Re:Ask HN: Clients are gone, lots of debt, what would you do?
by zaidf on Monday December 01, 2008 @08:49PM
(#382473)
"I like my word and my signature on a contract to mean something, if only because that has value in future negotiations"
Hey, now you are implying that my signature on a contract does not mean anything and that, that is how I prefer to run things. We are talking about ONE certain contract...and in this case, it involves a month-to-month contract.
As for negotiating earlier, again, you sound like you are reading from a college textbook. Nothing wrong with it, but I run a start-up and things are not usually as perfect as books may make it seem. ie. We did just as aggressive negotiation at the time of signing up and got the best deal in the market at the time. Also note that at the time the server was given to us, the host had put in money that they had yet to recover. When we went back to renegotiate, that cost had been recovered.
"Why sign a contract and then renege six months in?"
Usually because some unexpected variables change. Happens all the time, especially in a start-up. And right now, in this economy, even more so!
Lastly, your point that you should negotiate just as aggressively at the beginning is well taken. However, doing that and re-negotiating to get the best deal at all times are not mutually exclusive.
Hey, now you are implying that my signature on a contract does not mean anything and that, that is how I prefer to run things. We are talking about ONE certain contract...and in this case, it involves a month-to-month contract.
As for negotiating earlier, again, you sound like you are reading from a college textbook. Nothing wrong with it, but I run a start-up and things are not usually as perfect as books may make it seem. ie. We did just as aggressive negotiation at the time of signing up and got the best deal in the market at the time. Also note that at the time the server was given to us, the host had put in money that they had yet to recover. When we went back to renegotiate, that cost had been recovered.
"Why sign a contract and then renege six months in?"
Usually because some unexpected variables change. Happens all the time, especially in a start-up. And right now, in this economy, even more so!
Lastly, your point that you should negotiate just as aggressively at the beginning is well taken. However, doing that and re-negotiating to get the best deal at all times are not mutually exclusive.