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Being Pimped Out
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Many years ago when I was working as a commissioned salesman, I ALWAYS “spiffed” anyone that gave me a lead that turned into real money.
The more money I made from the deal, the bigger the “spiff.”
By doing this, I was never without a ready pool of agents (conspirators?) who kept their eyes and ears open for anything that might be in my market.
When they started giving me the leads, every one of them would say “Oh no, you needn’t give me anything,” when I mentioned that I was going to give them a piece of anything I made on the deal.
But, you know what?
No one ever sent the check back and no one ever failed to cash the check.
Me, I would NEVER fail to spiff anyone who brought me a job or a client that made me money.
Your mileage may vary, guys and girls — but I never varied on this point. ;o)
Best regards,
Ron Lindeboom
CEO, CreativeCOW.netCreativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
– Antoine de Saint ExupéryFirst they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
– GandhiBetter is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with the poor spirits who neither enjoy much, nor suffer much because they live in a gray twilight that knows no victory or defeat. – Theodore Roosevelt
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Yes, it was outside of the normal hours, and I was using my own gear.
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[grinner hester] “You’d have to wear nice breeches”
Breeches??? Really?? Breeches?? I think you meant britches which is the more common spelling and usually refers to trousers or pants in casual conversation. Breeches on the other hand are no longer worn accept by some equestrians or those engaging in period acting as breeches fall just below the knee. Honestly Grinner, if he wore breeches to work, not paying his bosses a cut of some freelance work would be the least of his worries. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that!!
and to anyone who might misconstrue this post, it was meant as nonsense only due to a very long shoot yesterday and a severe lack of sleep last night….must…..sleep…..now……..
Mick Haensler
Higher Ground Media -
[David Roth Weiss] “On the other hand, if you just bite your lip, and do this one job, you have just bought yourself the ability to raise this very issue with your employer anytime you want to bring it up in the future. And, you will have the moral high ground when you do.”
I’d have to agree here.
While it probably isn’t identical treatment to how the company would handle freelancers (or is it? Do you know for a fact that your boss would simply refer work to a freelancer for no consideration at all?), it’s an opportunity to make a little money, help out your employer, and thereby bring up the compensation issue next time as an ally instead of an adversary, which will also have an impact on your daily job.
Now…that being said, your employer is masking the fact that you work for them to this client, or they’re playing games with employment taxes as he’s (or she’s) having you bill this party directly instead of billing them through the company. This is likely because it can be very difficult for tax accounting purposes to sell the idea that an employee is also a freelancer.
I’d make sure that you get all the information to issue a 1099 at the end of the year, otherwise you have to pay the income taxes on their ‘cut.’ You might see some thinking on their part when you very courteously and matter-of-factly approach them regarding this very standard business arrangement.
TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions, -
sleep, son.
Texas boys know how to spell breeches.
lol
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right or wrong doesn’t matter, Just do the gig and give them their cut.
BUT remember these are the kind of people you work for. It’s up to you if you want to work somewhere else or not.
Scott Cumbo
Editor
Broadway Video, NYC -
Harry writes –
“so my employers asked me if I’d be willing to shoot the event. It was arranged that the client would pay me directly as a vendor”REPLY –
in 1978, I worked for General Camera, the Panavision Rep in New York City. Owned by Dick Debona, and Milt Keslow –“look this is Milt’s son – https://www.keslowcamera.com/”
Anyway, I was on staff making my salary in 1978 at 24 years old, and they would book me on feature film shoots as the video tech, for specialty Panavision video equipment – and they would charge NINETY DOLLARS AN HOUR for me in 1978, while I stood there FOR FREE (no overtime, no compensation, not even for parking my car at the location) on a Friday night, while they were at home, having dinner on my labor, while all the other film crew freelancers were charging insane rates, doing their jobs as grips, gaffers, video assists, and everything else, working overtime on a Friday night, while I got NOTHING – ZERO. It’s inspiration like this that made me go freelance. Be happy you get some money.
Bob Zelin
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[Bob Zelin] “and they would charge NINETY DOLLARS AN HOUR for me in 1978, while I stood there FOR FREE (no overtime, no compensation, not even for parking my car at the location) on a Friday night, while they were at home, having dinner on my labor, while all the other film crew freelancers were charging insane rates, doing their jobs as grips, gaffers, video assists, and everything else, working overtime on a Friday night, while I got NOTHING – ZERO.”
Maybe they were just trying to piss you off so you’d quit without them having to fire you. Looks like it worked!!
Mick Haensler
Higher Ground Media -
They’re not paying me anything. The client is paying me directly.
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Like I said earlier, the client is paying me directly. If my bosses were paying me directly it would be a different story. My money is my money as far as I’m concerend. If they wanted a cut, they should have been the ones to pay me. I don’t understand why my employer opted to have the client pay me directly. There is no contract in place. They can fire me over this is if they wish, but I’d be seeing them in court if that were the case.
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