Warning: My biggest client ghosted me right before a $5k project was supposed to start

I was sitting in my home office in Austin, all set to kick off a big website redesign. We had signed the contract, I had blocked off my calendar for three weeks, and I sent the final planning email. Radio silence. After two days, I called and the number was disconnected. Checked their socials and the company page was gone. They just vanished. I had turned down two smaller jobs to take this one, so I was left with zero income for that month. I spent the next 48 hours in a panic, reaching out to every past client and contact I had, offering quick fixes or audits at a discount. It sucked, but I managed to book enough small work to cover rent. How do you guys build a safety net so one bad client doesn't wreck you?

2 comments

2 Comments

andrew_kelly16d ago

Honestly, I see it the other way around. The safety net is not turning down smaller jobs for one big client. I always keep a few smaller projects going, even if it means a big one takes a bit longer. That way no single client holds all the power.

green.victor16d ago

Yeah, that "no single client holds all the power" line is key. I read a blog that called it the "no one client rule," where you never let any one client be more than like 30% of your income.