GatewayRedbirds.com

I have been working on this project for my side business and I decided to farm out some help. Several months back I started looking for someone who could turn a physical model that I had built, into a 3d model that could be laser cut, so we could then weld it together, paint, etc. I've spent the last few months 3d designing the details of the project while this person would do the main frame and other sheet metal design. I found someone who had a good reputation and said they could do it. I specifically asked if it could be done by Sept 4th. This was back in June when I started this. I just wanted it in hand before we start harvest on Tuesday. He said no problem, it's a quick and easy project. I hadn't heard anything from him for a good six weeks so I shot him a message asking the status, he said he was about to start working on it. Then last weekend I still hadn't heard much so I sent another message. He said he was about done. So today one more message, because our agreed upon deadline is tomorrow. He said "sorry man, I'm just not going to be able to do it." I ask if he started and he said no, literally had done nothing.

This puts me hugely in a bind because basically this businesses focus for all of 2021 was going to be producing these models. The hot season for this business is February though June. Now I do not have my big new exciting product launch at the first trade show of the year in February. Kind of super pissed right now, but basically don't have any recourse and I'm not sure how to go forward. This was going to be a pretty major pivot for my company, one which I had hoped would set up maybe the next 5-10 years of production. It's not that I can't start the whole process of finding a new designer over, but it means now launching in 2022 and it means 2021 is likely going to be a down year business wise without that big new product.

Sorry to hear, Ima.

My general rule of thumb is if I don't hear from people, they're not working on it. Inevitably, questions will arise and if I don't get those questions, it just means they're not doing any work.

That said, if I had to guess based on what you said, it sounds like this guy can do the work, never looked at it until the last second and only then realized how much work it was and decided instead of owning up to where he was and facing an irritated and disgruntled client just decided to cut ties and not dealing with that. You may, possibly, be able to go back to him and say look, this is where I'm at, I need this done quickly and if there's anything I can do I will. I'd still like you to do it, but I need an honest no bull [expletive] assessment of how long it would take.

Hopefully you left yourself a little wiggle room in the final date it was needed and can use that cushion here. It sucks for you because you lose all your cushion immediately. But, it sounds like that is your only way forward.

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote: ↑

September 4 20, 9:36 am

Sorry to hear, Ima.

My general rule of thumb is if I don't hear from people, they're not working on it. Inevitably, questions will arise and if I don't get those questions, it just means they're not doing any work.

That said, if I had to guess based on what you said, it sounds like this guy can do the work, never looked at it until the last second and only then realized how much work it was and decided instead of owning up to where he was and facing an irritated and disgruntled client just decided to cut ties and not dealing with that. You may, possibly, be able to go back to him and say look, this is where I'm at, I need this done quickly and if there's anything I can do I will. I'd still like you to do it, but I need an honest no bull [expletive] assessment of how long it would take.

Hopefully you left yourself a little wiggle room in the final date it was needed and can use that cushion here. It sucks for you because you lose all your cushion immediately. But, it sounds like that is your only way forward.

I feel like that might be what happened too. I basically do have some wiggle room, I have all of harvest. So probably 8-10 weeks. That's assuming I find someone else to do the design work. The right guy still may be able to knock it out while I'm harvesting. We will see. I hate to do that to someone because I know how delays can go. I like to be chill with people and not "hey I really need this done." If I have to end up doing the design myself I don't see how it can be done in time simply because I have other projects that also need my attention. I'm feeling better about it today for sure. More of a well that sucked but let's just figure out how to power through thing.

Update. After searching the world over, literally I found someone in Pakistan to do this project. He sent me the first renderings today and it's pretty on point. If he can have this done in a couple weeks there is a chance this still is on track.

Pakistan!?! Wow! That's pretty incredible!