Conflict of Interest????

I've all ready made my decision to tell this guy to get bent however I thought I would see what you all thought of this situation.

As most of you I have my own business. I began doing some video projects for this guy and his marketing company. Without any kind of contracts, (yes, DUMB), we decided to have me house my workstation in his offices so that I can be a bit more infused with his small team. This is in the hopes that as he grows that I would ultimately become a paid full time employee. However. In the past three months and after driving from site to site and creating several videos I have been paid only a fraction of what I really should have. After spending this time it doesn't seem that things are really gonna go full time either. Also i have other projects that i have committed to outside of his business that he feels are a conflict of interest. I pulled all my equipment out of there and advised him that if we are to continue to do business together that i will not be integrated in his office. That I am my own company and that we will now work on a true contract basis with him. Also that I as my own company will continue to do business with whomever I choose and wants to enter into contracts with me. Basically the way I have been conducting successful business for the last four years. He also stated that I wast a real company and that i needed to give 100% to his team, and that he doesn't feele that I've been doing that. I dunno. I ramble

Whadaya think?

If you don't like a situation, get the heck out of it. There are bad clients that are not worth dealing with. My FCP Users Group news email just had an article about this very subject. I'm PM it to you.

Oh I'm getting out for sure. I can't wrap my head around his thought processes. I can only attribute it to his young age and inexperience possibly. That is in no offense to any young professionals out there either. I know that there some super sharp ones out there. I feel this one may have skipped a few lessons.

I'll check out that PM now, bud!

A 'bad client' can cause your work quality to suffer, your reputation to suffer, and drag you into an emotional depression. All of which will cost you time and money in the long run. Stay away from those types.

Some editors can work with some clients better than others. Let the guy who is happy there fill their needs.

Reminds me of a story.

An old high rise building was having heating problems. The current physical plant crew brought in computers, sensors, yet after a whole week of testing, couldn't find out where the problem was. So they called in an engineer who they are told is an old expert. Old meaning he is about to retire, old. The old coot shows up the next day, goes down into the basement and pulls out a small hammer. He walks around, listening to a pipe here, listening to a pipe there, then finally taps his hammer on a pipe next to a valve, taking all of 10 minutes to do this. Suddenly the heating system springs to life.

A week later the building manager gets a bill form the old guy for $5,000. He calls the old guy and fusses at him. "What the hell? You only spent 10 minutes in the basement! How do you charge that much money for only 10 minutes of work? All you did was listen to pipes and tap a hammer! Our computer sensors cost that much, your hammer doesn't! There is no justification for this!" The old man apologies and says he will clarify the invoice and send a new one.

A few day later the building manager gets the new, revised invoice, which is now itemized.
$25 for listening to pipes.
$4975 for knowing where to tap.
No charge for the hammer.

Remember, "Age, experience and wisdom will always, always overcome youth, power and speed."

Ahhhhhh. Thank you Ben! That! Is a great story and thank you for sharing the PM. A very good read and practice.