The Truth About Corporate Payment Terms for Freelancers

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Getting paid as a creative freelancer isn’t as simple as sending an invoice. The "payment terms" you'll get given by clients also don't always tell you the whole story about when you'll REALLY get paid!

Get personalised coaching on presenting, public speaking and more here: https://www.nickdelaforce.com/creativesupport
Sign up for my Creative Sparks email updates here: https://www.nickdelaforce.com/sparks

So In this video, I talk honestly about How To Make Sure A Client Pays You, How payment structures really work in most organisations AND how they often feel designed to delay paying you! I share the ways of working and real-life approaches I use to mitigate the effects of this I’ve figured out over years of working across Agencies, on-my-own and client-side in the UK, Europe, and Australia.

This isn’t about scaring you, corporate work can be very fun (despite its reputation) and very lucrative and I'm not trying to sell you a contract template. It’s about helping you understand the power dynamics, to protect your work, and get paid with less stress and more clarity.

If you've ever struggled with asking for money, chasing late payments, or feeling like you can’t enforce your own boundaries — this one’s for you.

This Video is part of my Business of Creativity Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX5x5wwDvq1C6RHxMZ-M1iYHVyvZZIF0A
Sign up for my Creative Sparks email updates here: https://www.nickdelaforce.com/sparks

00:00 Clients Use You Like a Credit Card
02:30 Why Contracts Don’t Always Protect You
04:30 How Big Companies Work
05:35 The Hidden Problem with Payment Terms
07:47 The bureaucratic delays
09:26 Your Fancy Contract Template Means Nothing. Sorry.
13:26 Ways to Protect Yourself
16:52 Advice for Beginners
17:48 Work with your Client Contact
18:29 The reality for the corporate employees themselves
19:47 It needs to be fixed
20:15 Last Bit of Advice

Get an awesome shirt, poster or print here: https://nick-de-la-force-shop.fourthwall.com
#freelance #creativebusiness #gettingpaid #moneytalk #creativebusiness #smallbusiness #delayedpayments

My website: https://www.nickdelaforce.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickdlf/
For Youtube Business Enquiries email: business@nickdelaforce.com
My Video Agency is: https://www.vidzero.co.uk/

Gear I use for YouTube:

Main Camera: Sony A7IV Camera - https://amzn.to/3C49dQ2
Secondary Camera + Audio Setup: DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo - https://amzn.to/4cuBz63
Wireless Microphone: Rode Wireless Go II - https://amzn.to/3SS9ufD
Wide Zoom Lens: Tamron 17-28mm F2.8 - https://amzn.to/3fIPyxC
Standard Zoom Lens: Sony FE 24-70 GM f2.8 - https://amzn.to/3SxWRGP
Helios 44M 58mm F2 (M42 Mount) - Search you local 2nd hand sellers
M42 Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter - https://amzn.to/4cgEKPA

FYI, if you use the links above I'll get a small commission from Amazon that will help me create more content for this channel!

Music from Audiio.com - Get 70% off your first year of Audiio Pro here: https://ref.audiio.com/4a9b99af

About Me: I’m a co-founder of video agency Vidzero.co.uk and Multi-disciplinary creative, film geek, pizza enthusiast, and tired dad. I'm on a mission to help others unlock their unique flavour of creativity, find inspiration, and be creative in whatever they do.

DE LA FORCE Creative

The Truth About Corporate Payment Terms for Freelancers