A booking site built in record time. A client who loved it. And six months of unpaid modifications that turned me into a human mouse on demand. The story of how I learned to fire clients.
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CTO takeaway
The lesson, minus the scar tissue.
Scope creep doesn't start with a big request. It starts with a 'small tweak.' Say no early, or you'll be saying yes forever.
Write a clear contract. Include a scope of work. Any changes beyond that = new contract = new money.
If the client isn't paying, you're not working. Free work is a trap. Always invoice. Always.
Firing a client is not failure. It's boundary-setting. It's survival. It's professionalism.
A client who loves your work but asks for endless changes doesn't love your work. They love free labor.