Saying No
A $100M company called wanting help with CRM selection and business process review.
"We need five days of consulting," they said. "Analyze our workflows, interview staff, create a software comparison matrix, and give us recommendations."
I quoted $2,000 per day for five days total.
Their response: "We were thinking one to two days. Maybe $2,000 for the whole project."
They were asking me to understand a complex business in 16 hours, interview multiple departments, and deliver strategic recommendations that could impact their entire operation. For less than they pay their current consultant for half a day.
I politely declined.
Not because I'm difficult to work with. But because clients who undervalue expertise from the start rarely respect your process or results later. They'll micromanage every decision and blame you when their shortcuts don't work.
I referred them to their existing consultant who charges more, they'll get the same outcome but pay triple.
The lesson isn't about being stubborn.
It's about understanding that some projects aren't worth taking. When a client's expectations and your reality are that far apart, walking away protects both parties.
The right clients understand that expertise has value. They know the cost of getting it wrong exceeds the cost of doing it right the first time.