There’s a reason finding the perfect client feels so good: Many—if not most—clients are bad fits!
Only 42% of freelancers get paid on time.
Nearly 80% are stressed by lack of clarity and expectations from clients.
And just about every freelancer or agency owner has had to deal with an unquantifiable amount of frustration for 1,001 other reasons.
Clients can have you pulling your hair out. Drinking too much coffee. Thinking of witty comebacks in the shower after you heard some particularly bad-faith feedback.
When should you fire a client?
But when it is time to actually fire a client?
Our two cents: A client doesn’t have to fit all of the criteria below, but they should fit some.
- When the client is preventing you from doing other work. If stress or scope creep from a client is preventing you from following through on commitments you’ve made to other clients, that’s a good sign it’s time to fire.
- When you notice a decrease in your overall quality of life. Stressing about a client after work hours? Seeing a decrease in your overall happiness or enjoyment of life as a result of a client? Probably time for them to go.
- When the client does not adhere to written agreements. If a client disregards something that was signed in a contract, or agreed on in writing, you’re better off getting rid of them as soon as possible. These clients are always a headache.
You need to be able to afford it
If you’re doing well financially, then you can theoretically fire a client for any reason—even minor inconveniences.
If you’re relying on one client to pay the bills, though, it’s smart to find a Plan B before you say goodbye to your main source of income.
The three bullets above offer a useful framework, at least in our view. What would you add?
