🔈 Listen to the article
As a freelancer, I often get approached with a request for a trial project. Usually, it comes with a hard cap: “something simple, maybe $50, just to see how you work.” On the surface, it sounds reasonable. A low-risk way to vet a working relationship.
But it always left me uneasy.
One day, I found myself on the other side.
I needed to find a subcontractor for a service I don’t offer myself. It forced me to reflect. How do I want to approach this? What do I value in a partner? How do I invite the right kind of working relationship without diminishing their craft?
That’s when it clicked.
If I were to say, “Can you do something for $50?” I’d be asking them to deliver less than their best. Not because of skill, but because of framing. I realized I didn’t want a cheap test. I wanted clarity. Communication. Alignment. I wanted to see if someone could meet the values and energy I bring to my work.
So I did something different.
I told candidates:
“This is a trial project because I’m looking for someone long-term. Here’s the scope. Give me your best offer and your best work. Quote me a price you’d feel good about, and deliver something you’d be proud to put your name on.”
What I got back was thoughtful, aligned, and inspired.
Let’s Analyze the Split
What was happening before, and why did it feel off?
Because under the surface of those $50 trial requests was a familiar split: fear versus trust.
It’s not always distrust of the freelancer. It’s often a business owner’s fear of choosing wrong. Fear of wasting money. Fear of looking foolish.
So the test project becomes a safety net, but one laced with limitation. In the name of being careful, the conversation starts in scarcity.
Here’s what’s often in play:
Hidden Intentions | True Intentions |
Fear of risk | Desire for reliability |
Scarcity thinking | Belief in long-term value |
Lack of trust (in self or other) | Hope for partnership |
Budget control | Alignment and clarity |
When the hidden intentions go unspoken, they shape the interaction. But when we name the true ones, we can align the method with the actual goal. To build trust, invite excellence, and explore compatibility.
Trial projects don’t have to be small in budget to be low-risk.
They can be scoped small, but they should be framed big. Framed in vision, values, and clear communication about what success actually looks like.
The Real Opportunity
Instead of minimizing risk, focus on maximizing clarity:
- What’s the outcome you want?
- What kind of collaborator are you trying to attract?
- What values matter most in this partnership?
A freelancer can only show you their best when you give them the space to offer it.
An Invitation to Reverse the Split
Next time you’re looking for a subcontractor or freelancer, don’t define the task in terms of dollars and doubt.
Start from intention.
Lead with:
- “This is a first project and I care about how we collaborate.”
- “Here’s what success would look like. Does this excite you?”
- “Show me your best work, and price it as something you’d be proud to deliver.”
And if someone quotes more than you expect, don’t just look at the number. Look at what they’re signaling. Are they speaking to your values? Are they invested in mutual success?
Scarcity and low-fee framing divide.
Trust, value, and collaboration unite.
That is how we reverse the split.
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