Firing a Client

When I was first starting out, I never wanted to turn away a new client. If they asked for a small discount I would give it to them. Whatever it took to make them happy. I’m not sure why this is such a hard lesson to learn, but after experiencing it several times it became clear. Every single time a client seems difficult before the project begins by either asking for a discount or making many unnecessary changes to the contract – the project is not profitable. It is never enough for these clients. The more you give, the more they want.

 I have finally gotten to the point where the client isn’t just deciding if they’d like to work with me, I’m deciding if I’d like to work with them as well. If you notice too many red flags before starting the project, it is best to cut them lose. It is never an easy decision to make, but the projects you end up working on will be much more enjoyable and profitable.

Calling References

I don’t call references anymore. First of all, a potential employee will only give you references that they know will give a positive review. I’ll never forget the first employee I hired. After searching through thousands of resumes, I finally found a great candidate with a good sense of design. She gave me a list of references. The last one I called was really talking her up. Apparantly she had completed some freelance work for him that he was very happy with. There was something about that conversation that was odd but I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

I hired her and dumped my life savings of $10,000 into an office, furniture and electronics. Considering I was only 24 years old, it was a pretty decent investment. The day after her computer arrived she called to say that she wouldn’t be starting on Monday as scheduled because one of her references had offered a better salary than I could afford. It had taken 3 weeks of searching to find her and now I had to start from square one again while completing all of the work that was on her schedule.

HAS SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED TO YOU? I’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT!

Happy Holidays!

About 5 years ago I decided to leave behind a steady paycheck and comfortable office hours to start my own business. I own a creative design agency specializing in graphic and web design services. I have had many ridiculous experiences with clients, vendors and employees that need an outlet. I’m hoping visitors will share their experiences as well.

– Just J!