As a quick background. A client (I work as a freelancer) hired me with an agreement signed that I would be paid in shares within the start-up company or in cash (my choice at the end of the project). I have worked with this person in 'a previous life' but in this context he is now CEO for a start-up IT application/software firm.
Anyway, I have invoiced for $4,000-odd and said that I would like to be paid in cash (thank goodness that it is not more than this as it was originally a $32,000 program).
Anyway he says he has no cash. The company is still going and changing.
How can I get my money? I don't want to take him to small claims but want to push him to either pay up or formally give me these 'shares' that he doesn't have yet as the company has not listed and it looks like it isn't going to. They are now expanding overseas.
I never should have gone down the 'share' path as I just don't know enough about how it works!
Any thoughts/advice appreciated.