My First Client Almost Ruined Me & My Business
Two days ago, I stopped working for one of my clients.
Firing a client is no big deal, right? It happens all the time in a freelancer’s life. But this one was hard to get away from.
He was my first client.
Two years ago, when I started freelancing, a friend gave me his business card saying that this business owner was looking for someone just like me. After a couple of phone calls and after meeting him once, I was hired.
When he asked for my rates, I remember panicking, looking away, almost shaking while revealing how much I was charging. When it’s your first time, it’s hard. And I definitely didn’t feel confident asking for this much money.
Despite my poor business skills back then, he accepted. Until two days ago, he was the client I was charging the most, responsible of around 40% of my income.
But it was more than juste the money. This client trusted me when I started, his associate was paying on time, he didn’t negotiate my rates, and he seemed to know a lot of people in Paris — where I was working. Getting this client gave me the giant boost of confidence that I needed to get more clients and to thrive as a freelance marketer. But quickly after being hired, everything started collapsing.
