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Ashley Baxter
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After so many years helping freelancers stay in business, I’m no stranger to the kinds of problems you face. But freelancing doesn’t mean having to face these problems alone. A lot of the time there is help available. I’d like to share these stories with you so you can be a confident freelancer.

  1. 11/16/2020

    The season finale

    With JackEpisode #2: What's a freelancer doing that requires insurance?Episode #7: Client wants me to finish our project and is asking for damagesEpisode #48: Having a law firm on retainerEpisode #50: A first-hand account of pursuing a payment through small claims courtEpisode #46: Be a confident freelancerEpisode #37: Keeping projects on time and managing client expectationsEpisode #16: Professional indemnity insurance teardownApproach every single project with solid processes in place. Processes will help you manage common problems that arise in freelance projectsApproach each project with confidence. Confidence in your skillset, confidence in your pricing, confidence in your workflow. If you aren’t confident some clients will take advantage of thatConsider insurance if you’re providing any kind of professional service to clients because most problems stem from the unpredictable nature of clients or things happening outside of your control

    12 min

  2. 11/09/2020

    A rise in payment disputes

    With JackPayment disputes are on the rise (possibly due to the impact COVID is having on businesses) so make sure you have processes in place to handle these problems if they ariseIf a client asks for a refund, refer to the contract to show that you’ve adhered to the terms and have done your job therefore a refund isn’t dueIf the refund request is accompanied with a legal threat, it will trigger your professional indemnity policy so notify your insurerRefunds aren’t covered under your professional indemnity insurance, but the threat of legal action means the insurer will help you defend the claimAnother course of action if there is no legal threat as yet is to use the legal advice helpline that’s available as part of your legal expenses insurance. Legal experts are available to help you talk through your payment or client disputesDocument everything (client communication, contracts etc) so that the insurer can easily help you defend your claim, or so that you can refer to it when defending yourself. It's a lot harder for your client to argue against something that's in black and white that they agreed toBe a confident freelancer. You shouldn’t have to suffer because a client has changed their mind or has experienced problems internally with their team. Get paid for the work you've done

    6 min

  3. 11/02/2020

    A first-hand account of pursuing payment through small claims court

    With JackInstagram: StckmnTwitter: StckmnWebsite: StckmnThe legal expenses product includes a debt recovery service and legal advice helpline to assist you with late paymentsChris now starts all projects with a contract and makes sure the scope of work is clear. He takes 50% payment upfront and has milestones in place for client sign-off. He also has professional indemnity insuranceCircumstances in business can change so Chris recommends getting everything in writing—no matter how small the project is! If the scope changes midway through the project have written confirmation of thisEpisode #48: Having a law firm on retainer

    11 min

  4. 10/26/2020

    How do freelancers manage their liability?

    With JackEpisode #48: Having a law firm on retainerHave a contract. Get insuredThere are industries that invest a lot into pursuing copyright claims so be aware of licensing agreements when using third-party assetsCreating a document that lists the resources you often use for images, video, music etc and categorising them by licenses can keep you and your clients on the right side of copyright lawsDocument everything. The job spec, details around the project, all client communicationHave confirmation of clients signing-off on work. This doesn't have to be anything formal—confirmation via email is OKIf clients ask to have a call about anything they’re unhappy with, suggest they put their concerns in writing insteadIf things do escalate via small claims court or your business insurance, you’ll need to gather evidence to defend yourself and this is why it’s important to document everything throughout the projectIt will be difficult for the client to argue if you can show that you’ve adhered to everything in black and white

    8 min

  5. 10/19/2020

    Having a law firm on retainer

    With JackSquidge IncClient not paying. What are the next steps to take?The legal advice helpline is part of the legal expenses product. It's like having a law firm on retainer because you can call the helpline as often as you like to ask general legal questions relating to business mattersDue to the company winding down, David was having trouble getting paidDavid wanted to explore the option of small claims court. The legal advice helpline guided him through everything from the potential cost to filling out the paperworkDavid suggested writing down a list of questions you want to ask the helpline so that you can end the conversation knowing exactly what your next step should beBecause the helpline assisted David with the legal jargon involved around recovering debt, it showed his client that he was serious and knew what he was doingDavid's client rejected the claim, but whilst in the midst of preparing all of the evidence he needed to pursue the payment with the help of the legal advice helpline he asked the client to resolve things amicably. They agreedClient disputes aren’t always going to have the perfect outcome, but David was happy to compromise on an agreed rate so they could avoid small claims courtFrom his own experience and speaking to other freelancers, David thinks that the tipping point of having a client pay your invoice is showing them you're serious about going through small claims courtDocument everything to show you've done the work, there was an agreement in place and there was a good relationship

    13 min

  6. 10/12/2020

    How worthwhile is freelancer insurance?

    With JackIt’s not for you to decide how much liability is associated with a projectIf a claim includes loss of income, compensation for hiring other freelancers and other costs incurred, it all adds upIf insurance doesn’t seem worth the price, ask yourself if you’d rather pay £14 a month for legal help, or thousands of pounds in upfront fees?Remember that contracts don’t stop a client from making a claim against you, even if you include a liability clauseEpisode #40 - Why having a contract isn’t enough to protect youWith every project  there is always the risk of a client being unhappy with the work you’ve done or a project being delivered lateYour client may go into a project knowing that there are risks, but the whole reason insurance exists is to protect your business from the risks you face and ensure you don't come out of a situation worse off if the client holds you responsibleSometimes there is little control you have over the situations that lead to claims as well as, more importantly, how your client reacts to those situations

    12 min

  7. 10/05/2020

    Be a confident freelancer

    With JackMost of the claims we see are to do with poor project management, either on the freelancer or client's sideThis can cause friction in the working relationship and lead to clients feeling like they haven't got what they paid forA difficult client relationship can also be down to a bad apple client who is always going to be difficult to pleaseOne of most important aspects of a fulfilling freelance career is to learn how to set and stick to boundaries so have a contract, include a statement of work, have set hours you're available etcHowever, the real test is how you react when clients try to take advantage of youThe way you respond to bad situations is important because it can be the difference between a smooth project that ends harmoniously and one you regret taking onIf you don’t set boundaries you’re teaching the client that it’s OK to undervalue you. If you do that certain clients will continue undervaluing you, pushing you closer to burnout and putting you under pressureSome freelancers struggle with setting and sticking to boundaries because they don’t want to deal with conflict and feel uncomfortable telling a client “No”. Or there’s a fear of losing a client so freelancers are willing to overstretch themselves to accommodate their clientBeing insured should give you the confidence to stand your ground with clients who try to mistreat you or extract more from you than has been agreedIf you stand firm and the client doesn’t back down, saying they'll take things that little bit further with a threat of potential legal action, that’s when your professional indemnity policy is triggered so you'd have help to navigate that situationThe practical element of insurance is getting affordable legal help should you need it, but it’s the aspirational element of being insured that most freelancers benefit fromInsurance should give you the confidence to stand firm with clients who are trying to take advantage of you, knowing that if they do push things that little bit further you have the help to get you through it

    10 min

  8. 09/28/2020

    Can I be blamed for my client's clueless actions?

    With JackEven as someone responsible for the website and not the product itself, there is nothing stopping an unreasonable client from blaming you if they get into trouble for their online presenceWhatever your role and the service you offer, with every project there is the risk of a client being unhappy with the work you’ve done. However, that risk is heightened with clients that have exhibited red flags like this oneWhilst you should have processes in place to ensure client's sign-off on your design, copy etc, there is nothing stopping the client from saying "That was your job and why we hired you. You didn't do the job we expected you to do"When things go wrong, it’s easy for people to become defensive and shift the blame elsewhere. Clients are no differentAt With Jack we've seen similar case where the freelancer's copy had a typo and, despite it going through quality control by the client, they didn’t pick up on it and blamed the freelancerThis is one of the reasons why professional indemnity insurance exists—to defend you against claims of actual or alleged negligenceYour professional indemnity policy might be able to help you defend these allegations by giving you access to legal experts who will negotiate with your client on your behalf. If damages have to be paid, your insurance could cover the cost of those too

    9 min
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About

After so many years helping freelancers stay in business, I’m no stranger to the kinds of problems you face. But freelancing doesn’t mean having to face these problems alone. A lot of the time there is help available. I’d like to share these stories with you so you can be a confident freelancer.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Baxter
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2020
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2019 Ashley Baxter
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