Fast gathering a reputation as two companies for freelancers to avoid are Cube Video and Cube Studio. The owners of these set-ups, James Hakesley and Roy Kimani (Roy M.K.) are two who think it is acceptable to take the work of their contractors and then not worry overmuch about the tedious business of paying the invoices that follow.

Not content simply to hang on to other people’s money, these two have also developed the equally unwelcome habit of ignoring the increasingly desperate emails sent to them asking for a date when they intend to pay their bills. Obviously hoping that if they don’t respond people will simply give up and go away, it’s a method which has annoyed numerous freelancers in the past and is unlikely to succeed this time either as legal claims have already started against the company.

Hakesley and Kimani are more than happy to put their time and effort into bigging themselves up online however, with the claim that their business focusses on “unlocking creative opportunities, increasing efficiency, and empowering collaboration”. It seems for them however that “collaboration” means an “I take your services and you don’t get paid” type relationship.

”We make incredible things…and have a whole lot of fun while we’re at it” they also claim. Maybe a little less fun-having and a little more opening-your-walleting would be a better approach for Hakesley and Kimani to adopt, before the trickle of lawsuits starts to become an expensive flood.

Some names to remember then: James Hakesley, Roy Kimani, Cube Video and Cube Studio: Freelancers Beware!