The Art of Subcontracting

If you missed our meeting on “The Art of Subcontracting,” no need to worry. We have notes for you from our speakers Dana Marruffo & LuAnn Glowacz. In fact, from now on you can find a summary of each Freelance Austin monthly meeting here on our blog!

The Art of Subcontracting: Advice from Dana Marruffo & LuAnn Glowacz

June 11, 2014

Hire a Subcontractor to:

Help You Do What You Do (But More of It)
Provide Expertise/Services You Don’t (Widen Your Breadth of Services)

Great Subcontractors:

Carry Out Another’s Vision/Strategy
Are the Grease in the Wheel
Are Discreet With Clients
Are Highly Intuitive and Adaptable
Can Provide Enthusiastically Happy References

How to Subcontract Like a Champ:

Be Clear (About What You Do & Don’t Do)
Make Friends (With EVERYONE – Inside and Outside Your Field)
Talk Money (Agree in Writing: Your Rates, Who/When You’ll Invoice, and Scope of Work)
Learn IRS Rules and Regulations to Avoid Employee Misclassification
Maintain a Reliable, Consistent Process
Don’t Put All Your Eggs into One Basket (Diversify Your Client Load)

Keep in Mind (as a Subcontractor):

YOU Are Not Top Dog – You Are There to Make Your Contractor Look Good
Your Quality of Work is Everything. Don’t Expect Your Contractor to “Fix It”
Do What You Were Hired to Do – Nothing More, Nothing Less
You’re Not Locked Into One Rate for Everyone, Forever. Ask Your Contractors to Check With You First Before Assuming Your Rate on a Proposal or Renewed Contract
Subcontracting Your Subcontracted Work is Possible, But Be Honest With Your Contractor

Before Working With a Subcontractor:

Articulate Your/You Client’s Needs and Expectations
Have a Subcontractor Agreement in Place and Ready to Sign
Get a W9 From Your Subcontractor (During Tax Time, Issue a 1099 if $600 or More is Paid)
Be Sure Your Subcontractor Has Other Clients (Not Solely Dependent on You for Work), Minimize Amount of Time They Work Onsite, Etc. to Avoid Employee Misclassification
Be Open to the New Ideas and Fresh Best Practices the Subcontractor Brings to the Table

What are your tips and tricks for subcontracting? Tell us below.

Here is the handout from the meeting: The Art of Subcontracting Freelance Austin presentation notes June 2014

(Post originally contributed by Freelance Austin member Chloe Scheller.)