When your word is your bond, get it on paper anyway. This is one of the hardest lessons small business owners learn — usually the expensive way.
A good contract is not an act of distrust. It is an act of respect. It says: I care enough about our relationship to make sure both of us understand what we’re doing here.
Every founder should have three contracts ready to go: a client engagement letter, a mutual NDA, and a simple contractor agreement. Everything else can be built on top.