So here is the written part. I am not sure about the whole video thing, but I am very comfortable in front of a camera, in fact I kinda love being in front of cameras.
My mom used to sing the song "You're So Vain" to me.. yeah when I was a LITTLE KID, but I was always like, "and your point is what exactly?" LOL I wanted to be an actress, so it fit.
Anyhow, I digress, as usual. Here I am less than a week from the start of B School excited, scared, worried, thrilled, inspired etc.. I am learning so much already about how I have been doing things wrong.
I am taking this week to chill out. Last month I had a client who did this to me... and I know that I am a writer, but I could not make this stuff up.
She hired me, I let her pay less than 50% because she was older and I felt bad in our first meeting she told me how broke she was, I felt bad. This was a huge mistake, than she started blowing up my phone 24/7. I had to send her emails telling her to stop and make a time because I was busy with school. Then when we did talk it was all about how I didn't love her and she was afraid to call me, she was wasting my time, undeserving.. like a needy girlfriend, it was bad and GUILT all the time. Things got worse from there and I almost quit the job-but I am a professional and I didn't because I gave her my word and we had a contract so for a month I took the weekly guilt calls, crying, then she got mean. She started telling me how basically everyone is better than me and that all her clients were telling her how books cost like $250 etc etc.. I could write a novel about this, you get the point. And I gave her a flat rate that was about $5000 less than it should be. I learned my lesson. Last night and then again today was the end of it. I had to say no and stop the insanity at midnight when she was requesting I change something again-that was beyond contract-that she had already approved.
I believe that once I have my illustration business going better and making more income from my stores etc.. than I will have more freedom to say no to clients like this. I am sooo mentally drained by her behavior for all of Feb. that I just need to play a bit.
Thank you for watching and reading and THANK YOU MARIE FORLEO you are changing my life and MOLLY HAHN of Buddha Doodles! Have a great day folks.
Hi Stephanie! So happy you've joined B-School! Marie is the queen at helping you set boundaries and figure out who your dream clients are, you you're in good hands! xxx
ReplyDeletePopping over from B-School to say hi!
ReplyDeleteI think everyone who's done freelance work has that one client that's... challenging, let's say, right? I've got a few myself, and what I've learned from all of that is that my prices are what they are because one, I'm worth it. I'm doing hard work, and deserve to be fairly compensated. And two, they eliminate people who don't take their project seriously, don't take my time seriously, and won't put in the effort.
I'm sorry she's been a pain. But you don't need to say yes to clients like this, you really don't. Because while the money might be (somewhat in this case) good, you have to factor in the stress and time and energy drain clients like this bring you. I've found that I just can't work with people like this, no matter how much they are willing to pay. It's just not worth it, you know? You know.
Thanks for the comments! Makes me feel so much better about everything. Brandi-you are so right. The first thing I am learning from Marie-how to say no! LOL I am so bad at that.
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