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Sandra Ann Miller's avatar

It's so situational, though, isn't it? I learned not to chase money, after literally having to go from Venice to Burbank to get a check so my rent wouldn't bounce (this was circa 2009, after the crash). That client immediately went on retainer, paid at the end of the month for the next month's work. When her business manager (the one in Burbank) asked about the change, I said, "You know I'll do the work. I don't know if I'll get paid." That settled that. (I also banked "overtime" that would then cover any vacation/days off later. I loved myself for that.) Most clients paid me at the end of the day, though, not all of them loved writing a weekly check. I'd say, "Think of me like a hairdresser; I'm paid at the time of service." That sorted that. You were smart to charge a consulting fee for those initial visits. Why do people think time and experience should come to them for free? And folks love to "forget" whose idea it was. One idea of mine was coopted by a client, and she had the nerve to say -- with a big grin -- "Thank you for helping me think of that." Wut? LOL. Sorry you were left out of the event you helped to create, Thibault. Maybe you'll get a thank-you for helping them think of that. xo

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