Whether you are a blogger, StartUp founder, vlogger, podcaster, online or brick-and-mortar small business owner, you will inevitably hire someone to do some work for you that you cannot do yourself.
When this work involves things like designing a logo, building a website, producing a video, film or commercial or some other creative craft, you cannot assume that the work you pay for is owned by you.
You will need to sign an agreement to ensure the consultant or independent contractor you hired to do the work and you are on the same page as to who owns the intellectual property rights. An agreement is imperative for both parties to sign to ensure yours and your contractors’ interests are protected.
This agreement should be signed before any work starts, but can start after initial consultation and estimates are drawn and it covers:
- A timeline for the project
- A detailed work schedule
- Project milestones
- Terms of payment
It does not have to be anything fancy. If you have an attorney on retainer or available, he or she can draft one up. Also, there are a few free ones online. I sell a template for just $7 on my ETSY shop which you can download TODAY and keep in your files for the future!
Jay Jay Ghatt is also editor at Techyaya.com, founder of the JayJayGhatt.com and JayJayGhatt.com where she teaches online creators how to navigate digital entrepreneurship and offers Do-It-For-You Blogging Service. She manages her lifestyle sites BellyitchBlog, Jenebaspeaks and JJBraids.com and is the founder of BlackWomenTech.com 200 Black Women in Tech On Twitter. Her biz podcast 10 Minute Podcast is available on iTunes and Player.fm. Follow her on Twitter at @Jenebaspeaks. Buy her templates over at her legal and business templates on Etsy shop!
