License and Insurance

[JezUK]

I got an email and the 50% deposit isn't an issue and the project is a go. See guys, act like you don't need the job! If I would have folded they would have probably thought I was not a professional and lost confidence.

When you're in a position where you truly don't need the work because you are genuinely snowed under - then it's easy to give that impression that you don't need the work, that your terms aren't negotiable. Your words and energies will be giving off all those true signals.

It's a LOT more different to 'act' like that when you're struggling for work, the competition is fierce and people are picking up on that scent, that you'll lower your price / bend and break your rules etc etc.

I've been in both situations

It's hard to 'act'.

Easier to be yourself.

[fixeighted]

I have a funny anecdote regarding 'rules and regulations'.
My friend has a lighting shop which sells hand made stuff and vintage stuff worldwide to mostly trade.
They sell to a big hotel company all over and recently sold a load to the US. They demanded UL certification (for electrical parts, like CE for Europe).
They were given this but started demanding UL stickers on everything which were impossible to provide, even though the necessary parts were actually engraved and listed officially.
So, they were refused anything more and they immediately became litigious and said that their lawyers would be in touch and he'd never sell to the company again!......Oooooo....scary....
My friend said 'Sure, go ahead, see you in court'
Oddly, that was the last that was heard from them....until more orders came in literally the next day, for more stuff for both the UK and the US subsiduaries.

So yeah, there are always decisions that can be made to accommodate the need to get the job done - and common sense normally overrides some pettiness

Incidentally this occurred more than once and from places as diverse as Luxembourg, Germany etc....all with the exact same outcome

Anyway I'm glad you got it all sorted and landed the work

[glorybound]

When you're in a position where you truly don't need the work because you are genuinely snowed under - then it's easy to give that impression that you don't need the work, that your terms aren't negotiable. Your words and energies will be giving off all those true signals.

It's a LOT more different to 'act' like that when you're struggling for work, the competition is fierce and people are picking up on that scent, that you'll lower your price / bend and break your rules etc etc.

I've been in both situations

It's hard to 'act'.

Easier to be yourself.

I have been hearing the same thing for 20 years, that it is fierce out there and hard to get work. I am not sure why some are busy, and some are not, so I do feel blessed to have been busy for 20 years. I think it has a lot to do with the psychology of the buyer, too. If you make your self seem a commodity, that's precisely how you'll be treated; however, if you make yourself seem in demand, they'll pay. Yes, when you are busy, it is easier to stick to your guns. When I started freelancing it was a part-time after work gig, so if they weren't paying I wasn't working. I watched a webinar yesterday about the phycology of the buyer. If I can find the recording, I'll share.

[glorybound]

I have a funny anecdote regarding 'rules and regulations'.
My friend has a lighting shop which sells hand made stuff and vintage stuff worldwide to mostly trade.
They sell to a big hotel company all over and recently sold a load to the US. They demanded UL certification (for electrical parts, like CE for Europe).
They were given this but started demanding UL stickers on everything which were impossible to provide, even though the necessary parts were actually engraved and listed officially.
So, they were refused anything more and they immediately became litigious and said that their lawyers would be in touch and he'd never sell to the company again!......Oooooo....scary....
My friend said 'Sure, go ahead, see you in court'
Oddly, that was the last that was heard from them....until more orders came in literally the next day, for more stuff for both the UK and the US subsiduaries.

So yeah, there are always decisions that can be made to accommodate the need to get the job done - and common sense normally overrides some pettiness

Incidentally this occurred more than once and from places as diverse as Luxembourg, Germany etc....all with the exact same outcome

Anyway I'm glad you got it all sorted and landed the work

Some people are just difficult. Get another eye on something and everything can change. I played it as if you want me to do the work you'll make it happen. I don't need insurance or a license to work, so I am not obligated to have it. Like I did mention, I did get insurance, which will cover above and beyond my homeowners if anything happens to my computers. I am also getting a couple of licenses. Two for the state and one federal, but again, I don't need them. My name is in my business name so it doesn't need to be registered.

[JezUK]

I have been hearing the same thing for 20 years, that it is fierce out there and hard to get work. I am not sure why some are busy, and some are not, so I do feel blessed to have been busy for 20 years. I think it has a lot to do with the psychology of the buyer, too. If you make your self seem a commodity, that's precisely how you'll be treated; however, if you make yourself seem in demand, they'll pay. Yes, when you are busy, it is easier to stick to your guns. When I started freelancing it was a part-time after work gig, so if they weren't paying I wasn't working. I watched a webinar yesterday about the phycology of the buyer. If I can find the recording, I'll share.

Well I definitely change psychologically when I'm busy !

I also change when I'm not busy, and sitting there twiddling my thumbs.

I could certainly improve my selling skills, but I think where things have worked fine, or well even, it's when the client and I are kind of already aligned. Basically, they like and want *me* (and no one else) to do the work.

Where potential clients are unaligned with myself and my services, and selling skills are required on my part, then that's when it depends on how busy I am as to whether I want to make the attempt to align (aka 'act') myself to match them and their requirements. Often, any effort on my part with those types usually fails (see below).

What I do know, is that in my instance, the actual clients I end up working with, are great clients that I'm really glad to be working with - and the potential clients whom I detected might be trouble, they've gone elsewhere.....

Currently, thank God, I'm extremely busy

[glorybound]

For anyone interested, general liability is a no-brainer. It covers my hardware and loss of income if my hardware is down, stolen, flooded, or fire. Of course, it covers slips and falls, too. So, for $50 a month, why not?

[glorybound]

The webinar I watched basically goes over these (see link below). I couldn't find a recorded version, but I'll keep looking.

https://www.insightsquared.com/2014/...ase-decisions/

[glorybound]

Here are the webinars I spoke about.

https://17hatsuniversity.com/replays...oyafjoymzkgoqx

[flino2004]

you have a home office, right? the insurance for your house should cover already if fire, flood, etc happen at your home...talk to your agent and include your equipment there. I would prefer to have those $600 in my pocket.
I personally don't care much about my equipment because is something happen I have more important stuff to think about it, the information is the most valuable asset to me....everything is on the cloud!!

[glorybound]

My home insurance covers some, but not all. The thing I am happy about is it covers lost income, up to $100,000.00.

[hoppergrass]

The insurance the client is talking about is nothing to do with if your computer gets damaged, its more for if the project goes wrong and lawsuits start flying around.

[glorybound]

The insurance the client is talking about is nothing to do with if your computer gets damaged, its more for if the project goes wrong and lawsuits start flying around.

Yes, this is a general liability policy, which is what they want. If someone fell in my office or I fell on a job site. I don't have people over nor do I visit jobs sites. Their request wasn't warranted, however, I like some of the other things that come along with it. Someone called me about a year ago asking if I have ever been asked for a license and insurance because he was. I said no, but now I have been asked.

[hoppergrass]

OK,
in the past I have been asked if I have "Professional liability Insurance" in particular to what value project. Basically the project was for a $100m development and every consultant from the architect through to the traffic controller had to have "Professional Indemnity Insurance" in case of any lawsuits for foreseeable future. I looked into it and it was going to cost a fortune, far more than what I was ever going to earn. Needless to say it was mutually agreed not to proceed.

this is different to general liability insurance which is what you have.

[glorybound]

My homeowners would cover $2500 for a stolen or destroyed computer, however, general liability will cover up to $30,000. So it also does more than Homeowners.

[hoppergrass]

which is all about if something goes wrong with your equipment.

The insurance I am talking about is for if something goes wrong with the project. eg you do a rendering for a house, someone buys that house based on your rendering, then discovers that the built house looks nothing like the rendering. They then sue the agent for misrepresentation, the agent then sues you etc (shit runs down hill) , this insurance covers your business for the legal and or punitive costs otherwise you could be personally responsible to pay.