On today’s show I am going to outline several red flags to look out for when you’re a freelance business owner. I’m sure many of you have learned some of these the hard way. I know I have. But it’s important to recognize when they happen and keep a mental list of what to watch out for. In some “red flag” cases, you can find a work-around and figure out a solution that works for you. In other cases, you need to run screaming in the other direction.

Red flag #1: Not respecting your rate or low-balling you.

Red flag #2: Wanting to jump on the phone too quickly.

Red flag #3: An amorphous deadline. Or no deadline.

Red flag #4: A client who doesn’t know what they want.

Red flag #5: The dreaded phrase from a potential client “let’s see how it goes.”

Red flag #6: Scope creep.

Red flag #7: Not respecting your boundaries.

Red flag #8: A potential client’s personality that doesn’t mesh with yours.

Biz Bite: Calendly

The Bookshelf: “Molly” by Colin Butcher

Resources:

Episode #4 of Deliberate Freelancer: Work Only with Nice Clients, with Jennifer Goforth Gregory

Episode #34 of Deliberate Freelancer: Recognize and Relieve Burnout with a Refill Plan, with Latisha Carr

Boomerang email scheduling tool

#36: Spotting Red Flags and Scope Creep