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Freelancer / Entrepreneurial Contracts & Templates

Tim Marting

Updated: Apr 28, 2022

Hi there! Are you a freelancer, contractor, startup, entrepreneur, or maybe all of them wrapped up in one? I'm assuming the answer is yes, considering you've found your way to this resource. I'm also going to dare to assume that you're needing to find a resource that helps protect yourself via contract templates made specifically for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and startups? Are you potentially interested in automating or simplifying your marketing, payments system, accounting, tax documents, contracts, and/or invoices? There's never enough time and it's never easy. Sales pitches aside, Bonsai is a tool you should seriously consider if you're perfecting your art, side hustle, small business, or freelancing work and find you don't have the time and organization you thought you'd have.



Bonsai Logo with green letters


One thing that many freelancers, entrepreneurs, and contractors eventually come to realize, is that they're needing to protect themselves legally and it's actually quite important, but often complex. If you're creating IP and feel like you've been taken advantage of, or maybe you just feel that your last job didn't go as you had anticipated or expected. This is where organization and well, honestly, a lawyer would help.


However, you're here though because you are among the many individuals out there who can't afford the cost of a lawyer for "simple" things like contracts. Even if it's as simple as a contract that stipulates the terms of your agreement, it's worthless unless it can hold up in court. While places like Upwork or Freelancer will usually be there to act as the middleman for you, once you've launched out on your own you need to make sure to protect yourself and take responsibility for your business and services.


It doesn't matter what side of the freelancing you are on, being that of the creator, or the one needing creation, you should be using some kind of written contract to protect both parties and make sure expectations are clear and understood.


freelancing contract on a laptop with a phone on a table and a plant in the background


This not only helps with the quality of work and expectations of what is expected but also work relationships moving forward. It's never fun when you have the unfortunate scenario when someone was expecting more or less payment or work for what was assumed but not directly expressed. You know what they say about "Ass-U-Me-ing".


Be smart, be responsible, be professional, and use Bonsai.


Not only does this platform give you dozens of different and easily customizable templates for proposals, contracts, invoices, agreements, and more but also Bonsai allows you to manage and track client lists with unique CRM tools.



spreadsheet for bonsai that shows income and expenses charts with green and red lines and projected outcomes and charts


Of course, I'll continue with their other capabilities, because they do offer more. Bonsai is a platform that offloads the burden of your accounting & taxes too. With the capability to manage and track the customized invoice template you just created specifically for your own business, they can then link up with your bank to create a workflow that enables you to go back to the reason you started your business. I'll give you a hint, it wasn't to do paperwork all day.. or at least I hope not!


bank list with chase, bank of america, wells fargo, us bank, fidelity, and more with laptop and hand. Selecting your bank to link up

Ultimately Bonsai is a bootstrap startup's best friend, allowing you to replace the traditional costs, time, and effort of accounting, invoicing contract creation, and all other general paperwork that inevitably comes with any business that has ever accomplished anything. Any entrepreneur starting out eventually learns this lesson.


Laptop with a coffee cup and a notepad with a plant. Invoice information on spreadsheet

The lesson being, you can start out doing things your way, but eventually, businesses run, and always have run, a certain way and have certain systems no matter what kind of work you're doing, simply because it's the most efficient way to do things. That's what business fundamentals are, established practices of the best way to properly "communicate" to everyone (and for the least amount of money)!



Meaning when you're dealing with clients, lawyers, accountants, governments, partners, investors, utilities, and everyone else, you're brain can't (and doesn't need to) do all the work. Businesses over time have figured out the best way to "communicate" to all parties most efficiently is through organized procedures, which typically utilize templates.


The point is, Bonsai does the business side of your business, while you do the passion side of your business, because guess what, it's the most efficient use of everyone's time.


If you've been accomplishing a lean startup and are starting to see an increase in your customers, potentially feeling stretched a bit thin, maybe even overwhelmed by all of the little business fundamentals that are necessary for your work to thrive, you're not alone. We get it! Spoiler alert, that's entrepreneurship. No one ever said it was easy, at least to start. It is NOT for the faint of heart!


Luckily, you, your heart, and maybe your gut, can thank Toarc United later for our recommendation once you realize all the stress Bonsai will have saved you by providing all the resources you're looking for that seemingly take hours upon days to complete yourself.




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