iammai CREATIVE values collaborative exchange with mission-driven professionals and organizations. When monetary resources are limited but mutual expertise exists, trade and barter can be a powerful way to support each other's growth while building meaningful partnerships across our communities.

Our Approach to Trade & Barter:

We believe in reciprocal exchange that honors both parties' expertise while maintaining sustainable business practices. Trade and barter arrangements work best when they support—rather than strain—the operations of both businesses involved.

Standard Discount Structure:

Traded services are applied as a discount of up to 40% of the total project value
The remaining balance is paid in cash according to standard payment terms
Each arrangement is customized based on the scope of services being exchanged and the timeline of both projects

Why We Cap Trade at 40%:

This threshold ensures both parties can maintain healthy cash flow while dedicating significant time and resources to the exchange. It creates space for generous collaboration without compromising either business's ability to cover operational costs, pay bills, and sustain long-term growth.

Payment & Timeline Requirements:

Cash portions require standard deposit terms:

50% upfront, 50% within 30 days, OR
Fully Upfront

Why cash deposits matter—even in trade partnerships:

Trade value represents future services or goods, not liquid capital. While your expertise and offerings are deeply valued, they cannot be used to cover immediate operational needs such as:

Software subscriptions and tools required to deliver your project
Business overhead (utilities, hosting, insurance, etc.)
Living expenses while dedicating focused time to your work
Third-party costs specific to your project (stock assets, domain registration, specialized plugins)

Cash deposits ensure we can sustain operations and maintain quality standards while delivering exceptional creative work for you.

Project Initiation:

Work begins once the agreement is signed and the initial cash deposit is received
Traded services and creative work can proceed simultaneously or in a staggered timeline depending on both parties' capacity
All third-party costs (domains, hosting, stock photography, font licenses, specialized tools) remain the client's responsibility in both cash and trade scenarios

Special Considerations:

Expedited timelines (faster than our standard 3-month delivery) require larger upfront deposits to offset the opportunity cost of declining other paid work during that intensive period.

Projects exceeding the 40% trade threshold are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and require:

Clear timeline for when traded services will be delivered
Larger cash deposits to ensure business sustainability
Transparent communication about both parties' capacity and constraints

Our Commitment:

Trade and barter partnerships work best when both parties can sustain their operations while delivering value to each other. We're committed to finding structures that honor both our needs and create genuine win-win collaborations.

If you're interested in exploring a trade and barter arrangement, let's have an open conversation about what would work for both of us.