Dream client turning into a nightmare?

I’m writing this newsletter from my sickbed (literally) because my body finally hit the wall after a rollercoaster of a client experience last month.

I’ve been meaning to tell this story—not because I want pity, but because it's a lesson that any of us in the freelance world needs. Because let's face it: there are clients out there who don’t respect boundaries, and if we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves bending and breaking until there's nothing left of our own.

5 Client Red Flags Telling You to Walk Away

It started with the excitement of working with someone I admired—a dream client, or so I thought (don’t meet your heroes folks). We signed on with a clear agreement. She’d handle her business side; I’d focus on specific community building tasks. It looked perfect… but that’s the thing about rose-colored glasses. You miss the red flags. 🙈

What started as minor tasks spiraled into me running her business. And, when I gently asked for more resources or renegotiated payment to reflect all the extras, she shut down and blamed her mental health. My boundaries? Shredded. I was managing her assistants, creating content on weekends, and getting pinged after hours—all while she refused to do anything consistently or on deadline.

She made it crystal clear that she would withhold payment until she got what she wanted and constantly dodged her own responsibilities. My WhatsApp filled with last-minute requests, and my own priorities started to fall apart. The worst? She publicly aired grievances, even posting online to criticize me for simply requesting what we’d agreed upon.

I finally put my foot down, asking her to respect our boundaries, tasks, and payment. Her reaction? Rage from her and her partner—she hit back with messages, then social media, reaching out to her 300,000+ followers. Her posts implied that my boundaries were a betrayal, and I was painted as the villain.

The Hard-Earned Lessons (Or, red flags I won’t ignore again)

🚩 Here are five toxic client red flags I’ll be looking out for from now on—and I hope you’ll consider these too.

1. Persistent Lateness
   If they’re always late, they’re telling you how much they value your time. My client was late for every meeting, every event, without any heads-up. I understand now that this wasn’t just a scheduling issue; it was the first sign of a lack of respect towards me, my time and my plans.

2. Money Games
   If they dodge payment discussions or react poorly when you bring up money, brace yourself. A healthy client will acknowledge the value of your work; an unhealthy one will make it uncomfortable every time.

3. Out-of-Scope Demands
   When you’re asked to do work that’s nowhere in your job description (with no mention of extra payment), you’re entering dangerous territory. Yes, clients ask for extras—but the good ones recognise that this means more time and money and will offer to adjust.

4. Contact Outside Working Hours
   When someone expects you to be on-call for their personal emergencies or even just basic requests, they’re ignoring your work-life balance. Now I’ve learned to spot the difference between true emergencies and someone’s inability to plan or respect my time.

5. They Don’t Deliver
   Though this is last, this is the big one. My client couldn’t be bothered to take notes, show up on time, or even complete her own tasks. I had to chase her to meet basic requirements, all while she expected top-tier service from me without lifting a finger herself.

Now, I’m rebuilding. Burned out and sick, I’m reconnecting with the work I love and redefining my boundaries for good. Not every client needs tight boundaries, but those who can’t take responsibility or respect yours? They’re just not worth it.

Over to You: Have you faced any red flags lately?

If you have your own list of "don’t work with this person" criteria, I’d love to hear it! Or just reply and share your own nightmare client story—it’s good therapy 😅.

Candid News: Coming up in the Community

Build with AI: Create a Website… with Your Voice! 🖥️🎙️

Ever dreamed of building a website just by talking to it? (Yes, it’s as futuristic as it sounds, and no, you don’t need to be an AI genius to join in!) Our next Build with AI event, hosted by branding expert, Jomiro Eming, is all about turning your voice into a fully functioning website. Skip the coding headaches and come see just how cool tech has become!

👉 Check out the details here and get ready to impress your mom (or dog) by saying you built a website in an hour—without lifting a finger.

Community Catalyst for Growth Challenge:

Tired of shouting into the Instagram or LinkedIn void for attention? We’ve got you. Join our Community Catalyst for Growth Challenge this December! It’s a FREE, month-long challenge where we’ll show you how to actually market yourself in a community-first way (i.e., no cringe self-promos or influencer vibes required).

🎁 Free to join! So if you’re ready to grow your reach without sacrificing your sanity, hop in and let's make December your best month yet.