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Dear Haikusue:
Since going out on my own as a new media consultant two years ago, I have had a lot of business, and made some great contacts. Unfortunately I have also had a lot of so-called-friends screw me over, via not paying me for work done. Sometimes they claim they thought it was a 'favor' other times they just drag out paying me for months on end with lame 'check is in the mail' stories. How do I avoid this in the future, and how to I get 'friends' to see that this is my business, not a hobby that I can just help them with whenever they have a problem?
Signed,
Desperate Freelancer in the Mission
Dear Freelancer:
Always set net terms
Even with your closest friends
Contracts in writing