Has this crazy thing ever happened to you? Because it left me shaken and confused.
Over the Summer I onboarded a client for a branding / web design project that would take 6 weeks to complete. They had seen my portfolio, new my prices, we chatted about their requirements and confirmed the cost. I sent the an email to outline the timeframe and then the day came to start the project:
I sent them a list of content I would need and the invoice.
No response.
Fine, not unusual. So I sent them a follow up email a couple of days later.
No response.
OK, a little weird. So I sent them an 'is everything OK?' email a week later.
No response.
They were ghosting me.
They finally responded 3 weeks later (a one liner) to say they didn't have the money right now.
WARNING! rant coming up
Why do people do this? Why do grown ups do this?? Why do grownups who run businesses do this???
I had budgeted for that income.
I had taken on no other work so I could give that client the best service and attention.
I put everything on hold in case they came back to me with an amazing excuse for their silence.
But they knocked my confidence in my work because all the while they were ignoring me I was thinking it's because they've regretted hiring me but didn't know how to tell me (believe it or not it's very hard NOT to take the littlest of things personally when it's your business and you are the one doing the work).
I'm not Self Employed because I don't need the money
I am living my dream by doing the thing I love but I am also doing it for the income.
The money I earn literally puts food on my table, so if a clients let's me down like this, I don't get paid - and guess what guys?? - I don't eat.
On the bright side, I have a 100% upfront payment policy, so I'm thankful that I didn't do the work and then find out they couldn't pay me. That would have been time I couldn't get back - time I wasn't paid for or time that I didn't spend home educating my son (I do actually have a life outside of work).
Moral of this Story
When you hire any small business / self employed person, if you're plans change please have the balls to be honest as soon as possible with them.
I get it. Personal shit happens. Financial shit happens. I'm not an unreasonable person. We can work it out together.
But when someone pretends that I doesn't exist and hoping I'll go away is not right.
WHAT NOW?
If you like what you've just read, this is your personal invitation to join my newsletter mailing list for more tips and advice about web designs, brand design, marketing and my honest experience on what it's like to be a small business owner ..
BIG KISSES
Claire x