(2-minute read)

First Fire Friday - let talk about firing a client - that's always fun! 😅 I'm sure you had a 💩 experience, just reply to this email and tell me about it. One sentence example and I'll screenshot it and send to everyone (anonymously don't worry).

How are you going to spend this weekend? Working hard or hardly working? :)

You're totally allowed to fire a bad client

I like to think that I'm a nice guy, but I must admit, I started my career as a pushover when it comes to clients. I ate it all up until I was finally done and I snapped.

I've experienced all the classics signs of bad clients, from not paying in time (duh!), making logo bigger, ghosting, scope creeping, calling me late and on weekends... All the jazz.

I even once had a phone conversation with a client while his spouse was shouting from another room "tell him to make the website more bluer". True story.

But I was finally fed up when a client with whom I was working with on and off for over a year, and did (according to him) a terrific job every time, after last-minute changes, long weekends, jUsT oNe mOrE tHiNg bEfOrE wE aRe dOnE, etc... When we were doing a fairly big project, and I've agreed to a tight deadline (dumbass) to help him launch this thing, I was working the weekend when he sent me an email on a beautiful Saturday afternoon:

"...I am looking forward to your final designs, please book at least 3 hours on Monday so we can go over every mistake you are going to make, and I'll guide you point by point how to fix them..."

At that moment I just lost it and unloaded all the frustration I've been gathering over few years in one very angry email, maybe even more than he deserved and I fired his ass, telling him I'm done with him and he can find someone else to yank on a Saturday with his bullshit.

It felt like a breakup, but it helped me realise that I shouldn't be miserable because of what I claim to love doing.

Ever since then I set clear boundaries and expectations with every client, based on how I want to work, communicate, deliver and hand over every piece of work. And you know what? Everyone is happy. As long as we are all on the same page.

You are in charge of your wellbeing. Make it a priority.

Have a great Friday.

Cheers,

T.