A reader writes:
I’m the only proprietor and member of an LLC that sells merchandise and associated companies, particularly consulting on a subject of my experience. I’ve lately realized that for an upcoming workshop I’ll be delivering, one of many co-hosts is someone who didn’t pay me prior to now for agreed upon work. I’m unsure what to anticipate, and I’m unsure what my particular query is – I suppose simply wanting for perception in tips on how to put together for no matter might occur.
The background is that in 2021, I made a session go to and a follow-up design plan for a challenge at a consumer’s dwelling. I knowledgeable the consumer up-front of the fee for every merchandise. I billed them after finishing each and giving them the design plan. They didn’t pay, I despatched the bill reminder two instances, and when it nonetheless wasn’t paid, I let it go. The complete quantity was simply over $600. This is the one expertise I’ve had with a consumer not paying. I realized a lesson from it, so I now invoice and obtain a 50% deposit for initiatives that exceed a specific amount earlier than placing additional work into a challenge.
This is not any massive deal within the grand scheme, and I hardly consider it at all anymore.
In the interval once I was coping with it, there have been instances once I was being extra beneficiant in my reflection, explaining to myself that the rationale they hadn’t paid may be as a result of they someway by no means bought the payments, or as a result of they had been experiencing monetary hardship and didn’t talk that. Being much less beneficiant, the rationale may be that they had been jerks who didn’t maintain up their facet of the transaction. Or different causes, who is aware of.
Fast ahead to the current. An area group has employed me to ship a workshop on my subject of experience. The organizer has organized 4 areas that the group will go to as a part of the workshop. Today I realized once I appeared at the workshop map that a kind of areas is the house of this consumer, and the workshop topic overlaps with the session and design work I did. The consumer will be current at the workshop.
I’m not confrontational, I’m skilled, and actually, this was behind me. I’ve thought of mentioning it to the workshop organizer – for the reason that consumer’s inclusion within the workshop confirms that the group is offering companies to them, and I may see the worth to the group to know my expertise with this consumer. I wouldn’t say something to the consumer in regards to the non-payment, however I’m anticipating some awkwardness (though possibly we’ll all hold it hidden inside) after we’re within the workshop collectively. This presumes that they’ll bear in mind me and the unpaid invoice. Maybe the awkwardness will solely be for me. I’m additionally curious to see if or how they used my design at their dwelling.
I believe you’ve bought two choices right here, and both is respectable; it simply is dependent upon what you are feeling essentially the most snug with.
The first is to talk up. I do know you mentioned this isn’t an possibility you’re contemplating, however I wish to make the case for at least desirous about it! It was one factor to determine to write down off the fee once you couldn’t get a response … however this particular person stole from you, in all probability figuring they wouldn’t ever see you once more. It’s going to take an unbelievable quantity of chutzpah for them to co-host a speak with you that’s at least partially about the work you probably did that they by no means paid for, so this might be a good time to get the bill in entrance of them once more.
To try this, you could possibly e-mail them forward of time and say one thing like, “I just saw that we’re co-hosting the Gardens of Oatsville event at your home. I’m looking forward to it. Before the event, I’m hoping you will take care of the outstanding payment for the work I did at your home in 2021. I sent several invoices in 2021 but didn’t hear back so I’m attaching the invoice again here. Thanks in advance for taking care of this.” That’s completely skilled, and also you’d be on stable floor in doing it.
It may be value mentioning it to the occasion organizer too, in case the consumer tries to misrepresent the state of affairs to them. If you wish to try this, you could possibly say, “I want to be transparent with you about a potentially awkward situation around co-hosting with Jane Valentine. Unfortunately, she never paid the bill for the work I did at her home a few years ago despite several reminders. I’m going to do one final nudge about payment now so that hopefully it’s not still outstanding when we’re discussing the work at the event. Ideally we can just take care of it with no hard feelings! But it has the potential to be a little awkward, so I wanted to mention it to you in case it comes up when she speaks to you.”
The different possibility, in fact, is to not say something and simply go to the occasion with a indifferent curiosity to see how they’ll deal with it. Will they really feel awkward? Will they apologize? Do they even bear in mind it? (What I actually wish to know is whether or not that is out of character for them they usually’ve felt ashamed of their actions this complete time — by which case they may even take this chance to apologize — or was it so par for the course for them that it received’t even register with them as An Issue after they see you?)
It seems like that’s the choice you’re leaning towards, however I hope you’ll think about the primary one. Either this particular person intentionally and knowingly ripped you off, by which case they don’t deserve the well mannered fiction that they didn’t … or it was an trustworthy oversight on their half, by which case in the event that they’re a first rate particular person they’ll be glad you informed them and genuinely desperate to make it proper. Either risk warrants talking up.
I believe I hear in your letter a sense that there’s a sure type of dignity and charm in selecting to not chase after cost in a state of affairs like this — a sure energy in writing the particular person and the misplaced cost off. And you’re not improper about that; there can be! But I’d argue there’s additionally a dignity and energy in standing up for what you’re owed for your labor, and in calmly and steadily asserting what you’re due.
