Had a nightmare client that changed the rules every day, added more work and refused to acknowledge my cost and ultimately pissed me off so bad yesterday that I just said “I am sorry but I just cannot continue with your job” and walked away. This is the first time in my 25 years of being in business for myself that I’ve done that. But it was either walking away or losing more money plus the inevitable bad review. I’ll take a bad review.
I feel so light this morning knowing I am not going back to the client from hell. Sometimes walking away is worth more than the money lost.
byu/Known-Scale-8430 inEntrepreneur
Posted by Known-Scale-8430
4 Comments
Never be afraid of sticking up for yourself and your business.
Congrats! Probably should have done it sooner than 25 years in!
Had a client two years ago who would send an email asking for changes, I’d make them and say can you test or maybe ask a follow up. He’d sit on it for a week or more then message me saying he needed things asap.
Like bro answer quicker or change expectations.
Breaking point though was when he chewed me out on Christmas morning for the project being behind (he’s American yes he knew it was Christmas) like I’m a business owner of get four days a year or less where i don’t have the mental load of my business and you’re going to take one of them?
Was so grumpy. And let him know a week or two later I was done.
been there. one thing i learned: a client who doesn’t respect scope will *never* respect your time or your invoice. walking away early is almost always cheaper than sticking it out.
Your mental health always comes first. Don’t let one client get to you.