The $60 contract template that bit me back on my first retainer

Grabbed a generic contract off a template site for my first monthly gig. Big mistake. It had no kill fee clause, so when the client ghosted after 3 weeks, I ate the loss. Lost $450 in work and got paid for one invoice. Now I pay a lawyer $200 to tailor one, worth every cent. Anyone else get burned by a free template? What clause did you miss?

1 comments

1 Comment

emma_jones13d ago

My buddy grabbed a free fitness trainer contract once and missed the part about client cancellations. Client bailed mid-month and he was stuck chasing them for cash for like six weeks. He still jokes that the template cost him way more than a lawyer would have.