A certain Quinn Rhodes, publisher of a new company named Niche Age Media, has been hiring contractors/freelancers, all over the Internet, in several publishing categories, with the notion of creating a completely virtual publishing staff.
The plan was, and is still being presented to potential contractors/freelancers, as publishing 3 magazines in each of 11 Texas counties surrounding Dallas.in other words, launching simultaneously 33 monthly magazines. Full assurance is given that the operation is well funded.
While the notion seems far fetched, particularly in this economic atmosphere, there is nothing illegal about.
The problem is that Mr. Rhodes promises his contractors/freelancers that they will be paid upon delivery of the contracted services and has made the point that he will not pay any retainers. Unfortunately, not a single contractor has been paid to date and the actual launch of these publications is delayed by months.
Speculation among contractors/freelancers is that Mr. Rhodes' intention is to sell advertising space in his magazines before they are actually launched in order to generate revenue and working capital. Not only is this a naive business plan but even if he could pull it off, any and all advance revenue would have to go to printing and postage and not to compensate his contractors/freelancers.
Whenever the issue of payment comes up, Mr. Rhodes dismisses the request, comes up with delaying promises, and accuses the contractor as being a disgruntled contractor/employee.
It appears that Mr. Rhodes feels that that there are enough eager publishing contractors/freelancers that he can simply churn the market and continue building his business on the back of unpaid virtual staff.
There is a further interesting twist to this story.By all appearances, an identical scheme in all its tactics, was attempted, back in by a firm that went under the name of Laray Carr Publications, a.K. A LC Publications, a.K. A LCP Media, and run by a certain Quincy Laray Carr out of Terrel, TX. Granted that it could be only coincidence but then again, Quinn Rhodes could also be a reincarnation of Quincy Laray Carr.
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