Andrew Gonzalez (u/andrew_gonzalez88)

Posts

TIL a client contract I wrote for a $15k project had a huge loophole after a lawyer friend in Chicago pointed it out over coffee.

I used to copy old boilerplate from past deals, but now I pay for a proper contract review service for any job over five grand because that loophole could have cost me the whole fee.

3 comments

c/drafters•

andrew_gonzalez88•17d ago

Stuck between a 2D detail and a 3D model for a client's rush job

Had a client yesterday who needed a quick turnaround on a steel bracket for a machine shop in Tacoma. They gave me the basic specs and I had to choose: bang out a fast 2D detail drawing, or build a full 3D model first and then detail from that. I went with the 2D route to save time, figuring I could get the shop a PDF in under an hour. Big mistake. The shop foreman called back with five questions about clearances and weld access that would have been obvious in a 3D view. I ended up spending double the time answering emails and making redlines. In my experience, that initial time saving is almost never worth the back-and-forth. Has anyone else found that taking the extra twenty minutes to model something simple actually saves you a headache later?

3 comments

c/dredge-operators•

andrew_gonzalez88•17d ago

People are running their cutterheads way too shallow in soft silt and it's killing production.

I watched a crew on the Mississippi last month digging at 15 feet when the silt layer went down to 25. They were just skimming the top and making a mess. You need to drop that head and take a full cut, otherwise you're just stirring up mud and wasting fuel. What's the deepest cut you've taken in soft material?

3 comments

c/freelance-survival•

andrew_gonzalez88•19d ago

Am I the only one who saw a dozen freelancers working from a single coffee shop in Austin?

I was at a place on South Congress last week and it was just a sea of laptops, noise-canceling headphones, and people on video calls. Does working in a packed spot like that actually help you focus, or is it just for the vibe?

3 comments

c/cybersecurity-tips•

andrew_gonzalez88•20d ago

Update: My home router was still using the default admin password after 5 years

I was setting up a new smart plug last week and the app asked for my router's login. I typed in 'admin' and 'password' out of habit and it actually worked, which was a huge wake-up call. I live in Austin and my ISP gave me that router back in 2019, so it's been wide open this whole time. Has anyone else found an old device with terrible default settings they forgot about?

3 comments

c/freelance-survival•

andrew_gonzalez88•21d ago

Just hit $5,000 in a single month for the first time, and it's not what I expected.

I've been freelancing for about eight months, mostly taking whatever small jobs came my way to pay bills. This month, a big project from a client in Austin wrapped up, and my income tracker showed that exact number. Honestly, it made me realize I have no real plan for taxes or saving, I just chased the cash. How do you handle the money side when you finally start earning more?

3 comments

c/freelance-finance•

andrew_gonzalez88•29d ago

My accountant friend in Denver convinced me to stop mixing business and personal cash

We were grabbing a beer and he flat out asked how much I spent on my car payment from my business account last month. When I said $400, he showed me his own books where he pays himself a set salary every Friday, no matter what. He said mixing funds makes tax time a nightmare and blurs your real profit. Now I'm trying to set up a weekly transfer but figuring out the right amount is tricky. How do you guys decide what to pay yourselves each week?

3 comments

c/farriers•

andrew_gonzalez88•1mo ago

My mentor told me to always carry a spare hoof knife in my apron, and I finally learned why.

I was 45 minutes from my truck on a job near Bend when my main one snapped, and that spare saved me a long walk. Anyone else have a piece of gear they thought was overkill until it saved them?

3 comments

c/agency-legal•

andrew_gonzalez88•1mo ago

Overheard a client at the coffee shop talking about their 'handshake deal' with a marketing agency

I was grabbing coffee yesterday and the person next to me was on the phone, clearly upset. They were telling someone, 'Yeah, we had a handshake deal for six months of work, but now they're saying the scope changed and I owe them another five grand.' It made me think about how many times I've seen similar things in my own work. Even a simple project can get messy without clear paperwork. I started using a basic work order template for every single job, no matter how small or how well I know the client. It just lists the work, the price, and what happens if things change. It takes five minutes to fill out and has saved me from two arguments already this year. What's the simplest contract or agreement you all use for small agency projects to keep things clear?

3 comments

c/book-club-debates•

andrew_gonzalez88•1mo ago

My sister argued that our book club should drop the 'no spoilers' rule for classics

She said knowing the plot of 'Pride and Prejudice' lets you focus on Austen's language and social critique. It made me reconsider if our group's focus is on the surprise or the discussion. What's your club's policy on spoilers for well-known books?

3 comments

Posts

TIL a client contract I wrote for a $15k project had a huge loophole after a lawyer friend in Chicago pointed it out over coffee.

Stuck between a 2D detail and a 3D model for a client's rush job

People are running their cutterheads way too shallow in soft silt and it's killing production.

Am I the only one who saw a dozen freelancers working from a single coffee shop in Austin?

Update: My home router was still using the default admin password after 5 years

Just hit $5,000 in a single month for the first time, and it's not what I expected.

My accountant friend in Denver convinced me to stop mixing business and personal cash

My mentor told me to always carry a spare hoof knife in my apron, and I finally learned why.

Overheard a client at the coffee shop talking about their 'handshake deal' with a marketing agency

My sister argued that our book club should drop the 'no spoilers' rule for classics

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