Freelancers: Are you ignoring these 3 red flags?

If freelancing were a video game, spotting client red flags would be Level 1.

Unfortunately, I didn’t pass that level for years. I said yes to everything, ignored my gut, and learned the hard way that not all clients are created equal.

Here’s your cheat sheet for spotting the worst offenders:

In partnership with

1. “It’ll Only Take 5 Minutes” Clients

🚩 Red Flag: Unrealistic timelines.
🧐 Reality: This “5-minute” task will consume your week. You’ll send your 20th draft while whispering “I hate everything.”

2. The Scope-Creep Sweetheart

🚩 Red Flag: Requests for “just one more thing.”
🧐 Reality: You’ll be buried under unpaid work while they say, “You’re a lifesaver!” (You’re not. You’re a freelancer.)

3. The “We’re Like a Family!” Client

🚩 Red Flag: Casual phrases like “We’re all friends here!”
🧐 Reality: Families don’t pay. Families call you on weekends. Families never sign contracts.

These red flags have one thing in common: they thrive when you bill hourly. Charging by the hour makes it easy for clients to push boundaries.

After years of stress, I switched to a flat-rate subscription model with BTNG.studio.

Suddenly:

• No scope creep.

• No unrealistic timelines.

• No fake families.

My time became clear, my boundaries firm, and my work far more valuable.

So, freelancers, trust those red flags. Set boundaries.

Charge for what you’re worth, not what clients think you’re worth.

P.S. Subscription models saved my freelance sanity. If you’re curious, check out BTNG.studio. It’s not magic, but it’s close.

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