRIEND: But I already paid my programmers <$$$$>!!!

ME: Don’t know what to tell you, man. I guess you can try sending an invoice and demand letter to the company, but I’m pretty sure they’ll just laugh in your face. You got nothing on them. No contract, not even an email.

To his credit, he was smart enough to know he painted himself into a corner. But after hanging up on me, he never spoke to me again. Eventually his “client” sites all just disappeared as well.

Eldon Sarte
http://eldonsarte.com