I will not names in this post for two reasons. Its primarily due to the fact that I initiated an Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) on this particular project and secondarily, because I only mention products, brands and services I would actually use. This was back in the days when Robot in the Woods had a real mission: To publish robot art and fiction in a book form. I had hired 5 science fiction authors to write their interpretations of a robot in the woods (and why it is there in the first place). I sought to be a publisher, not a writer. I still have some faith in my build-a-book project, but incorporatization is required to legally sort out any royalties owed to the crowd of participant.

Anyway, while I was in this silly mode of hiring people off a trusted and popular freelance aggregation site, I decided to comission a market study. The actual name, as recorded in the employer message boards, was: “An Independent Assessment of the Y-YYYY Industry.” I wanted a 20-30 page pamphlet-like, science-y economic analysis as written by an expert.

So, Mexico-Man convinces me to take this project in another direction, rather than keeping the results to myself while making money on the project. This required significantly more work, time and money for marketing. I can comment on his marketing strategy without revealing details from the stupid NDA I signed. He basically told me he was going to collect lots of random emails and send out a bulk e-mail. Spam makes me queasy and paying for spam makes me queasier. This feels like a spam operation. Even if it does make me money; it seems illicit and wrong. However, it is money to support my Geography PhD school dreams, but the money is greasy with SPAM juice.

Here’s the thing. The product itself is not that bad. The artwork looks professional. And since this project as an authentic assessment of the industry, some of that information did make it into the product. The guy seems real and has me convinced that we can make a great deal of money off this project.

While all this is going on, he lured me out of the system and then costs keep piling up. And then makes me feel like crap when I try to clarify. Kind of like a used car salesman. Huffy and insulted, requiring appeasement from the customer. Finally, he gave me a cost estimate for the entire project, something I have been asking for since April. Yet, it seems strange that he has completed so many projects and doing this repeatedly, he would have a better sense for the costs of these projects.

Given our current contractual obligations, beyond the NDA, at a popular and trusted freelance site, three options are present:

1. Amend Project Plan to submit a counter on from Gmail, based on the actual contractual specifications in the project plan, xx% of the gross revenue for the actual amount specified, minus contribution for what has been paid $xxx. (I wrote the agreement and he did not contradict me at any point.)

2. See it through, keep track of it, research the guy, and toy with him if he shows signs of a crooked spammer.

3. Approach the popular and trusted freelance site for conflict resolution.

4. Trust the guy as he has a vested interest in maintaining his good standing with the popular and trusted freelance site.

Anyway, I hope to use the freelance site more. I had some hopes of making lots of money on the Internet, but I want to do it more like Seth Godin. Authentic. Real. Quality. These are not the qualities of this product and his only leverage at this point is to release it to embarrass me.

How do I free myself from this contract with the devil 1.0?