How should a solo web developer handle a strict non-compete in a contract?
#1
I just had a potential client ask me to sign a contract that includes a non-compete clause, saying I can't work with any other businesses in their industry for a full year after our project ends. I'm a solo web developer and that industry is a huge part of my client base, so this feels really restrictive, but they're offering good rates. Has anyone else had to navigate something like this before?
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#2
That happened to me last year. They wanted a full year after the project ended and no other clients in the same space. I pushed back to six months, asked for a carve-out for clients I already had, and a narrower definition of what counts as their industry. They agreed to the shorter term and the carve-out after I laid it out.
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#3
Honestly, I walked away instead of signing. The rate was good, but the constraint would have locked me out of most of my pipeline and that felt crazy.
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#4
I made them spell out what counts as industry and who exactly would be off-limits, plus I asked for an explicit carve-out for the clients I already served. It slowed things, but it saved me later.
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#5
A lawyer friend said agreements like that can be enforceable only if the scope is reasonable, so I asked for definitions and a time cap.
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#6
Sometimes I think the bigger issue is the lack of clarity around scope. If it's too broad, it ends up cutting off work in related niches and that would sting more than a single client loss.
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#7
I did a mini test: no new clients in a sub niche for two months while we negotiated. It was awkward and we aborted the test rather than sign.
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#8
If you push back, what would you demand?
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