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Tales from those on the front lines of dealing with clients. Tales of difficult clients, complex situations, relationship management - and how massive client management problems were solved, and what they learned. Largely those running agencies, but all across different professional services.
Episodes
Nov 27, 2025
Nov 27, 2025
37 min
Today's horror story is a little different—it focuses not on a client, but on our speaker himself: Ron Reich, Founder of RLB Training & Development.
Years ago, while working at an HR consulting firm, Ron received a surprising call from someone in Dallas who told him he was "the opposite of what he said he was." Odd as it sounded, the call turned out to be life-changing—the man was offering Ron an opportunity to become a trainer and facilitator at Toshiba, a dream role he had long aspired to.
Soon after, Ron was tasked with leading a five-day product knowledge sales training class. While he excelled at the training aspect, his lack of product knowledge quickly showed. By day three, two attendees walked out, and Ron was later berated by his boss's boss for being unprepared.
The painful experience became a defining lesson for him: no matter how skilled you are, preparation is everything. Tune in to hear how Ron turned this low point into a cornerstone of his growth as a leader and trainer.
Nov 20, 2025
Nov 20, 2025
32 min
In today's Client Horror Stories episode, Wes Towers, founder of Uplift360, shares a time when his good intentions as a leader took an unexpected turn.
After years of working closely with one of his team leaders, Wes noticed the employee had grown bored and uninspired in their role. Wanting to reignite their passion, he brought in a bold new project they'd never tackled before: building a niche dating website. Excited for the challenge, the team leader eagerly accepted.
But just weeks into the project, everything unraveled—the team leader suddenly quit, leaving Wes to finish the work. Overnight, he was forced to shoulder the entire project alone, navigating steep challenges and unexpected roadblocks.
Wes's story is a powerful reminder of the risks—and rewards—of pushing for growth. Tune in to see how he turned this setback into a lesson in resilience and leadership, and why sometimes the toughest challenges spark the greatest breakthroughs.
Nov 13, 2025
Nov 13, 2025
58 min
Jody Durand, author of Country Boy Soul, shares a heartbreaking chapter of his life—navigating a failing business, a troubled marriage, the sudden loss of his mother, and ultimately, bankruptcy.
In 1999, with no experience outside of farming, Jody was invited by a friend to help manage a U.S. call center selling cell phones, with the promise of becoming a shareholder. Trusting the vision, he invested $120,000—money borrowed from relatives and secured against his future. Despite early red flags, like being denied access to company sites and relying on a single partner for all leads, he pressed on with hope.
The business stumbled from the start. Sales were dismal, payments from the partner company were delayed and short, and Jody poured in more money—including his retirement savings—just to keep the doors open. Within months, he found himself drained financially and emotionally, stuck in a cycle of diminishing returns.
Yet even in the midst of collapse, Jody eventually recognized he didn’t have to keep digging a deeper hole. His story, though filled with hardship, is also one of redemption and resilience. This is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Nov 6, 2025
Nov 6, 2025
43 min
Today, we welcome Tom Elliott—Corporate Event Host, Comedy Magician, and Public Speaking Coach—to share a client horror story that left a lasting mark on his career.
Eager to grow as a comedy magician, Tom began booking small theater shows of around 100 seats. After gaining traction, he was offered what seemed like his big break: a contract to perform at an 800-seat theater. Convinced this was his moment, he signed on and began selling tickets.
But reality hit hard—only 30 tickets sold. Despite rallying support from friends and acquaintances to raise it to 50, he was still forced to perform a two-hour show in front of a nearly empty auditorium. To make matters worse, the contract required him to pay the theater £350 for unmet marketing costs.
The experience left Tom totally shaken—he jokes it took him eight years of therapy to recover. Tune in to hear how he overcame this ordeal and what it taught him about resilience in both performance and business.
Oct 30, 2025
Oct 30, 2025
58 min
I’m telling you—if you skip this episode, you’re missing half your life. We finally had the chance to sit down with Ken Childs, Private Investigator at Paramount Investigative Services Inc., who got caught in the chaos surrounding the notorious “Crypto Godfather,” Adam Iza.
It all started when Ken made the mistake of taking Adam on as a client. Adam requested full surveillance on someone who had stolen his laptop—an already sensitive case that soon spiraled out of control. Alongside Ken’s company, Adam involved law enforcement and a hired thug, who forcefully recovered the laptop and blew the situation wide open.
When it came time to get paid, things got worse—Ken was never able to collect his retainer. He sued Adam, but that only escalated the madness. Adam dug up Ken’s personal information, began calling nonstop, and even spoofed a terrifying call to Ken’s in-laws in the middle of the night, making them think someone was in danger.
To make matters worse, Adam reversed his AMEX charges for the retainer and accused Ken of wire fraud, causing Wells Fargo to freeze all of his assets. Eventually, the FBI got involved—turning what should have been a routine surveillance job into a legal and emotional nightmare.
Tune in to hear how Ken navigated this harrowing ordeal, what he learned about protecting himself, and how he came out stronger on the other side.