Partnership with firm
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- kjw
I have been in talks with a firm that I used to freelance with; to partnership together at some level and to handle some of their creative / dev. needs.
We are working on some very interesting applications that we can sell to their clients - but they brought up the idea of me doing some work for free (for a current project) to show what can be done to future clients.
Most of the money from these new clients will go directly to me. This obviously raises red flags, what do you think , and how would you say no if thats what you would do.
P.S client is fortune 500 and would be gr8 on my portfolio one way or the other
- harlequino0
Kinda loaded situation. Have you discussed the financial split, or how the money works? Sounds like it could be really lucrative, in which case doing a first pro-bono gig is somewhat justified when talking partnership. We've done it before with both good and bad results.
Sounds like you need to talk to a lawyer, this is more than being a freelance resource, you're also talking about accepting liability.- we have completely talked out the split, and its very good in my favor.kjw
- Ok, then rock on. But know your liability situation.harlequino
- lvl_130
9/10 chances this will end up bad.
- itsmitch0
If it sounds like it's something okay for them and great for you then you've obviously missed something. Firms/Agencies aren't generally friendly and nice people to do business with.
- baseline_shift0
The amount of pro bono work are they asking for is a big part of the equation. An afternoons worth or 2 weeks worth?
- johndiggity0
just make sure you don't sign any sort of non-compete. use it as an opportunity to grow a specialized agency of your own. good luck.
- twokids0
get a lawyer involved. i can tell you that I have been burned by promises made to me that were not written down and where no lawyers were involved. good faith means nothing in business. only signed documentation overseen by lawyers.
- boobs0
If their end of the "current project" is for free, too, well that's one thing. Partnering on the spec project is probably a decent deal. You're both risking time and effort to get something saleable down the road.
But if they're getting paid on the "current project," and they want you to do your end for free, well tell them to fuck right off!
- pepe0
having done a very similar deal gone bad, they are using your skills at your expense to better themselves, then after you decide it may not be for you they will probably use your work to get themselves more work even without you there which will piss you off. thats about what happened to us. it was not worth it. Just have them invest in you and your studio and hire your own team.
- rainman0
get it all in a contract... if you decide to move forward with it. Involve legal so its all legit.