rulesofengagement

Teddy is a tailgate negotiator. You agree on terms up-front, sign necessary documents, and begin the project. But then... Teddy decides to renege, ask for items not agreed upon, insist on endless revisions, etc. Ned is needy. He wants to micromanage you and he has 50,000 questions to ask before he can hire you for the project. Ugh.

Key topics:

✔️ You always have to consider the cost. When you are looking at the money, don't focus on the gross. Focus on the net. When all the expenses and taxes are deducted, how much will you actually net from this? Sometimes looking at the true bottom line is enough for you to decide that a Teddy or a Ned is not worth it. 
✔️ Your business needs to function well for YOU. The customer is not always right and you should not put them up on a pedestal.
✔️ The Buddhist idea of a middle path is useful here. A good client usually has sensible questions and doesn't rush through the process of hiring you yet also does not drag it out or ask an excessive number of anxiety-laced questions.
✔️ You have to weed out clients who expect that, because you are a freelancer, solopreneur, or small business owner, you will be at their mercy. They hold all the cards and you hold none. Nope. Huh-uh. Inaccurate.

Link to the article I discuss in this episode: https://www.inc.com/jayson-demers/7-types-of-clients-who-will-take-your-patience-to-the-brink.html


Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/

January was a crazy month for me. My plans of just half-hibernating through the month went to the wayside and I had a couple of bizarre experiences. I am sharing them here (highly sanitized, of course) so that perhaps you can benefit from my missteps.

✔️ There is plenty of business out there. You do not have to engage with clients who behave like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. It will waste a lot of your time and energy and you may never be able to make them happy.
✔️ It's OK to be tired sometimes and it's OK to take a break. If you feel yourself wearing down, you don't have to push past the exhaustion.
✔️ Beware of clients who think they need to be the exception to all of your rules. If you set down the rules of engagement and they want to ignore them, you need to call them out on it.
✔️ If you are self-employed, a business owner, or solopreneur: you get to decide the ways and means you work in. Periodt.
✔️ Ensure you can hit the escape hatch. Be cautious about what you sign or what length of time you agree to work with someone. 

Need more? Email me: https://causeyconsultingllc.com/contact-causey/