April 25, 2012 - Protection

And so I made it. The last class, the final blog entry, the long goodbye.

Anyway, now that you're older and wiser, it's time to talk about why protection is such a good idea. . . (hold for laughs) and ok . . .

When getting into business, there's going to be a lot of people who are gonna try to push you around. Bullies.

If you let them, people will take advantage of you. When signing contracts, make sure to include a cost plus clause. This ensures that when your client decides to change their mind at the last second, you won't be stuck with the bill. Instead, they get charged an hourly rate for their incessant micromanaging.

On that same thought, if you let people bargain and negotiate with you, it will never work in your favor. They will expect that same discount every time, or they'll take their business elsewhere. Stick to your guns and don't let the customer determine the price. That's not how good businesses operate.

"I'll give ya a buck-fifty."

Affordability doesn't always mean more business. If you're too inexpensive (or cheap), people some assume there's a lack of quality. Find out what the market is charging. You can still charge less than everybody else, but find the right equilibrium between quality and price.

Even if it's free, it's not always worth getting.

Next, it's important to remember that business comes and goes. Like the tides, there are low points and high points, and during these low periods, you may need to diversify and find other ways to use your expertise. If you can't write, teach! If you can't teach, publish! If you can't publish, consult! Consultants makes tons of money and they really are no more qualified than you are.

Get an accountant and get a lawyer. Sometimes there are costs to doing business. Both of these jobs are definitely necessary costs. And sometimes, they don't cost anything. These people will help you out a ton. Conversely, small business owners are always in need of accountants and lawyers. It's always a decent job market.

Back up everything. There comes a time in every man's life, when he loses literally everything he was just working on. It is the most frustrating, annoying experience one can go through, and meager steps could have prevented it. It's like locking yourself out of your house. If you had just grabbed your keys. . . The actions required to saving yourself from peril are minimal, while the consequences for not doing so are major. Back up everything.

Legally protect yourself. If you do anything creatively, get a copyright. It doesn't cost much and you have legal precedent should you find that somebody has stolen also thought of your idea. You can also join the guilds or unions. There's the WGA, the DGA, the ASC, the ACE. It's all out there, and although, they are not binding legal entities, they can at least establish a precedent for your creative work.

It's a cold, cruel word out there, but there is no more knowledge I can put on this blog. Class is over, and I am finished. I've learned a lot in writing this blog, and I've actually found I enjoy it more than I thought it would. Perhaps, I'll start my own, who knows? But, until then and until next time . . .