Client Horror Stories

What happens when a new client thinks he's already a superstar—and expects you to make the impossible happen? Dr. Rhonda M. Lawson, Founder of Meet the World Image Solutions, shares the story of a rapper who hired her as his publicist, immediately began demanding major opportunities, and quickly proved that he was not the client she wanted to work with.

Rhonda tells Our Beloved Host, Morgan Friedman, how the relationship started innocently enough when she met the aspiring rapper at a college event. He paid for six months of publicity upfront, and Rhonda was excited to take on a new challenge. But things quickly went sideways when he rudely confronted her over an interview opportunity, failed to acknowledge her for getting him on a friend's radio show, and then casually expected her to get him onto NPR's prestigious Tiny Desk.

The experience taught Rhonda some important lessons about undercharging, client expectations, and recognizing when a relationship isn't worth saving. She ultimately returned most of his money after just one month and ended the engagement—an approach Morgan points out was both elegant and smart.

Morgan and Rhonda also explore why clients who pay very little can sometimes demand the most, why people who think they're “cool” can be particularly difficult to work with, and why disrespect that starts small can quickly escalate if you allow it.

Sometimes the best client-management strategy isn't figuring out how to make a difficult client happy.

It's recognizing early that they're simply not your client.

Morgan Friedman
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