Contract for Startup - "enabler"

[xtrail]

If they have no business without you then where are your shares?

If the business is worth a punt you could even offer to pay for them.
The rest of it is just jam tomorrow (Google it).

Thanks I came to the same conclusion just jam tomorrow

[Lance]

If they have no business without you then where are your shares?

If the business is worth a punt you could even offer to pay for them.
The rest of it is just jam tomorrow (Google it).

[GigiBronz]

if the other party has not had experience with dealing with external resources. fairly accustomed with challenges of delivering a sw related product. I would say a big NO.

[xtrail]

What are the restrictions on your qualifications? With Microsoft all certifications can be used by a single partner only when attached to the partner's account - so by helping them out you are potentially losing a lot.

Now there are multiple things to look at here:-

1) how can you be independent when the entire business requires you and your certificate - that would be an interesting IR35 case.
2) what happens when they decide they don't need you.
3) what happens if a better offer comes along elsewhere.

Personally I wouldn't be taking it mind you I also wouldn't be offering such a bad deal - if they really need you it needs to be a partnership (remember without you they can't exist) and that clearly isn't what they want to offer so everything has already started badly.

A local firm tried to organise a similar deal with me earlier this year - my instant reaction is what do you bring to the party that I don't have - and I'm now adopting the more sensible approach of filling in those gaps myself.

Many thanks I've think you've consolidated my thoughts in a succinct way.

The qualifications can be switched however, consultancies have 6 months to find replacement person to maintain partner status with the vendor.

At present they are not bringing anything to the table other than a potential promise of some future work. I did wonder about IR35 that this could cause issues.
If they don't need me they would have to find a replacement with same certs. At the moment if a better offer comes along for me I can assign my certifications to the new partner.

I think they want my certifications rather than me so clearly not a partnership. I'm moving towards ditching it.

[eek]

What are the restrictions on your qualifications? With Microsoft all certifications can be used by a single partner only when attached to the partner's account - so by helping them out you are potentially losing a lot.

Now there are multiple things to look at here:-

1) how can you be independent when the entire business requires you and your certificate - that would be an interesting IR35 case.
2) what happens when they decide they don't need you.
3) what happens if a better offer comes along elsewhere.

Personally I wouldn't be taking it mind you I also wouldn't be offering such a bad deal - if they really need you it needs to be a partnership (remember without you they can't exist) and that clearly isn't what they want to offer so everything has already started badly.

A local firm tried to organise a similar deal with me earlier this year - my instant reaction is what do you bring to the party that I don't have - and I'm now adopting the more sensible approach of filling in those gaps myself.

[xtrail]

Do you have any other offers on the table?

No advice regarding negotiation, but I would advise getting the contract looked at before you sign, in case there are any 'gotchas'/lock-ins. And make it a definite duration so that you can renegotiate if it does work out.

Thanks. Yes I've had the contract reviewed. At the moment the contract states that I can be terminated immediately with no schedule of works so I was looking at either getting this changed or rejecting.

[cojak]

Do you have any other offers on the table?

No advice regarding negotiation, but I would advise getting the contract looked at before you sign, in case there are any 'gotchas'/lock-ins. And make it a definite duration so that you can renegotiate if it does work out.

[xtrail]

Hi

Just after thoughts around contract negotiations.

I'm in a unique situation where new startup i.e. 1 man and his dog requires an IT professional services consultant in order to "enable" the new startup to become registered as a partner.

There are very few IT people on the market that have the vendor qualifications.

The new startup is offering only several days a week work until the consultancy has proved that they can deliver. Once the initial proof of concept has been delivered in several months time there is a potential promise of substantial contract work.

Interested in ideas around negotiating around a contract. At the moment the new startup is not offering much and actually offering much less than a normal contract. Would you bother?
The IT professional services qualifications cost 20k plus to obtain.