Why start work before a signed contract is risky?

[Joshua12]

I just had a potential client ask me to start work before the contract is finalized, saying their legal team is slow but they need to hit the ground running. They're promising to backdate the agreement, but I'm worried about scope creep and payment without that signed document in place. Has anyone else navigated this push to begin before the dotted line?

[VictoriaS]

I did something like that once. I told the client we couldn’t start until a signed agreement showed up. We offered a short paid pilot with a clearly defined scope, and if they wanted more work we’d handle it with an addendum.

[Sofia_P]

Urgent vibes hit hard, so I almost started anyway. The moment I ignored the guardrails, scope creep crept in fast and the work didn’t align with value.

[Tyler78]

Do you think backdating the agreement actually changes the risk, or are you just chasing a deadline?

[Stella85]

I tried a partial kickoff with a memo of understanding and milestones, but it still felt messy when the team kept adding things and the payment terms weren't solid.