Protect your business idea while hiring freelancers

You are an entrepreneur and have a great business idea. You need freelancers to execute this idea and make it happen. You might need developers, writers, designers any other experts. But you would certainly be suspicious about your idea not being misused in any way.

It is almost impossible to make freelancers deliver the exact work without sharing clear requirements and knowhows of how things are supposes to work. Being suspicious of idea being misused is a natural feeling but you can make sure it is safe by following these advices:

1.Don’t mention in the job description

Anyone who reads your job description is not bound not to get inspired or copy the idea you have. So don’t put the basic idea in job description. Mention your requirements in the description. For example, mention you want to develop a tool using <technologies> and <skills> but avoid mentioning what tasks this tool and what exactly you want to do with this tool.

By doing this freelancers would know what are your requirements in the work but wouldn’t know your big idea.

2. Legal protection

You can mention in the description that the selected freelancer would need to sign non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and other legal documents that you think are necessary.

Once you shortlist a freelancer, get him a contract along with the legal documents you want him to sign. Once signed and submitted, you can then share all the details without being suspicious.

Except NDA, other legal documents could be non-compete agreement, work for hire agreement, and a contract. You can also add other documents which you think are necessary.

3. Screening

By simply checking their profiles you would get a little glimpse of the character of freelancer. Check every profile you got proposal from and then screen them with little interview. Select the one(or more) who meets your requirements and ready to sign the legal documents you want.

4. Visibility

You can choose your project to be highly, average or low visible to the freelancers. And you can also approach them without mentioning all the details in the project. Try the one that suits you most.

5. Reviews and Feedbacks

The best way to make sure whom you are working with. Check all the profiles and read feedbacks and reviews in their profiles. Most of the times, you would know beforehand that the freelancer would be good for you or not.

Bottom Line: Trust

There is saying that ‘trust made god to create humans and trust made humans to create society’.

Bottom line is eventually you need to trust your team with all your heart. Being careful is good but being suspicious all the time is bad. End of the day your team can make or break your big business idea.

Last Modified: Mar 18, 2017