Starting work without a contract is business suicide and there's no good excuse for it. Ever.

I don't usually 'rant' here but I see this one BIG problem being discussed over and over again on the forums, I see it so often it literally makes me want to tear my hair out that this is STILL going on with so many of my fellow VAs: too many virtual assistants start working with clients without contracts in place!

The usual reasons include: “I got the client so fast, I just didn’t have time...” or, after they've already been burned on an unpaid invoice: “I didn’t realize I would need one.” I get it - hindsight is 20/20 and it IS exciting when that new client comes to you and they're ready to get things rolling like yesterday - but starting work without a contract can be an expensive lesson to learn... I know because it happened to me and I want to help you avoid the stress, the drama, and the financial hit.


Let me ask you a $1,330 question:
Imagine you’re working with a new client; the to-do lists come on an almost daily basis. After 2 weeks and 17 hours at $35 per hour, you send your first invoice for $595. Your client has 2 weeks to pay your invoice.

You continue with the work requests and the client continues to send plenty of work. You’re excited about what this could mean for your business. At the next billing cycle, you send your second invoice, this one for $735.

The first invoice is due now, but suddenly your client has stopped emailing.

Your client owes you $1,330 and you're starting to suspect you’re not going to get paid.

Your client offers up any one of the following excuses: "The check is in the mail...", "Your invoices never arrived...", "The work wasn’t up to par...", or "There is a cash flow problem..." This drags on for another two weeks, and you have no recourse because you have no contract in place.

So, the $1,330 question is this:
Can you afford to do business without a contract?
Do the math and you’ve got your answer.


Here's my solution for you to this VERY expensive problem:
I've created 6 contract templates you can edit, customize and use in your own business - and there are THREE versions - one for the US, one for the UK, and one for Canada:

• Virtual Assistant Agreement
• Freelance Agreement (per hour)
• Freelance Agreement (per project)
• Addendum to Contract
• Mutual Release From Contract
• Confidentiality Agreement

PLUS you'll get the chapter on contracts from our best-selling Become a Virtual Assistant: "Why You Can't Afford to Work Without a Contract"

• The $1,330 Question
• Pitfalls of Not Using a Contract
• Your Business, Your Contract
• When They Won't Sign
• When Clients Want to Use Their Own Contracts
• Important Clauses
• Basic Contract Outline
• Confidentiality Agreements

So for $19 you can protect yourself and your business...

$1330 less $19 = $1311 saved and TONS of stress avoided.

I'd say that's a pretty good deal!

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Note: Individual sample RETAINER CONTRACTS are also available in the Virtual Assistant Forums Store.


DISCLAIMER: This is not legal advice. If you have questions or concerns about the contracts you use seek professional legal advice.