A friend of mine was cutting a deal with a promotional partner recently and when he received the contract, he told the potential partner that he’d be get back to him after his lawyer reviewed the paperwork.

The partner told him not to bother and squashed the deal, for the sole reason that my buddy wants to spend his own money on a second set of legal-eagle eyes.

My friend was thrilled . . . because he knew right away that this was not a guy to do business with.

Anyone that gets skittish when you want a second opinion is someone you should be skittish about.

I cut creative deals on my shows.  Before I do, I make it a point to encourage the other party to speak to their agents, their lawyers, their pet hamsters, whomever, before they sign on the dotted line.

By encouraging people to get a second or third opinion, they’ll trust you more.

And at some point when a discussion comes up about a clause in the contract and they state that it wasn’t explained to them properly . . . well, they can’t point the finger at you.