Get paid in web3

So how does one go about getting paid in web3? I have often seen twitter drama escalate to huge levels due to payment. I have also had my fair share of issues over payments however I have learnt to put in measures to safeguard myself. Last year I had payment issues more times than I like to discuss, however in all cases I had safeguards to make sure that either whoever I was providing services to couldn’t monetise what I was providing (art and designs mostly) or to use some of the template strategies I have built.

Recently I read about Basel Vs Fify.eth when an agreement between the two of them went bad. You can read the claims from Basel here:

Fity has not posted an individual thread about these claims, but they have mutually agreed to take things offline to resolve their differences. It is difficult to judge claims in most cases as they are usually baseless, meaning a lack of evidence, and usually escalate more so into name calling. It is important to track agreements in writing. Email confirmations also work for confirming services and payment. Follow-ups with confirmations are very important.

Before we get into safeguards for getting paid, I have been asked a few times what you can do in web3 for unskilled work. Many jobs you can learn from being someone’s apprentice or gaining some credentials through courses. Courses can cost money but is worth it in the long run to gain certificates as proof of what you have learnt.

For courses, I would focus on the following:

1. Copywriting*

2. Marketing*

3. Art & Graphic Design*

4. UI/UX Designer*

5. Developer

6. Finance

*I will cover each of these separately; excluding the last 2 which I will get a guest writers to cover; which I am hoping to cover as courses in the future. Priority will be given to my subscribers and supporters. The intention is also to run courses for people wanting to learn and I am also exploring how to get the courses registered so its validated with a certificate at the end. I am still in talks with various providers to streamline the process but this will form part of an associated brand.

More on this in the future. Subscribers will be the first to know and here is a sneakpeak of a proposed school 👇

Finding Jobs

There are also many posts and threads by prominent individuals for current jobs. I like Alex is building’s posts on high level opportunities but if there are other reliable resources I will start to collate and provide for subscribers.

Lastly before we cover safeguards. Never work for free - people are using you and you will never get anything out of it. I have seen this happen in gaming for content creators and not once ended up well. Everyone should get paid. You are not a slave and it will not actually get you anywhere. Working directly for a content creator you are not going to earn experience the way you would working for an established marketing company. It’s important to learn the right skills and have the right experience. The number of bad habits I have seen from self-taught individuals is shocking and actually 999 times out of 1000 times that project fails because its habits that have been carried through from legacy tactics and not learning. There is a difference.

If its work experience you want limit it to 2 weeks agreeing with your manage to get a reference at the end of it. This way its 2 weeks of your free time where you can gain experience.

Safeguards of getting paid

Having a legal contract is the ideal way to ensure payment and protect both parties involved in a project, if there's no contract in place, you can still take certain measures to increase the likelihood of getting paid. I have experience in my field of expertise for writing contracts however I do believe that contracts are very similar and its possible to draft up an agreement in principal. There are also legal representatives that are happy to write up a contract for a small fee. Make sure the agreement includes the bare minimum:

1. Name of both parties

2. Period and timeframe

3. Sums of moneys

4. Description of services to be provided.

If you agree to getting a number of NFTs make sure that the criteria is covered also. I.e. Will receive 20 NFTs however not able to sell for 180days. This is actually very important as apart from ethics there is no reason then for someone to floor the NFTs as soon as they receive them. NFTs however from experience should be avoided as payment as far as possible.

Web3 is still very fresh so a legal contract is rare. It is concerning but as the space becomes more established then i believe there will be more common in the space. I will be exploring contracts in the next few weeks and pool some resources for reference however from my experience contracts can hinder your opportunity as founders are inexperienced in using them yet. Therefore here are a few good considerations to help getting payment without a signed document contract:

1. Clear Communication:

   Maintain open and clear communication with the employer from the beginning of the project. Discuss the terms, scope, and payment expectations explicitly, whether it's through emails, messages, or any written documentation.

2. Set Expectations:

   Be upfront about your payment terms and expectations, including the payment schedule, preferred method of payment, and any penalties for late payments.

3. Invoice Promptly:

   Send out detailed and professional invoices as soon as milestones or the project is completed. Clearly state the amount due, payment methods, and the payment due date. It is actually really easy to get invoicing templates. Also emphasis on the payment due date usually allow 7days as a minimum and make sure to make this clear.

4. Follow Up:

   If the payment deadline passes, gently remind the employer about the outstanding invoice through polite emails, phone calls or social media direct messaging. Sometimes, employers may simply forget to make the payment. Remember they sometimes have multiple tasks to handle.

5. Offer Payment Options:

   Make it convenient for the client to pay by providing various payment options, such as bank transfer, PayPal or crypto. From experience in web3 its good to get use a crypto as its easy to publicly track this if things do go wrong.

6. Partial Payments or Deposits:

   If the project is substantial, consider requesting a partial payment upfront or a deposit before starting the work. This helps to establish trust and commitment from the client's side. It could be that you can use a trusted entity to hold onto the funds as a deposit to be released at a stage agreed and on condition.

7. References and Testimonials:

   Ask the employer for references or testimonials from previous projects they've worked on to gain insight into their reliability.

8. Research the Employer and the Project:

   Prior to starting the project, research the employer's background and reputation, if possible. This can help you assess their likelihood of making timely payments.

9. Maintain a Professional Approach:

   Throughout the project, maintain a professional attitude and deliver high-quality work. This will enhance your credibility and make it more likely for the client to value your work and pay accordingly.

10. Escalate if Necessary:

    If all attempts to obtain payment fail, consider escalating the matter. This may involve seeking advice from legal professionals or posting a review on socials and warnings about non-payment on public platforms. This usually works to get individuals back to the table or at least exposes them for the future.

Remember, while these approaches can help improve your chances of getting paid, having a formal written contract is always the best way to protect your interests in any business arrangement. It is highly recommended to use contracts for significant projects or when working with new employers to avoid potential issues.

Keep Exploring and Learning,

Chewie (Chewie On This) ✏️

100% written by human

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Spit it out! 🤮🤮 

I am actually not a fan of working for free. I understand gaining experience is important and of course its circumstantial but just think if someone is not rewarding you then you are just giving them something for free. Even the artist who was commissioned to paint Facebook’s offices was not paid but was given shares to the company. Those shares in 2015 were worth $200 million. Get something back.