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- 112 - That time when your client's marriage becomes your business problem… (with Benjamin Behrooz)
Sometimes, the biggest client nightmare has nothing to do with the work itself.
Benjamin Behrooz, Founder & CEO of Branding Los Angeles and My 1 Brand, shares the story of a clothing-brand client whose business became entangled in a marriage that was falling apart. What started as a marketing project turned into arguments between spouses, conflicting decisions about the business, and a shocking moment when one partner publicly questioned the other’s ability to handle the work.
Benjamin and Our Beloved Host, Morgan Friedman, explore what this experience taught him about screening clients, recognizing patterns of bad decision-making, handling difficult conversations, and understanding who people really are before you choose to work with them.
They also dive into an unexpected question: What can the way someone treats their spouse—or a waiter—tell you about how they'll eventually treat you? And Benjamin shares his perspective on using AI as a neutral "referee" when business and personal relationships collide.
Morgan Friedman
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Benjamin's YouTube ChannelTue, 27 Oct 2026 - 29min - 111 - That time when your client thinks he's already famous… (with Dr. Rhonda M. Lawson)
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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Rhonda’s YouTube ChannelTue, 13 Oct 2026 - 24min - 110 - That time when a one-star review becomes your best marketing opportunity… (with Matt Estrin)
What happens when customers stop talking to you and start talking about you online? Matt Estrin, Owner of 477 Distilling & Oak & Maple Restaurants in Northern Colorado, shares some of the wildest one-star reviews his businesses have received—and the surprising lessons hidden inside them.
Matt tells Our Beloved Host, Morgan Friedman, about customers who complained about everything from cold waffles to having to pour their own coffee, a couple who reviewed his restaurant while sitting inside it, and even someone who left a one-star review without ever visiting the restaurant—because they didn't like how Matt responded to other reviews.
But the conversation goes far beyond funny reviews. Matt and Morgan explore how online review culture has changed the way people experience restaurants, why customers are increasingly reluctant to have difficult conversations face-to-face, and how business owners can turn criticism into an opportunity for improvement, engagement, and even viral marketing.
Morgan also brainstorms a few unconventional ways Matt could encourage customers to give useful feedback instead of hiding behind their keyboards—including turning the best customer suggestion into a monthly contest.
Sometimes, a terrible review isn't a disaster. It might be an invitation to get creative.
Morgan Friedman
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Matt's FacebookTue, 29 Sep 2026 - 48min - 109 - That time when you get fired five times in nine months… (with Richard Wilmore)
Today, Our Beloved Host, Morgan Friedman, is joined by Richard Wilmore—Talk Show Host, Game Show Host, Make Your Day Richer Podcast Host, and Producer. He’s here to share a workplace horror story that somehow involved being fired five times in nine months—and still showing up for work afterward.
Richard had left what he describes as one of the best jobs of his life to run a clothing store for an eccentric owner who had opened it because his daughter wanted one. The store opened with no internet, no register, and no system for tracking inventory—but somehow there was already a line down the street.
Things only got stranger from there.
The owner monitored the store through a wall of security-camera screens in his kitchen, watching Richard and his employees constantly. He would call Richard to criticize what he saw, yell at him over minor decisions, and repeatedly fire him—only to ask him to stay until he could find a replacement.
Richard eventually realized that this wasn't a one-time blowup. It was a pattern.
For nine months, he worked seven days a week in an environment so stressful that he was physically sick before going to work. And yet, every time he was fired, he somehow ended up coming back.
The experience taught Richard some uncomfortable lessons about recognizing red flags, trusting your instincts, and understanding when a job has crossed the line from difficult into unhealthy. It also revealed something surprising about the difference between businesses built to make money and businesses built primarily for vanity.
Morgan Friedman
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Richard's YouTube ChannelTue, 15 Sep 2026 - 23min - 108 - That time when your dream remodel becomes a two-year client nightmare… (with Jodi Koch Peterman)
Jodi Koch Peterman, CEO of Elizabeth Erin Designs, interior designer, and host of the Designing in 5D podcast, shares a client horror story that somehow manages to include a runaway cabinet vendor, a $26,000 glazing mistake, furniture dumped into the ocean, mold, miscommunication, and a project that lasted nearly two years.
What began as an exciting whole-house remodel quickly became a perfect storm of problems. The client wanted a dramatic transformation, including a massive "Barbie Dreamhouse" closet and a luxury spa-like feel throughout the home. But delays getting an engineer, escalating design choices, a budget that ballooned far beyond expectations, and repeated communication breakdowns began to put everyone under increasing pressure.
Then things got even stranger. Cabinets were supposedly destroyed by a tornado. Another set of cabinets arrived in the wrong color because two clients' orders had been mixed up. A cabinet vendor disappeared after taking the money—and was eventually jailed. During COVID, one furniture shipment was even dumped into the ocean because of closed ports. Meanwhile, the client was dealing with mold at her temporary home, and Jodi found herself caught in the middle of an increasingly fractured relationship between the client and contractor.
As the project spiraled, Jodi became increasingly involved, sometimes working for months without additional compensation. She even showed up with a sage stick to "sage" the client, the house, and the dog in an attempt to clear the negativity surrounding the project.
But the biggest lessons came afterward. Jodi realized how important it is to establish expectations, communication, boundaries, and budgets from the beginning—and turned the experience into the foundation for her own Designing in 5D process and concierge-level approach to working with clients.
Morgan Friedman
Jodi Koch Peterman's Website
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Jodi Koch Peterman's YouTube ChannelTue, 01 Sep 2026 - 51min - 107 - That time when a client promised the world… and left everyone unpaid (with Paul Sweeney)
Today, Our Beloved Host, Morgan Friedman, is joined by Paul Sweeney, Founder of Pretium Solutions, Chartered Accountant, Business Growth Specialist, and host of The Business Behind Your Business. Paul shares a Client Horror Story about what happens when excitement, urgency, and trust take the place of contracts, structure, and basic business discipline. What begins as a promising opportunity quickly spirals into a company where employees have different promises, two people think they're the CEO, lawyers are brought in to clean up avoidable problems, and Paul himself goes months without getting paid.
The company had a huge opportunity in front of it: investors, a product in development, plans to become a public company, and plenty of people eager to make things happen. But in the rush to move forward, basic processes were skipped. Contracts weren't signed. Promises weren't documented. Employees were hired before the product was ready. And eventually, Paul realized the company had promised far more than it could possibly afford.
As the problems pile up, Paul finds himself caught in the middle of a fractured company, with disagreements over money, responsibilities, leadership, and who was actually in charge. At one point, two different people believed they were the CEO. Meanwhile, Paul was being asked to solve the company's financial problems while still waiting to be paid himself.
What makes the story particularly striking is that Paul was 42 when all of this happened—and advising others on exactly these kinds of business issues. Looking back, he recognizes how a long-standing relationship, the excitement of a major opportunity, and his own transition between businesses caused him to ignore safeguards he normally would have recommended to anyone else.
Morgan Friedman
Paul's Website
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Paul's YouTube ChannelFri, 21 Aug 2026 - 41min - 106 - That time when your client thinks he can sell art online without any digital footprint… (with Chris Simental)
Some client relationships start with red flags so bright you'd think they were impossible to miss. And yet—when you're young, hungry, and genuinely excited about what you do—it's easy to mistake chaos for ambition.
Twenty years ago, Chris Simental, Co-Founder of Ripe Media & Tech Strategist, was introduced to a client through a mutual acquaintance. The pitch sounded exciting on paper: build a dynamic ecommerce platform that would serve as a cultural hub for visual art, fashion, music, and film. A one-stop digital destination for creatives. The kind of project that makes a portfolio sing.
What they didn't know yet was that the vision far outpaced the client's understanding of what building that vision actually required.
The client—a family of four—came in with enormous expectations and very little grasp of how the digital world worked. From the very first meeting, the demands were overwhelming, and not always rooted in reality. One request stood out above the rest: they wanted their audience to be able to sell art without needing a computer or a camera. No digital footprint. No uploads. No friction.
It was a creative brief that defied the basic logic of ecommerce. How do you sell something that doesn't exist online? Chris and his team did what good builders do—they pushed forward, tried to bridge the gap between expectation and execution, and delivered an initial website they were ready to stand behind.
Then came the soft launch.
In the world of web development, a soft launch is standard practice. You release, you gather real user data, bugs surface, you fix them. It's not a failure—it's the process. Chris knew this. His team knew this. What he didn't anticipate was that the client did not.
Days after the launch, an angry email landed in their inbox. The client was furious. Momentum had been lost, they claimed. Users were disappointed. The bugs—normal, expected, fixable bugs—had apparently derailed everything. The tone was accusatory, the frustration outsized, and the response completely disproportionate to where they actually were in the development cycle.
It felt personal in a way that didn't quite add up.
And then, eventually, it all made sense.
As the relationship unraveled, a startling detail emerged: the business wasn't really about art, fashion, music, or film at all. The entire venture had been constructed as a vehicle—a means for the client to transfer business ownership to his son and secure a US citizenship in the process. The cultural platform was never the point. Chris and his team had spent months pouring their expertise into a project whose real purpose had never been disclosed to them.
In today's episode, Chris Simental breaks down exactly what went wrong, what he wished he'd caught earlier, and what every creative professional needs to know about vetting clients before the contract is signed.
Because sometimes the nightmare isn't in the code. It's in the fine print nobody showed you.
Thu, 18 Jun 2026 - 1h 07min - 105 - That time when your mentor becomes your worst nightmare… (with Sira Laurel)
Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of workplace sexual harassment and burnout. Listener discretion is advised.
Sira Laurel didn't enter the workforce with a safety net. She graduated in 2008—right as the financial crisis swallowed jobs whole and turned ambition into a survival test.
But Sira wasn't the type to wait for the storm to pass. She landed a role as a benefits advisor for postoperative equipment at a medical company, and from day one, she showed up differently. She learned fast, built trust faster, and quietly became indispensable.
Her sales team noticed. Her leadership team noticed. In a company full of moving parts and competing agendas, Sira had earned something rare—genuine respect from the people at the top. That visibility came with a promotion to management, a seat at a bigger table, and the kind of momentum that makes you believe the climb is finally worth it.
But momentum, when it's built on unstable ground, has a way of exhausting you before it ever breaks you.
Not everyone celebrated her rise. Whispers started in the back office. Resentment built in corners she couldn't always see. Sira was managing upward, managing sideways, and managing the quiet hostility beneath the surface—all at once. The weight of proving herself never quite lifted. It just changed shape. And without her realizing it, the very drive that made her exceptional was also burning her from the inside out.
Then one day, something shifted beyond just the exhaustion.
It wasn't a memo or a meeting. It was a feeling—a sudden chill in the air that she couldn't explain. The mentor who had championed her, the executive she'd trusted, seemed different. Distant. Guarded. It wasn't long before the reason surfaced: his wife had discovered he was having an affair. The personal had crashed violently into the professional, and Sira was standing in the wreckage without having caused any of it.
They tried to move forward. To compartmentalize. To keep things professional. And for a time, they did.
But something had broken—and what grew in its place added an unbearable new layer to an already heavy load.
Over time, the executive's behavior toward Sira shifted in ways that crossed every line that should never be crossed. What began as professional mentorship devolved into sexual harassment. The man who once advocated for her career began weaponizing his power against her instead. And Sira—already running on empty, already stretched thin by years of fighting to belong—was now forced to carry something no job description ever prepares you for.
The burnout wasn't just professional anymore. It was total.
Her story is not unique. That's exactly why it needs to be told.
In today's episode, Sira Laurel—now CEO and Executive Advisor of North of Normal—opens up about the compounding weight of workplace burnout, the slow erosion that happens when you give everything to a career that doesn't always protect you in return, and the line that was finally crossed. She shares what happened, how she survived it, and what she wants every professional to know about recognizing your limits, protecting your peace, and fighting for the dignity you deserve in every workspace you walk into.
This conversation is heavy. It is honest. And it is necessary.
Because no amount of hustle, no promotion, no professional relationship should ever cost someone their health—or their safety.
Morgan Friedman
Sira's Website
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Sira's YouTube ChannelThu, 04 Jun 2026 - 1h 11min - 104 - That time when you discover your client is a swindler who lives a double life… (with Lance Cayko)
Today, we're joined by Lance Cayko—serial entrepreneur, award-winning architect, and co-founder of F9 Productions. He's here to share a client horror story that starts as a straightforward business deal and unravels into something far more sinister.
Years ago, Lance met a couple who had relocated from the south to Colorado. The wife, an interior designer, came with beautifully crafted drawings of their dream home. Impressed by her talent, Lance actually encouraged them to skip his architectural services altogether and simply hire an engineer—a gesture of genuine respect for her work.
That could have been the end of it. But years later, the husband resurfaced with a new project—and a new fiancée. The work began smoothly enough, but two-thirds of the way through, the invoices started going unpaid, communication went cold, and strange emails began trickling in. The reason soon became clear: the client had started construction himself without waiting for the building permit. Lance had seen enough. He sent a final email rescinding all involvement and walked away.
Then the fiancée called. She was devastated—and completely in the dark. Over coffee, she revealed that her partner had drained her accounts entirely. She pressed charges, and he fled the state.
The story didn't end there. After the dust settled and her home was completed through another firm, Lance came across a mugshot of his former client—charged with multiple counts of fraud. Driven by curiosity, he reached out to the man's first wife. What she shared over coffee confirmed everything: the man had been living a double life from the moment he arrived in Colorado.
Some clients aren't just difficult. Some are dangerous. Listen to hear the full story.
Morgan Friedman
Lance's Website
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Lance's InstagramThu, 21 May 2026 - 41min - 103 - That time when you sell your company for growth only to buy it back because your buyers couldn't handle it… (with Beth Trejo)
Beth Trejo, CEO & Co-Founder of Chatterkick, has a horror story—but it's not about a difficult client. It's about a partnership that nearly cost her everything she built.
Beth's entrepreneurial journey started early. After winning a competition and walking away with $1,100, she bought a laptop, had a conversation with a friend, and launched a social media business. Chatterkick thrived—but as Beth began building her family, she felt the company needed more resources and guidance than she could provide alone. So she sold it.
Looking back, the red flags were there from the start. The acquiring company's portfolio was rooted in farming and milling—industries worlds apart from social media. Chatterkick was the odd one out, and the misalignment only deepened over time. Within three years, it became undeniable: they simply didn't know how to run a social media business.
The pressure was immense. Beth was navigating the very real possibility of losing the company, watching her team's livelihoods hang in the balance—all while raising young children at home. But she refused to walk away from what she had built from scratch. She fought back, bought Chatterkick back, and made a decision she wouldn't repeat: this time, she would grow it on her own terms, alongside the team that believed in it as much as she did.
Watch this episode to hear the full story.
Morgan Friedman
Beth's Website
Beth's LinkedIn
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Beth's YouTube ChannelThu, 14 May 2026 - 39min - 102 - That time when an informant walks away from a shortened prison sentence… (with Eric Robinson)
Eric Robinson, retired FBI agent, author, and former pastor, shares a gripping story from his time working in the FBI's National Security and Counterterrorism Division. This episode dives into one of his earliest and most unforgettable cases—and it comes with a warning: parts of the story are intense and may be disturbing.
The case involved an individual already charged with providing financial support to a spokesperson for Al-Qaeda. While in prison, the suspect confided in another inmate that he wanted to have the judge overseeing his case murdered so a new judge could take over. That inmate quickly became a critical informant.
Following the lead, Eric and his team carefully guided the informant on how to handle future conversations. During their discussions, the suspect openly described how he wanted the murder carried out. The informant then suggested he knew someone who could perform the hit.
When the suspect agreed, shook hands on the plan, and exchanged money for the job, the evidence was undeniable. The plot sealed his fate—ultimately resulting in a 40-year prison sentence.
As part of the operation, Eric had promised the informant a possible five-year reduction in his sentence for cooperating. But in a surprising twist, the informant declined the deal and walked away from the offer entirely.
Morgan Friedman
Eric's LinkedIn
Eric's InstagramThu, 07 May 2026 - 52min - 101 - That time when a famous band decides to leave their designer high and dry… (with Rich Wright)
Have you ever poured your heart into a project—only to be left unpaid in the end? Rich Wright, Artist, Designer, and Podcast Host, shares a Client Horror Story that left a lasting mark on his career.
At the time, Rich had already begun building a strong reputation, even doing design work for Bacardi. Through those connections, he was introduced to a well-known musical act. The band was big, successful, and looking for someone to design their stage outfits for an upcoming event—and they wanted Rich.
Thrilled by the opportunity, Rich presented his ideas, showcased his portfolio, and signed an agreement to begin the work. But something about the situation made him uneasy from the start. Trusting his instincts, he arranged to be paid in three installments.
After pouring his creativity and effort into the project, Rich personally delivered the final piece of the costume directly to the band's dressing room. That's when everything went sideways. Instead of paying the remaining balance, the band refused—and even handed the situation over to their attorney.
And believe it or not, the story only gets stranger from there. Tune in to hear how Rich navigated the chaos and ultimately fought to claim the payment he rightfully earned.
Morgan Friedman
Rich's Website
Rich's LinkedIn
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Rich's YouTube ChannelThu, 30 Apr 2026 - 45min - 100 - That time when a client forces you to send a cease and desist… (with Trisha Daho)
Fresh off her resignation from a large corporation, Trisha Daho, now CEO & Founder of Empowered Leadership Cultivation, set out to build her own business. Like many new founders, she quickly learned that the road to success is rarely smooth—and often comes with unexpected challenges.
One of Trisha's first clients came through a trusted friend: the owner of an interior design company who had mastered her craft but had little experience running a business. Trisha stepped in as a consultant, offering guidance on leadership, strategy, and growth. Almost immediately, yellow flags began to surface. Employees openly claimed their boss was the problem, and the owner floated wildly unrealistic ideas—like selling a $700 pair of slippers—then told others it was Trisha's recommendation.
As the situation worsened, the client continued spreading false narratives that damaged Trisha's reputation. Eventually, Trisha was forced to send a cease-and-desist order to put a stop to the misinformation. Although she was never fully paid for her work, walking away from the client became one of the best decisions she ever made.
This episode is a powerful reminder that not all revenue is good revenue—and that protecting your name, boundaries, and peace is sometimes the real win. Tune in to learn more.
Morgan Friedman
Trisha's Website
Trisha's LinkedIn
Trisha's TikTokThu, 23 Apr 2026 - 25min - 99 - That time when you get hired to coach a bully… (with Carlos Davidovich)
Early in his coaching career, Carlos, Executive Coach & Neuromanagement Expert, was brought in to work with a company's top C-suite executive—someone brilliant at their job, consistently delivering exceptional results. But behind the performance was a serious problem: team members were quitting in droves, admitting they could no longer tolerate their boss's behavior. Simply put, he was a bully.
The company found itself trapped in a lose-lose situation. Letting him go could jeopardize the business due to his irreplaceable expertise. Keeping him meant continued attrition and a toxic culture that threatened the company from within.
Carlos faced an uphill battle. Bullies often disguise aggression as "passion" or "high standards," and rarely recognize the damage they cause. Instead of tackling the issue from one angle, Carlos took a strategic approach—coaching the executive while also equipping the team with tools to communicate, set boundaries, and protect themselves.
If you've ever worked under a bully—or felt powerless in a toxic workplace—this episode offers insight, validation, and practical strategies for navigating it with strength and clarity.
Morgan Friedman
Carlos' Website
Carlos' LinkedIn
Carlos' InstagramThu, 09 Apr 2026 - 42min - 98 - That time informed consent in writing saved the day... (with Jane Muir)
Today, we're joined by Jane Muir, Shareholder at J Muir & Associate PA, who opens up about one of the most difficult Client Horror Stories of her legal career.
Early in her career, Jane represented a group of older clients who had jointly invested in a Chinese restaurant. The group believed they weren't being given accurate financial figures and hired Jane to help negotiate a settlement. To protect both herself and the firm, Jane required everyone to sign a waiver of conflict of interest that confirmed that the attorney-client privilege included the whole group—meaning no one could withhold information from anyone in the group, and if conflicts arose, representation would immediately end.
That safeguard proved critical. After Jane sent a routine status letter to the entire group, internal tensions exploded and secrets surfaced. The situation escalated so badly that Jane and her firm were threatened with ethics complaints—despite having done nothing wrong and fully complying with Florida's professional standards for attorneys.
To make matters worse, Jane was paid just $2,500 for work that ultimately totaled more than $50,000 in legal services.
This episode is a powerful lesson in client boundaries, legal protections, and knowing when a "group client" is actually a liability.
Tune in to hear how Jane used this experience to change how she protects herself, her firm, and her future cases.
Morgan Friedman
Jane's Website
Jane's LinkedIn
Jane's Facebook
Jane's YouTube ChannelThu, 26 Mar 2026 - 1h 04min - 97 - That time when a marketing agency shuts down your business just by using the wrong credit card… (with Scott Gilbert)
When Scott Gilbert, Founder of Aesthetic Flight, first launched his business, he didn't yet have the marketing expertise needed to scale effectively. And while this series usually features Client Horror Stories, this time Scott is the client—sharing what went wrong when he hired an agency to generate leads.
A few years in, Scott understood the basics and felt confident enough to outsource growth. He trusted the agency to handle paid ads and bring in leads. But during what should have been the busiest season of the year, something alarming happened: zero leads. Not low performance—none at all. Weeks passed. A/B tests were run. Still nothing.
Sensing something deeper was wrong, Scott scheduled a call with the agency's CEO. That's when he discovered the real issue: the agency had used the wrong credit card to run his ads, causing Google to flag his account as fraudulent and shut everything down.
Although Scott eventually received a refund, the financial damage—and lost momentum—couldn't be undone.
Tune in to hear how Scott turned this costly mistake into a system for protecting his business, and what he now does to ensure he never hands over blind control again.
Morgan Friedman
Scott's Website
Scott's LinkedIn
Scott's InstagramThu, 19 Mar 2026 - 1h 11min - 96 - That time when a client turned the hiring process upside down… (with Caroline Sangal)
Today, Caroline Sangal, Life-First Career Coach & Founder of Next Success, joins us to share a Client Horror Story that changed the course of her career forever.
Before transitioning into coaching, Caroline was a highly skilled technical recruiter. One project involved a small, family-owned chemical company that needed a top technical professional to step into a role created by the impending retirement of a senior leader. Caroline was pulled in to help after her firm had already been working the difficult search for over a year.
Then, she remembered someone brilliant, a grad school colleague whose career growth had stalled at a major chemical company. Despite the risk, and even though it meant uprooting his family, he was willing to take the leap. All signs pointed to this being a possible great match.
Caroline guided him through the process, provided all necessary information, and got him in the door. But things took a strange turn — as he arrived for the on-site interview, the company introduced a full psych evaluation as part of their selection process. After months of interviews including another visit where he rearranged important family holiday plans to make it work — they low-balled him with a disappointing offer.
But trust us — it only gets messier from here.
Listen to the full episode to learn how this situation spiraled even further, and how Caroline handled it with resilience and clarity.
Morgan Friedman
Caroline's Website
Caroline's LinkedIn
Caroline's Instagram
Caroline's Facebook
Caroline's YouTube ChannelThu, 12 Mar 2026 - 53min - 95 - That time when your pitch turns into a TV commercial without you… (with Paul Pape)
Fresh out of college, Paul Pape, Founder & CEO of Gamify Business, faced one of the most challenging experiences of his early career.
Through his mentor, Paul got the chance to pitch a major ad campaign for a client who owned a chain of grocery stores. The meeting went exceptionally well—he presented a creative concept featuring his wife as the face of the campaign and left confident he had nailed it. But after weeks of silence, it became clear he'd been ghosted.
Months later, Paul was stunned to receive a flyer from the same grocery chain—featuring his wife's image from his pitch. At first, he brushed it off as a one-time print use, but two days later, the same image appeared in a TV commercial. His idea had been stolen outright.
Determined to fight back, Paul took the case to court. His lawyer presented a solid argument, but the odds were stacked against him—the judge turned out to be a friend of the grocery store owner, and the decision was already made before the hearing even began.
It was a hard and costly lesson, but one that shaped his future approach to business. Tune in to hear how Paul turned this painful experience into a valuable lesson on protecting his work, contracts, and creative integrity.
Morgan Friedman
Paul's Website
Paul's LinkedIn
Paul's Instagram
Paul's TikTok
Paul's YouTube Channel
Paul's FacebookThu, 05 Mar 2026 - 46min - 94 - That time when Billy Idol's manager fires you onstage… (with Mike Montague)
Are you afraid of what lies ahead—of the challenges that might test your confidence and resilience? Mike Montague, Founder of Avenue9, shares a client horror story that toughened his skin and proved that if he could survive this, he could survive anything.
Back in 2005, Mike worked at a retro radio station in Kansas City. The station was sponsoring a Billy Idol concert, and before the show, Billy and his manager approached him with an exciting offer: to DJ the event. Thrilled by the opportunity, Mike prepared a fun, upbeat setlist perfectly tailored to the crowd—mostly soccer moms and casual music fans.
But just 15 minutes into his set, Billy's manager stormed on stage and shouted, "I thought we said rock music—like the Rolling Stones?" Mike froze, realizing he had misunderstood what kind of "rock" they meant. Still, he tried to recover, queuing up a few edgier tracks.
Before he could regain control of the moment, the manager cut the lights, stopped the music, and fired him—onstage, in front of everyone.
It was humiliating—but it became one of the defining moments of Mike's career. Tune in to hear how he bounced back, what he learned about resilience, and how that unforgettable night shaped his fearless approach to challenges today.
Thu, 26 Feb 2026 - 51min - 93 - That time when a client admits to stealing from his own company… (with Tim Brownson)
Tim Brownson, Coach & Author, moved to the U.S. in 2006 to start fresh and build his coaching career from the ground up. As a newcomer, finding clients was tough—so when a potential client from an elite Ontario neighborhood reached out, he saw it as a golden opportunity.
Though it wasn't his usual practice to visit clients at home, Tim agreed to meet. Their first session went well and lasted two hours. When it came time to discuss payment, the client suggested they talk about it during the next session. Wanting to maintain trust, Tim agreed.
During their second meeting, things took a turn. The client proudly showed Tim an Excel sheet revealing that he'd been using business funds for personal expenses—and wasn't paying his employees. Appalled by the lack of ethics, Tim ended the session immediately and walked out. Only later did he realize he'd never been paid for his time.
Morgan Friedman
Tim's Website
Tim's LinkedInThu, 12 Feb 2026 - 17min - 92 - That time when a former partner tries to cash in after leaving… (with Ed Hajim)
Today's guest, Ed Hajim—Author, Philanthropist, and Mentor—joins us to share a collection of Client Horror Stories from his remarkable career. Trust us, these are stories you'll want to hear.
During his time as Managing Partner of a mid-sized investment bank, Ed helped grow the firm's revenue from $20 million to over half a billion, eventually selling the company twice—the first time to Xerox. But success didn't come without conflict.
One of the partners accused Ed of "doing everything wrong" and predicted he'd run the company into the ground. Because they felt this, they decided to leave and sell their stock back to the firm. About 12 months later Xerox offered to buy the firm at about triple its private valuation.
When the departed partner learned of the possible transaction he sued. Xerox refused to close the deal until the lawsuit was settled, so the firm paid the ex-partner off just to move forward.
And that's only one of Ed's incredible stories. Tune in to hear more about his rollercoaster experiences in finance—and the lessons he learned about leadership, conflict, and resilience along the way.
Morgan Friedman
Ed's Website
Ed's LinkedIn
Ed's InstagramThu, 05 Feb 2026 - 42min - 91 - That time when your boss is so scary that everyone's afraid of losing their jobs… (with Cordell Robinson)
Have you ever felt that knot in your stomach before work, knowing you'll have to face a terrifying boss? This Client Horror Story captures that exact feeling.
Cordell Robinson, CEO of Brownstone Consulting FirmWorking, recalls a time he worked on-site with a client whose team lived in fear of one particular person—their compliance manager. Known for being impossibly demanding and hypercritical, this individual made employees feel like even the smallest mistake could cost them their jobs.
Despite the tension, Cordell managed to build a working relationship based on patience and strategy. He learned to pause before responding, carefully organize his thoughts, and communicate with clarity and respect—turning anxiety into professionalism.
If you've ever had to deal with an intimidating boss or client, this episode will show you how calm composure and clear communication can turn fear into confidence.
Morgan Friedman
Cordell's Website
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Cordell's InstagramThu, 29 Jan 2026 - 30min - 90 - That time when your business partner offers inappropriate massages to your students… (with Eric Gee)
Today, we're joined by Eric Gee, Author, Life & Writing Coach, who shares a story that's almost too hard to believe.
In his younger years, Eric and a close friend launched an education company focused on teaching and mentoring students. Everything ran smoothly—until one day, his business partner crossed a line. When a female student mentioned having a sore neck, the partner offered her a massage. While he saw it as harmless, given his background in massage therapy, Eric knew immediately that it was deeply inappropriate.
Eric took swift action—apologizing to the student, addressing the situation with his partner, and trying to move forward. But months later, his partner admitted to another troubling incident that caused a student to leave the program altogether. That was the breaking point. Eric knew it was time to reevaluate their partnership and rebuild with stronger boundaries and integrity.
Tune in to learn how Eric turned this painful chapter into a defining lesson about leadership, accountability, and protecting the trust of those you serve.
Morgan Friedman
Eric's Website
Eric's LinkedIn
Eric's Instagram
Eric's FacebookThu, 22 Jan 2026 - 54min - 89 - That time when you warn a client of the repercussions of the migration but they refuse to listen… (with Brad White)
Today's episode features Brad White, CEO of VARC Solutions, who shares one of his biggest frustrations in business—working with clients who simply refuse to listen.
Brad's company specializes in bookkeeping, and one of their core tools is QuickBooks—a platform trusted by both small and large businesses alike. Over time, QuickBooks has evolved significantly, especially with the rise of cloud technology. However, not all clients understand that QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online (the cloud version) are completely different systems.
Despite Brad's efforts to explain these differences and the challenges of migrating, some clients stubbornly ignore the warnings and then blame the company for a "failed" migration.
Tune in to hear how Brad handled this recurring dilemma—and the lessons he learned about communication, patience, and guiding clients through technological change.
Morgan Friedman
Brad's Website
Brad's LinkedIn
Brad's Instagram
Brad's Twitter
Brad's Facebook
Brad's Podcast on YouTubeThu, 15 Jan 2026 - 52min - 88 - That time when being too trusting costs you your first rental… (with Spencer Sutton)
If you're interested in real estate—and the stories that come with it—this Client Horror Story is for you. Spencer Sutton, VP of Marketing at Evernest, takes us back to his early days as a young real estate investor.
At the time, Spencer was flipping houses but dreamed of building long-term wealth through rental properties. The problem? He had no idea how to be a landlord or set boundaries with tenants. Still, he pressed on and purchased his very first rental home—located 45 minutes from where he lived.
For nearly five exhausting weeks, Spencer showed the property to potential renters. Finally, an older woman seemed like the perfect tenant, offering to pay two to three months' rent upfront. Excited and eager, Spencer handed her the keys—skipping the screening process entirely.
That decision came back to haunt him. After the initial months, rent payments became late, then stopped altogether. Communication broke down, the police had to be called, and Spencer was left with a property in shambles.
This episode is a raw look at humble beginnings and the hard lessons that come with them. Tune in to hear how Spencer navigated the setbacks, what he learned the hard way, and how you can apply those lessons to your own real estate journey.
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 - 49min - 87 - That time when a real estate owner hid deals under his wife's name… (with Angela Thomas)
Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Angela Thomas, Scaling Expert & Founder of Angel Success Consulting, who has built a thriving business through dedication and grit.
Angela specializes in training and developing businesses, and she was invited to conduct a training session for a real estate business owner. The first session was a success—payment went through smoothly, and the client was pleased with the results. Encouraged, the business owner requested another round of training, this time for his new sales agents, and agreed to a commission-based partnership with Angela.
During the program, Angela helped set up the company's structure and guided the sales team step by step. But soon, she sensed something was wrong—the agents seemed withdrawn and uneasy. She invited them out for coffee, and when they admitted they couldn't afford it, Angela graciously treated them.
Over coffee, the agents revealed a shocking truth: the business owner had taken away their deals, dismissed their proposals as inadequate, and secretly opened a new real estate company under his wife's name—closing deals there to avoid paying commissions to Angela and the team.
After processing the revelation, Angela encouraged the agents to take action. They filed a case against the owner, who ultimately lost his real estate license.
Tune in to hear how Angela turned this betrayal into a powerful learning experience and what it taught her about protecting her work and standing up for fairness.
Wed, 24 Dec 2025 - 49min - 86 - That time when a client threatens to sue you for 17 years (and ends up getting arrested)… (with Greg Digneo)
Today, Greg Digneo, Founder of Content Guppy, shares a Client Horror Story that proves some people really are as wild as they seem.
In the early 2000s, Greg and a friend launched a solar panel company with no prior experience. To their surprise, two of their university professors became their first customers, and the money they earned from those projects was more than they had ever handled since graduation.
Their third client, however, was a different story. At their first meeting, he proudly bragged about suing a flooring company to get his floors done for free—a red flag they overlooked in their excitement to keep the profits rolling. They went ahead and installed the panels, unaware of the chaos that would follow.
For the next 17 years, the client repeatedly contacted them, threatening lawsuits over various issues. Eventually, Greg and his friend stopped engaging—only to later learn the man had been arrested for impersonating a police officer.
This is just the beginning of the story. Watch the full episode to hear how Greg and his partner navigated years of bizarre threats and what they learned about trusting their instincts when red flags appear.
Thu, 18 Dec 2025 - 30min - 85 - That time when you discover a respectable executive director turns out to be a monster… (with Kate Viana)
Kate Viana, Founder of Viana Communications, shares a Client Horror Story like no other.
In 2021, after leaving a nonprofit to strike out on her own, Kate was thrilled when a Texas-based client reached out. She began by improving their website—despite having little experience and doing it for free—before transitioning into consulting work.
Eager to expand her expertise, Kate offered to visit the organization in person. What she discovered was shocking. At her very first dinner meeting, leaders openly backstabbed each other and spread negativity. Survey responses later confirmed what she had witnessed: a toxic, abusive workplace. During a site visit, Kate saw it firsthand when the executive director screamed at employees in front of her.
Still committed, Kate compiled a detailed report outlining her observations. Instead of appreciation, she was abruptly let go. Months later, when the organization demanded access to the website and files she had created, Kate requested payment before handing anything over. That's when things spiraled.
The executive director launched a campaign of harassment—bombarding Kate with emails, calls, texts, and even social media attacks. She went as far as contacting her new employers to berate her.
Tune in to hear how Kate endured this ordeal and the changes she made to protect herself and her business moving forward.
Morgan Friedman
Kate's Website
Kate's LinkedInThu, 11 Dec 2025 - 44min - 84 - That time when a six-hour job turns into a six-month ordeal… (with Aleks Krylov)
Today, Aleks Krylov, President of Stern Gutters, shares a Client Horror Story that dragged on for months.
In October of last year, a retired woman contacted his team to install gutter protection at her home. By the first week of November, the installation was complete, and the final bill was charged.
Just days later, Aleks began receiving emails and phone calls from the client claiming the technician had caused damage—breaking a patio lamp and chipping paint beneath the gutters. The technician firmly denied the allegations, noting he hadn’t even accessed those areas and that such damage was physically impossible.
When the client realized her credit card had been charged for the balance, she became furious and demanded a full refund. Taking it further, she filed a dispute with the bank. Aleks responded with all the required documentation and ultimately won the case. After that, the customer went completely silent.
Six months later, in April, the client’s husband finally reached out, offering to be home after Memorial Day to resolve the matter. Aleks and his team handled the situation, and on June 3rd, the project was officially closed.
Tune in to hear how Aleks navigated this long ordeal—and the lessons he learned about patience, persistence, and professionalism along the way.
Morgan Friedman
Aleks' Website
Aleks' LinkedIn
Aleks' Instagram
Aleks' Twitter/X
Aleks' TikTok
Aleks' YouTube
Aleks' FacebookThu, 04 Dec 2025 - 34min - 83 - That time when you're tasked to present a product knowledge sales training class but come unprepared… (with Ron Reich)
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.
Thu, 27 Nov 2025 - 37min - 82 - That time when you help an employee become the best version of themself only to have them quit… (with Wes Towers)
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.
Thu, 20 Nov 2025 - 32min - 81 - That time when you invest your whole life (and savings) into a business only to have the ground pulled out from underneath you… (with Jody Durand)
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.
Thu, 13 Nov 2025 - 58min - 80 - That time when you sell only 50 tickets in an 800-seat theater… (with Tom Elliott)
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.
Thu, 06 Nov 2025 - 43min - 79 - That time when the Crypto Godfather turned my case into an FBI nightmare… (with Ken Childs)
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.
Thu, 30 Oct 2025 - 58min - 78 - That time when a client drops you for taking them to court only to be rehired after five years after realizing your worth… (with Bryan Wetzel)
Today, we take an inspiring turn with Bryan Wetzel—entrepreneur, author, and producer—who shares a client horror story that eventually became a long-term success.
In the 1990s, Bryan produced standout advertising work for Big Canoe, a resort-style community in North Georgia. Everything was going well until a new head of advertising arrived and commissioned an ambitious 10-minute video complete with helicopter flyovers, scripts, voiceovers, and a professional agency. Bryan secured all the talent and logistics for the four-day shoot, only to have the entire project canceled the day before filming—because a TV channel offered to do it for free. To add insult to injury, they demanded their deposit back.
Bryan stood his ground, took the matter to court, and won—not only keeping the deposit but receiving additional compensation. Remarkably, five years later, a new advertising director from Big Canoe reached out, praising his earlier work. Setting the past aside, Bryan returned to collaborate with them—for the next 16 years.
His story proves that how you conduct yourself in tough moments can shape opportunities years later. In both business and life, respect and professionalism during conflict can turn setbacks into future wins.
Thu, 23 Oct 2025 - 42min - 77 - That time when a client demands feature changes like they own the company… (with Alex Sanfilippo)
Today’s episode features Alex Sanfilippo, Podcaster and Founder of PodMatch, who shares one of his wildest client horror stories—about a demanding software user who thought they could dictate major changes to his company.
Shortly after signing up, the client insisted on a call to outline a list of changes—some reasonable, others impossible. Eager to help, and still new to the business, Alex agreed to explore them. But the demands escalated, with the client threatening to cancel their subscription if his requests weren’t met.
Wanting to please, Alex dove in, even agreeing to attend a coaching session arranged by the client. That decision proved costly: he spent six months developing a new feature that alienated other users—only for the client to leave anyway. The detour not only delayed more important projects but also shook his business partner’s confidence in him.
Tune in to hear how Alex overcame the setback, rebuilt trust, and learned one of the toughest lessons of his entrepreneurial journey.
Thu, 16 Oct 2025 - 1h 00min - 76 - That time when you’re asked to sell a product and are expected to track it manually without the help of any CRM… (with Paul H. Flowers Jr.)
Today’s guest is Paul H. Flowers Jr., Founder & CEO of Superior Insurance Advisors, who shares a client horror story he’ll never forget.
With a strong background in healthcare, Paul was hired by a company boasting a solid communication strategy to sell their products. Eager to bring value and make an impact, he quickly encountered an unexpected roadblock.
Despite operating in the industry for 30 years, the company had never implemented a proper CRM—the backbone of modern client management. Instead, they relied on SharePoint, Microsoft’s platform for document storage and team collaboration—effective in some contexts but “very old school” compared to today’s dedicated CRM systems.
This made organizing client data a logistical nightmare. But instead of backing down, Paul got creative—using two computers to manually email roughly 500 people in order to make a major event a success.
Tune in to hear how he pulled it off, and the lessons he learned about adapting under pressure.
Thu, 09 Oct 2025 - 45min - 75 - That time the client asked for the truth and then went ballistic when you gave it to them… (with Derrick Van Mell)
Today's guest is Derrick Van Mell, Principal of The Center for Management Terms & Practices, who recalls a client horror story from his days as a general management consultant.
Derrick had set his sights on a massive, century-old manufacturing company and was thrilled when they accepted his proposal. Early in the engagement, he asked how they measured growth—only to discover they focused solely on their production schedule, ignoring their financial statements entirely.
When Derrick raised this concern in a meeting, one executive exploded, declaring, “I’ve never gotten so angry in my life!” before storming out. Soon after, Derrick met with the company president and other leaders. Following a CEO friend’s advice, he simply asked, “What do you want me to do?” While the conversation cooled tensions, it wasn’t enough to save his role.
This story is full of sharp turns, unexpected reactions, and lessons on the power—and limits—of listening. Keep listening to hear how Derrick navigated the situation and what it taught him about truly hearing clients.
Thu, 02 Oct 2025 - 40min - 74 - That time when you singlehandedly bring down your company by making a single fatal mistake… (with Ori Elraviv)
Multicultural turnaround executive Ori Elraviv opens up about the pivotal misstep that led to his company’s downfall years ago. Before the iPhone era, Ori founded a game development company that secured a major partnership with Electronic Arts—an achievement that opened doors for a potential deal with Sony Pictures.
The pitch to Sony started strong, but things quickly unraveled when they discovered the company had developed a similar program for Electronic Arts. Sony questioned whether Ori’s team held the rights to reuse the technology—and when EA caught wind of the situation, the fallout was swift and severe.
The root of the problem? They hadn’t read the fine print. A costly oversight that ultimately led to the collapse of the business. Tune in to hear Ori’s full story and the lessons he took from the experience.
Thu, 25 Sep 2025 - 37min - 73 - That time when you’ve successfully completed your service only to discover a month later that you messed up big time because of a single small step… (with Michael Patino)
Michael Patino, Founder and CEO of Patino Associates, shares a cautionary tale from a partnership with a large global manufacturing organization. At the time, Michael had successfully placed a senior executive within the company—only to be stunned when, just a month later, the executive was suddenly terminated.
Wanting to understand what went wrong, Michael reached out and discovered that the executive had lied about holding a collegiate degree. The issue came to light after the individual repeatedly delayed submitting required documentation. When Michael reviewed the situation internally, he found that although the degree verification process had flagged the discrepancy, it had been overlooked by his assistant during the final review.
The experience was both frustrating and eye-opening. It pushed Michael to reevaluate internal workflows and reinforce checks and balances—lessons that now guide how his team handles candidate reviews and verifications.
Thu, 18 Sep 2025 - 33min - 72 - That time when your business partner teams up with another to drop all of you, only to have it blow in their face… (with Devin Sizemore)
Today’s guest is Devin Sizemore, owner of ACES Connection Group, who shares a wild client horror story about teaming up with a group of individuals to launch a motorcycle business. Things took off quickly—in just 14 days, they had a promising investor on board and a successful launch event that drew in custom orders and buzz.
But beneath the surface, betrayal was brewing. One partner secretly cozied up to the investor, taking credit for work he didn’t do, while also plotting with another co-founder to cut out the rest of the team. With his business instincts kicking in, Devin chose to walk away before things got worse.
It’s a jaw-dropping story of ambition, deception, and the hard lessons of trust in business. Buckle up—this episode doesn’t hold back.
Thu, 11 Sep 2025 - 42min - 71 - That time when the doctor berates your product in the operating room and ends up praising it outside… (with Bill Gruber)
Bill Gruber, Medical Device Executive and Author, shares a client horror story that starts off puzzling—but ends with a powerful lesson in emotional intelligence and professionalism.
The story dates back 20 years, when Bill was head of sales and marketing for a spinal products company. His team was preparing to launch a new device and had secured a respected surgeon to perform the first-ever procedure on a human patient. Everything seemed on track—until they entered the operating room. The once upbeat, easygoing doctor suddenly turned volatile—screaming at nurses, cursing at the team, and even causing the patient to slide on the table. Then, just as abruptly, he returned to his cheerful self after the procedure.
It wasn’t until later that Bill learned the doctor was in the middle of a brutal divorce—and the anesthesiologist in the room was his soon-to-be ex-brother-in-law.
This eye-opening episode is a masterclass in understanding how personal issues can spill into professional settings. Don’t miss it—you’ll never look at “doctor demeanor” the same way again.
Wed, 03 Sep 2025 - 48min - 70 - That time when you train a franchisee only to have them back out upon launch… (with Max Emma)
Today, franchise expert Max Emma shares a client horror story about owning a bookkeeping franchise.
A woman who had recently left corporate America wanted to become her own boss by starting a franchise. She had the technical skills to understand the process but had never run a business before.
After Max helped her get everything set up, she suddenly announced she was going on a family vacation. Max was stunned—had he known, he would have advised launching after her trip to avoid losing momentum.
When she returned, Max hoped she would be ready to move forward. Instead, she told him she was facing financial issues and needed to find a job, meaning she could no longer continue with the franchise.
It was a roller-coaster experience—and one you’ll want to hear about. Tune in to this episode to learn what happened next.
Wed, 27 Aug 2025 - 26min - 69 - That time when you receive 150 angry emails in a span of a few hours and end up reevaluating the whole structure of your service.… (with Andrew Bolton)
In today’s episode, we’re joined by Andrew Bolton, CEO & Co-Founder of TechRescue—a tech support helpline dedicated to helping seniors navigate technology with ease, all at the press of a button.
Andrew shares a few wild client horror stories that pushed his team to the edge. One involved a new Tinder user trying to send disappearing videos via WhatsApp, while another escalated into chaos when an angry customer sent 150 emails in just five hours—all because they were stuck on hold for too long.
These incidents led Andrew to step back and completely reevaluate their systems to prevent future breakdowns and better serve their users.
If you're curious about the challenges of building tech solutions for seniors—and the unexpected lessons that come with it—tune in to this eye-opening episode.
Wed, 13 Aug 2025 - 44min - 68 - That time when a promising client project unraveled after their investor died—and his son looted the company.… (with Paul Byrne)
Today’s guest is Paul Byrne, President & Founder of Razoyo, and he’s here to share a wild ride of a client experience that began with promise—and spiraled into chaos.
It all started when Paul was approached by a well-funded startup in the ecommerce space. Their niche? High-end products sold to professional designers. They were looking to upgrade their website and infuse it with fresh, innovative ideas—and Paul and his team were up for the challenge.
The initial collaboration was smooth, even friendly. Paul developed a solid rapport with the company’s executives. Despite some red flags—namely, payments arriving late—Paul gave them the benefit of the doubt, committed to building trust and avoiding early friction.
But as weeks turned into months and invoices remain unpaid, things took a troubling turn. Paul eventually discovered the root of the issue: the startup’s primary investor had died suddenly.
What followed was a descent into dysfunction. The late investor’s son, described as erratic and irresponsible, took over the company. Instead of stabilizing the business, he drained its funds, abandoned operations, and left chaos in his wake.
Caught in the storm, Paul and others were left unpaid and confused. But the story didn’t end there. Legal proceedings ensued, and Paul was eventually called in as a witness to help the original team fight to regain control of the company.
In this episode, Paul walks us through how he weathered the financial hit, preserved his professional integrity, and—remarkably—managed to stay on good terms with the startup’s original team.
Tune in to hear this unforgettable tale of trust, turmoil, and tenacity—and what it taught Paul about navigating client relationships in the world of ecommerce.
Wed, 30 Jul 2025 - 42min - 67 - That time when you get dropped by a client for telling their secretary they’re a liar… (with Steven Perry)
Steven Perry, Founder and CEO of The Well Recruiting Solutions, shares a client horror story that unexpectedly became a turning point in his career—and one that helped earn him a major promotion.
Early in his career as a young financial adviser, Steven and his partner were assisting a married executive couple in organizing their finances for retirement. Steven’s partner was responsible for follow-ups, but instead of maintaining professionalism, he overwhelmed them with daily messages. These were high-level executives with packed schedules, and the persistence came off as pushy rather than helpful.
Things took a turn when Steven received a call from the husband, informing him they no longer wanted to work with the firm. The reason? Steven’s partner had accused their secretary—who happened to be their daughter—of failing to forward messages to the wife.
Steven knew the damage was done, but he also knew how he responded could make all the difference. He waited 40 minutes at the husband’s office just to offer a sincere apology, taking full responsibility for his partner’s actions. Weeks later, he received an email from the couple thanking him for his professionalism—and asking to continue working with him exclusively.
Tune in to hear how a near-disaster taught Steven the power of ownership, humility, and grace under pressure.
Wed, 16 Jul 2025 - 29min - 66 - That time when you get contracted to work on a website that wasn’t even your client’s property… (with Kathryn Smith)
Kathryn Smith, founder of Walton Birch, shares a client horror story unlike anything we’ve heard before.
In the early days of launching her custom web development company—with just herself on the team—Kathryn expected the usual startup challenges. But nothing could’ve prepared her for this.
A former client referred a woman who needed help with her Shopify site. What seemed like a routine job quickly spiraled out of control. The client had no login credentials, so Kathryn contacted Shopify for support, followed a string of verification steps, and even reached out to the client’s former developer. After more than three months—and repeated threats from the client to terminate the contract—Kathryn finally gained access to the site.
That’s when she discovered the shocking truth: the website didn’t belong to the client.
Despite being informed that she had no legal ownership or rights to the site, the client insisted on proceeding as if nothing was wrong. Was it a scam? Misunderstanding? Fraud?
What began as a simple project turned into a digital identity crisis. Tune in to hear how Kathryn navigated this bizarre and stressful ordeal—and the lessons she learned about due diligence, boundaries, and trusting your gut.
Wed, 02 Jul 2025 - 30min - 65 - That time when you ruin Christmas nationwide for missing a single character of code… (with Andy Reinhold)
There’s nothing crazier than Andy Reinhold’s client horror story, and you’re gonna want to listen.
A few years ago, Andy, founder of Studio Spark, was working in the tech division of a major consulting firm, maintaining outdated government software. With each change in administration, the system grew harder to decipher—so much so that they had to track down long-retired employees just to understand the codebase.
Andy and his team manually reviewed over a million lines of legacy code to help determine who qualified for Social Security checks. For three weeks, everything ran smoothly—until it didn’t.
One day, Andy received a call warning him of a serious issue with the SSI system—and, strangely, to avoid watching the news. Naturally, he did the opposite. Headlines revealed a holiday disaster: people were receiving significantly reduced Social Security checks right before Christmas. While the team scrambled and successfully patched the issue within a week, the cause remained a mystery.
It wasn’t until after the holidays that they discovered the culprit: a single missing character buried deep in the code.
Tune in to hear how one tiny oversight led to a nationwide ripple effect—and how this experience reshaped Andy’s understanding of accountability, precision, and career purpose.
Wed, 18 Jun 2025 - 1h 05min - 64 - That time when you land a huge client only to end up being sued… (with Matthieu Mehuys)
In today’s episode, Matthieu Mehuys, Co-Founder of Paulownia Landscape Architects, shares a client horror story that most professionals hope they never have to face.
Matthieu’s love for plants began at just three years old. That passion led him to study landscape architecture, explore the depths of the Amazon rainforest, and master the art of cultivating breathtaking gardens. But it wasn’t until a life-threatening encounter with dengue fever that he had a wake-up call—one that pushed him to start his own business.
In his very first year, a wealthy client from Germany reached out with a lucrative garden renovation project. Sensing a major opportunity, Matthieu took it—and even brought in a trusted contractor from Belgium, who made a 12-hour journey for the job. But chaos struck on day one: another contractor, still working on the home’s façade, threw everything off schedule. Despite completing the garden, the situation spiraled into disaster when the client sued for damages.
What went wrong—and what did Matthieu learn from the ordeal? Tune in to hear how he weathered the storm, the lessons he took away, and how it reshaped his approach to future clients and projects.
Matthieu's Facebook
Wed, 11 Jun 2025 - 1h 12min - 63 - That time when an expert is brought in to build something complicated only to be questioned every step of the way by people who didn’t understand what they were doing… (with Tamara Adlin)
Have you ever worked with people who insisted they knew best—even when they clearly didn’t? In early 2017, when blockchain was the buzzword of the moment, Tamara Adlin of Adlin, Inc. was referred by an investor to help a rising startup build smart contracts, enabling smoother collaboration for developers.
At first, things looked promising. Tamara brought strong, strategic ideas to the table. But instead of focusing on foundational planning, the team wanted to do everything all at once—charging ahead without stopping to think things through. As a seasoned expert, Tamara tried to guide them by slowing things down to ultimately speed up progress.
But tensions rose when the founders asked her to "label the elevator buttons" before the building’s foundation was even poured. The misalignment was too great, and eventually, both sides decided to part ways.
Tamara now shares stories like this—and the insights they offer—on her podcast, Corporate Underpants, where she helps strip down what really goes wrong in business.
There’s a lot more to this story—and it just might make you question how much anyone really knows in fast-moving industries. Tune in to this episode to hear Tamara’s lessons on expertise, ego, and building things that actually last.
Wed, 04 Jun 2025 - 48min - 62 - That time when you’re provided an entirely new contract containing the same terms in the original one… (with Melinda Spaulding)
Running a business often means putting out fires—but some fires should never have been lit in the first place. In today’s client horror story, Melinda Spaulding, Author of "Finding Insight", shares a frustrating tale from her early years that highlights just how chaotic procurement can get.
Everything had been going smoothly with one client—contracts were signed, terms agreed upon, and work was underway. But out of nowhere, a representative from the company called Melinda's business line one evening with alarming news: they were canceling the contract because "we shouldn't have agreed on the billing terms in the first place."
With everyone else aligned and the original agreement in place, Melinda was blindsided. Panic set in. What would happen next? Days of uncertainty followed until a new contract arrived—only for her to realize that the purchase order reflected the original billing terms all along.
So what was the point of this wild goose chase? What did it teach her about corporate miscommunication, emotional resilience, and trusting your gut?
Listen to the episode to hear how Melinda turned this chaos into clarity—and what you can learn from the fire that never should've started.
Wed, 28 May 2025 - 37min - 61 - That time when your big luxurious launch becomes underwhelming after being advertised as basic due to a tech issue… (with Sheila Butler)
In this episode, Sheila Butler, Founder & Chief Marketing Officer of Butler Marketing Group, FL LLC, tells us about the time when she forged a partnership to launch 20,000 hotel rooms. What was once thought to be a huge and successful project turned out to be underwhelming and disappointing for everyone involved.
Due to tech issues, overwriting part of their database did not go as planned. Instead of advertising each room as a luxury stay, they were shown as regular rooms—boring, right? Likewise, it didn’t help that the moment they launched their product, COVID happened and the lockdown started.
While they banked on the fact that things would pick up soon and they could leverage coupons and such, they failed to see that their chosen payment platform didn’t cater to all the countries they were targeting.
Tune in to know more about Sheila's experience!
Wed, 07 May 2025 - 33min - 60 - That time when you outshine your boss with your bubbly personality… (with Giovanna Silvestre)
Imagine being your own bubbly self and getting so much hate from someone who projected their insecurities on you. This is what happened to the author and creator of Confused Girl in the City, Giovanna Silvestre.
At 25, fresh out of college, Giovanna had the opportunity to become the second assistant to a big-time director of a big-time movie at a big-time studio. As someone fresh in the industry, she assumed she worked directly under the director. Anyhow, that was cleared up as the first assistant clearly hated her guts and gave her a lot of random tasks which backfired.
When Giovanna was asked to help the director’s wife in arranging his birthday, she formed a deep relationship with the wife and immediately became everybody’s favorite—she even ended up dating their friend! The first assistant was so pissed and thought to sabotage everything by making up stories about her and eventually firing her.
There’s so much more to learn, so listen in and join the adventure!
Wed, 26 Mar 2025 - 46min - 59 - That time when you lost half a million dollars despite a 10-year fight… (with Matt Stafford)
There’s something quite profound about doing honest work for 23 years and losing it to an uncontrollable housing bust. Today, we are pleased to speak with Matthew (Matt) Stafford, CEO of Build Grow Scale, who is tasked to share his client's horror story for our 59th episode.
Straight out of college, Matt established a brick-and-mortar commercial concrete business which exponentially grew over the years. They’ve managed to build many Lowe’s, Costcos, and other buildings for big-name companies all over the country, traveling 200 days per year to complete every order and work on every demand for their capabilities.
Between 2007 and 2010, America was faced with a multinational financial mortgage crisis, which led to a severe economic recession, with millions losing their jobs and many businesses going bankrupt. Sadly, in 2009, what once was a bustling business turned into a blazing horror show for Matt. Large contractors came into big developments, and Matt and his company were never paid for their work. To top it all off, they got sued by their subcontractor who did their curb work.
Things immediately started to pile up, and despite a long 10-year battle of settling all of their accounts, Matt ended up losing half a million dollars as well as his love for the job. Horror upon horror, this story is going to teach you a lot of lessons, so tune in and get ready for an episode full of knowledge and guidance.
Wed, 26 Feb 2025 - 42min - 58 - That time when a simple real estate litigation turned out to be more than just mental gymnastics… (with Matthew Fornaro)
Are you ready for another client horror story? Today might just be your lucky day! We’re going into an in-depth and hair-raising conversation with Matthew Fornaro, a respected business lawyer.
Over four years ago, Matthew made a decision to take on a real estate litigation with a family consisting of two elders and a daughter who had authoritarian control over her parents. They rented a home in a beautiful gated community in Naples, Florida, and made a deal with the neighbor across the street. What was the deal? Well, they asked him to take over his house, perform the upkeep, and eventually purchase the home for a lower market value upon the end of their lease term on their house across the street. First red flag? There wasn’t any written contract but a term sheet which contained under 20 words scribbled all over the page.
The homeowner’s son visited him and learned about the deal and was obviously unhappy about it. There was a lot of hullabaloo and in the end, the renting family went to a title agent and got all the work done to get ready for the sale and said the homeowner agreed to it. The son then steps in and everyone sues everybody.
Fast forward, everyone is now in court, where a jury trial was demanded by the daughter. They came to an agreement and settled on a good deal, but little did everyone know that the roller coaster was about to happen.
If you’d like to know how the story ended, watch the episode now! Trust me, you won’t regret it!
Wed, 29 Jan 2025 - 1h 02min - 57 - That time when a client paid you with fake checks (with Mickie Kennedy)
In today’s episode with Mickie Kennedy, President of eReleases, we will hear about a harrowing client horror story that happened when he was just 4 meager years into his business.
Mickie has a press release distribution business he has been running for more than 25 years now. At such an early start, he was approached by a client from a music conservatory for a press release. After negotiations and a lot of discussion, the project was initiated. Eventually, he received a check from FedEx for the client’s payment. He cashed it in and was then informed by the bank that the checks were—surprise, surprise—fakes!
He then went to file a report to the police, who only told him they weren’t going to do much to help since the amount was only less than a thousand dollars. Mickie was advised to take the matter to small claims court. His client was also informed and got a bit scared and asked him if he could pay via credit card. He trusted his client and 2 months later, he received a charge-back on his account.
What a roller coaster! The PR world is full of these stories, so dive right into the episode to learn more about it.
Wed, 18 Dec 2024 - 32min - 56 - That time when a routine assignment led to a stakeholder showdown (with David Bates)
In the latest episode of Client Horror Stories, David Bates, an Executive Coach at Paravelle, LLC, shares a harrowing experience from his days as a consultant. David recalls being assigned to check on a major pharmaceutical project in town, a task given to him simply because he was the only team member residing in the area. What seemed like a routine check quickly spiraled into a nightmare.
Upon arriving at the training session, David faced an unexpected crisis. The project sponsor abruptly canceled the training during the first break, declaring the content unnecessary. Determined to salvage the situation, David tried to work things out with a particular team member. However, the situation deteriorated further when the big pharma stakeholders invited him to lunch. What started as a seemingly cordial meeting turned into a coordinated attack, with the stakeholders confronting him about the project's shortcomings and ultimate failure.
David's story is a gripping reminder of the unpredictable challenges consultants can face, even in seemingly straightforward situations.
If you'd like to hear more about how David navigated this complex situation and the lessons he learned, be sure to check out the full episode of Client Horror Stories.
Wed, 20 Nov 2024 - 41min - 55 - That time when your two-decade professional relationship got replaced by a fresh graduate (with John C. Morley)
In this episode, we are joined by John C. Morley, Serial Entrepreneur Engineer, Marketing Specialist, Talk Show Host, and First Responder, for our exciting new episode of Client Horror Stories. John doesn’t only talk about a single client horror story, but three! However, we’re here to give you a quick look into the conversation.
We’re going to start with John’s two-decade-long client who decided to let him go after telling him that John was just squeezing him out for money. After so much back and forth, their relationship ended and the lawyer hired a different person. What sucked is that the new hire pretended to be John while calling a firewall manufacturer just to get through.
If you think that’s a nut case, wait until you hear the rest of what John has to say. Today’s episode is not just a recall; it’s an episode filled with new learnings and realizations to give you a new perspective on how things should be handled.
Wed, 23 Oct 2024 - 56min - 54 - That time when a high-profile athlete refused to pay for a $14 subscription (with Mark Michael)
In today’s episode of Client Horror Stories, we welcome Mark Michael, CEO and co-Founder of DevHub. While Michael has had a lot of ups and downs in the customer side of things, one experience always stands out.
We all know the NFL, and luckily enough, Mark was given an opportunity to work with a high-profile player. The idea was to create a custom CRM built for all NFL players to make their daily lives manageable. All went well until the client refused to provide a card on file to pay for subscriptions and hostings, and it all stretched out until he wouldn’t even pay for anything else despite 50% of the work being finished.
Just like everyone else, Mark reached his tipping point and put the client in his right place. If you want to know what happens next, check out this episode!
Wed, 25 Sep 2024 - 47min - 53 - That time when a client hired you to expose vulnerabilities and it ended up blowing up in their face (with Christian Espinosa)
Have you ever been yelled at by a client before or threatened to be sued? Today, we are joined by the Founder & CEO of Blue Goat Cyber, Christian Espinosa, to share more about his client horror story with a healthcare facility in Louisiana.
Christian is an expert in ethical hacking and wishes only to expose company vulnerabilities in order to find avenues for improvement, but when they infected most of the hospital with the secret file they planted, the CEO went nuts. It even went as far as a security guard pulling a gun on one of Christian’s employees!
Dive into this episode to learn more about the story and open your mind to new business tactics and strategies.
Morgan FriedmanWed, 21 Aug 2024 - 37min - 52 - That time you got sued for fraud — by the actual people committing fraud! (with Jason Roberts)
Have you ever committed a white lie to save yourself? Well, Jason Roberts’ client horror story revolves around that, but they took lying to a whole new different level.
In today’s episode, we are joined by Jason Roberts, Peak Performance Coach and 9-Figure Entrepreneur, who will be sharing his worst nightmare to date. During his early entrepreneur years, he owned a mortgage company and one day came face to face with a paraplegic client looking to apply for a construction loan. He was a nice guy, and Jason felt there was nothing to worry about, so he went ahead and helped the client to make a difference.
A month after the client moved into his new home, he unfortunately passes and the outstanding loan is left to rot, with no one willing to take responsibility for it. Jason had no idea about this. He thought all was well and good and paid no mind when a family member called to ask if there were options to cancel the loan. To his surprise, a week later the County Sheriff showed up to his office and he got served with a lawsuit for alleged fraud, stating that the borrower was taken advantage of during the whole process as he was mentally incapacitated.
Lies upon lies were put on top of the other just so the family could get millions out of him, but Jason refused to lose. Six months in, he had an epiphany that turned the tables around.
Wanna know what happened? Oh, I’m not at liberty to break the excitement. Watch the whole episode to know how Jason outmaneuvered the real fraudsters and learn a key point or two to avoid these problems in the future!
Mon, 15 Jul 2024 - 37min - 51 - That time when you lost a five-digits figure because of a typo in a bitcoin address (with Gee Ranasinha)
Setbacks are pretty normal, but have you ever experienced losing so much money just because someone didn’t want their work checked? Oops! I didn’t mean to give too much away, but we’re here with another episode of Client Horror Story with our host, Morgan Friedman.
Today, we’re graced by Gee Ranasinha of KEXINO. KEXINO is a small marketing agency based in Europe, serving startups and small businesses mostly in the USA. A few years ago, they closed a deal with a well-funded organization in the crypto space—this was the time when crypto boomed and everyone wanted to get in on the latest trend.
Anyhow, deal’s closed and the project has been undertaken with Gee insisting on a proper QA before anything was launched. Guess what? Client said no and everything went poof! It turns out, there was a typo in the bitcoin address and they ended up losing a five-digits figure worth of earnings.
Get ready for this rollercoaster of a story as you tune in to our latest episode!
Wed, 29 May 2024 - 57min - 50 - That time when you’ve already spent $5 million only to be told they couldn’t commit (with Brandon Kirkpatrick)
Have you ever tried waiting for a prospective client to make up their minds? If you're currently doing that and your patience is wearing thin, listen to this unique episode right now.
Welcome to another Client Horror Story with Brandon Kirkpatrick, CEO of Catalyst Consultant Group. This autonomous drone startup has just had a welcome to the world and had a chance encounter with a potential client during a motorcycle ride. Bizarre, right? Well, they got to talking and realized the potential client needed the exact services they offer.
Hands were shaken and prototypes had already been built, but it was only until 2 years in and $5 million later that they got blindsided in the deal. It turns out there were things they didn’t know about. Of course, we’re not going to spill the whole story here, but one thing’s for sure – the story is about to take a turn for the worst.
Tune in to learn more about Brandon’s client horror story!
Wed, 20 Mar 2024 - 44min - 49 - That time when you’re trying to complete a massage only to be met with someone expecting you to do special services (with Suzy Hardy)
Imagine going to Los Angeles to follow your dreams of becoming an actress – all these setbacks and challenges seemingly going on forever, and just when you thought you’re about to have a big break, it all comes crashing down. In this episode, we’re speaking with Suzy Hardy, a certified stress management and anxiety coach, and discuss her client horror story from a decade ago.
We’d want to say that since events of the past occurred years back, it would give us a wider berth or bigger perspective to think things through, but no – in this case, it was just an absolute shock to the system. When Suzy transferred to Los Angeles and graduated from massage school, while pursuing her acting career, she was introduced to a Russian agency backer who, after learning of her massage services, scheduled an appointment with her. During the course of the treatment, her Russian customer started giving some signals. If you thought a man putting his hands behind his head was sexy in books, in real life it’s definitely a red flag, especially during these professional services.
There’s more to the story, but you’ll have to tune in first. Watch the episode to learn more about how Suzy got out of this unbelievably scary situation and what she learned thereafter!
psychopath on the street? In today’s episode, Robert Indries, owner of a group of 8 companies generating 7-figures yearly, shares his biggest mistake of hiring a high-functioning psychopath in his portfolio.
High growth comes with high responsibility, and eventually, Robert decided to take the networking reins to further expand his ever-growing company. To make sure he can concentrate on this task, he hired several executives who could, in theory, take over what he usually does. As a result of Robert’s additional networking efforts, his portfolio has managed to take in more clients and earn more money, but Robert noticed various issues on the service delivery side. Why?
He dug deeper and talked to multiple individuals and was eventually led to a single personality – one of those “leaders” he hired to allow him to focus on networking. This guy derailed the company in every possible way, whilst making Robert think twice about his own leadership… How?
He was being ingeniously spoken to with the goal of further confusing him. What’s worse is that not only were his clients being wronged by this person – they were also stealing Robert’s prospects and current employees!
Crazy? More like psycho! Press the play button and listen to the rest of the story. Uncover more of Robert’s challenges, and learn how he retook control and turned his portfolio back around.
Wed, 21 Feb 2024 - 43min - 48 - That time when you accidentally hire a psychopath who derails your business (with Robert Indries)
Do you ever wonder whether you’ve accidentally crossed paths with a psychopath on the street? In today’s episode, Robert Indries, owner of a group of 8 companies generating 7-figures yearly, shares his biggest mistake of hiring a high-functioning psychopath in his portfolio.
High growth comes with high responsibility, and eventually, Robert decided to take the networking reins to further expand his ever-growing company. To make sure he can concentrate on this task, he hired several executives who could, in theory, take over what he usually does. As a result of Robert’s additional networking efforts, his portfolio has managed to take in more clients and earn more money, but Robert noticed various issues on the service delivery side. Why?
He dug deeper and talked to multiple individuals and was eventually led to a single personality – one of those “leaders” he hired to allow him to focus on networking. This guy derailed the company in every possible way, whilst making Robert think twice about his own leadership… How?
He was being ingeniously spoken to with the goal of further confusing him. What’s worse is that not only were his clients being wronged by this person – they were also stealing Robert’s prospects and current employees!
Crazy? More like psycho! Press the play button and listen to the rest of the story. Uncover more of Robert’s challenges, and learn how he retook control and turned his portfolio back around.
Thu, 28 Dec 2023 - 54min - 47 - That time when you expected a fully formatted book for publication but ended up receiving a PPT presentation instead (with Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell)
Dive into the engaging and insightful world of Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell, Esq., now an Intuitive Business Coach at Leading Through Living Community LLC. Lynita, once a champion of publishing, navigated the exciting realm of helping authors share their stories with the world.
Here's a fun twist: a close friend of Lynita's needed help publishing a book. With a generous spirit and a knack for problem-solving, Lynita eagerly stepped up to the challenge. She shares a humorous and all-too-real insight in the podcast: "Lawyers make the worst clients." It turns out, she humorously overlooked switching from friend mode to client mode, skipping the formalities of a contract.
The story takes a quirky turn when Lynita, expecting a manuscript, receives a PowerPoint presentation instead—her friend had composed the entire story on a phone! Unperturbed, Lynita adapts like a pro, transferring the content to a laptop for better accessibility. But there's a catch: the text is a labyrinth of incomplete sentences.
Pushed to her limits but still maintaining her poise, Lynita's tale unfolds with a blend of laughter and learning. The full story, rich with more twists and sage advice about maintaining professional boundaries with friends and family, awaits. Get ready for an enjoyable and enlightening experience that blends professionalism with a touch of fun—this is a client horror story you wouldn’t want to miss!
Wed, 29 Nov 2023 - 39min - 46 - That time when the boss used us as training troops to drop his telephone sales bombshell (with Catherine Llewellyn)
Listen in as we speak with Being Space's Founder, Catherine Llewellyn, and discuss her greatest client horror story. In this episode, Catherine discusses disappointing traits and tactics of business executives that may prompt even loyal employees to resign.
During the 1980s, Catherine traveled the countryside as a trainer with her team. They were distinct from the sales team. The sales team would acquire clients, close deals, and contracts, and then brief Catherine's training team to execute the training.
They were assigned to conduct a two-day telephone sales training for a travel agency. Upon arrival, they were met with a derelict training room with walls full of plaster and a dusty, filthy floor – which they spent hours cleaning! Worse, upon the arrival of the participants, their faces were slack and utterly unhappy because (surprise!) they don’t perform telephone sales in their line of work.
It gets even worse as when they tried contacting the primary client, he was on holiday. It turns out that this client just didn’t want to be there for his employees’ reaction to letting them take telephone sales training. There just wasn’t any hope of breaking it to them gently. They were going to be handling telephone sales upon return, but Catherine’s team had to be the ones to give the news.
You are in for a treat with this episode full of surprising twists and valuable lessons. Get ready to explore what it takes to thrive in the business world and learn from both successes and challenges.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 - 51min - 45 - That time you got your desperate friend a job and he destroyed your company's work (with Roger Parent)
In the fourth take of Client Horror Stories, we receive Roger Parent from Digital Position, with a tale that could be classified also as an Employee Horror Story. Today’s narrative includes everything from betrayal, drama and friendship, along with over 10 lessons on managing not only clients and employees, but also every human being relationship you have.
Our story begins with a guy bursting into tears in a desperate ask for a job, and our guy Roger really trying to help him, even when he could not afford him. So an unexpected solution came in the shape of a new client who also had an open position in his business, who’d work side by side with Roger’s agency: A win-win-win situation, right? Well, if that was the case then we would have no story to tell.
Roger’s narration involves budget blow ups, account destructions, ghosting, contract-escaping manners, and even the creation of a brand new separate strategy. However, as we reach the ending of the story, we end up with the sour taste in our mouths that even the most loud and chaotic stories can end up really quiet.
As this tale develops, we’ll have the opportunity to be a part of Morgan and Roger’s moral debate on human nature and expectations, as well as taking advantage of everything that there is to learn here (and I don’t just mean management tips, but also Shakespearean quotes). The bottom line we end up with is pretty simple: Mental health, teamwork and happiness always have to come before money.
About Roger:
I'm a dad, an athlete, and a guy who started a marketing agency because most of them suck. Culture is everything, and I'm lucky to have a team full of amazing people who "get it", truly care about the work they do, and are able to have a ton of fun through it all.
Literary Quotes:
“How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is. To have a thankless child.” - William Shakespeare, King Liar.
“Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.” - William Shakespeare, Sonnet 94.
Links:
Fri, 07 May 2021 - 1h 00min - 44 - That time when you just want to complete a project but cultural differences get in the way so you end up abandoning the project halfway through (with Colin Duff)
In this episode, we have the privilege of hearing from Colin Duff, the CEO of Mosaic Innovation. He shares with us an unprecedented client horror story that sheds light on the challenges of managing a diverse team of individuals. It's evident that this is no easy task.
Colin worked with a big hardware company that suddenly decided to become a digital company, something they knew totally nothing about. This project ran for 9 months, and a lot of individuals and experts were hired left and right to complete the project successfully.
Naturally, we all want to work as a team, but one project manager didn’t want to accept any help and went on his merry way only to have outputs that just weren’t done right. To make things worse, during meetings, they couldn’t decide on anything that would give them something to continue because of so many cultural differences. Some say, “In Germany, this is the least priority,” “In India, this is how we do it,” and the list goes on.
Frustrating, isn’t it? Well, there's more to the story. In this episode, Colin takes control of the situation, and you won't want to miss how he did it. The lessons he learned are valuable and definitely worth your time. Tune in to discover more.
Wed, 20 Sep 2023 - 1h 00min - 43 - That time when you performed a routine investigation only to find out that the billing error was close to $40 million dollars (with Sam Drauschak)
Join us in this episode as we hear from Sam Drauschak, the Chief Process Scientist at Truvle, as he shares a shocking story. He sheds light on an undetected billing error that ultimately led to the discovery of the role of politics in every business, big or small. It's a fascinating tale that you won't want to miss!
One day, Sam was sent out on a routine investigation to check on a possible billing error in the finance system. Lo and behold, he found that, indeed, an error existed and that it was close to $40 million!
As part of protocol, Sam escalated this issue to his manager who then went up to the partner of the office to check and validate it. Subsequently, the matter was brought to the attention of the CFO and the Chairman, causing a ripple effect that was difficult to take hold of. Eventually, they presented the relevant data to the Chairman, who, after the presentations, just gave them a nod of thanks and asked them to leave the room.
They were blocked from taking further action to help the organization as the CFO was given charge to take over the issue once again. Despite this, the company ended up losing the money and replacing the CFO 18 months later.
As the episode ends, Sam and Morgan engage in a thought-provoking discussion regarding what they’ve gleaned from the story. They delve into the contrasting perspectives of big and small companies when it comes to handling finances, the intricate political factors at play, and how it feels to discover something big. Watch the episode to gain a deeper understanding of these topics!
Wed, 23 Aug 2023 - 51min - 42 - That time when you thought you landed your miracle client and ended up in the depths of court’s hell… (with Ameet Khabra)
In this episode, Ameet Khabra, owner and founder of Hop Skip Media, is going to take Our Beloved Host, Morgan Friedman, and us on a roller coaster ride of her story from seven years ago. You’re in for a treat as we delve deep into a mix of lawsuits, health issues, heartbreak, and reconciliation all in one go.
In 2015, while Ameet was working for an agency in Edmonton, she had an epiphany and realized that the 8–5 job was not for her – she hated being asked to come in at fixed hours and just wanted to be in control of her life. She decided to quit her job and find her place in the universe.
Eventually, a friend introduced her to an accountant that was interested in running ads and improving his business. Without a second thought, she took his offer and just went for it, saying that she was capable of doing everything he needed, and the client happily paid for the whole thing then and there.
While signing the contract, the client proudly told her that he wasn’t happy with an old agency he hired, and he complained so much that he ended up getting three months of services for free after threatening the company with a negative review online. It seemed funny at the moment, but according to Ameet, “I saw the red flags but just ignored them.”
A few days later, after a lot of work has been finished, the client sent her a message at 7PM saying, “There’s an issue with the website.” She asked what it was and was terribly met with these exact words: “If you can’t figure out what the issue is, maybe you’re not that good at your job.” Really?
It gets worse! As Amit couldn’t identify anything wrong with the website, the client said four hard words she could never forget – see you in court.
The next day, stressed and panicked, she asked her lawyer for advice, and they immediately served her client with a civil claims lawsuit. Within 21 days, Ameet’s client decided to countersuit for the maximum amount of the civil claims, which was $50,000 in lost revenue. In Ameet’s head, she thought, “As an accountant, I’m pretty sure you know that it’s incredibly illegal to cook your books. So, how exactly are you planning to prove the $50,000 lost in a span of 45 days?”
It took quite some time before anything resulted out of their lawsuits, but while she was waiting, Ameet went through so many things. She felt sharp pains in her chest and shoulders, was diagnosed with diabetes, and when she was given treatment, the pain still didn’t go away! Eventually, she was referred to a psychiatrist and got diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety. She had to take a break to heal and find light again.
Finally, Ameet and her client went into mediation, and her civil claims agent brought a thick bunch of papers containing all the emails her client sent her in 45 days. The client said nothing the entire time. They either had to settle or go to court.
A week later, the client sent an email to give her x amount so they can call it a day, but she needed to give him his website. That was fine – this wasn’t worth fighting too much for, so she countered and eventually got an amount that made her moderately happy.
While that may sound like a full story, you’ll be surprised of the amount of feelings unpacked in this episode. Hit that play button to know more!
Thu, 08 Jun 2023 - 53min - 41 - That time when you thought you’d receive a whole box of fully functional goodies but get slapped with the reality that you aren’t part of their inner circle to deserve it (with Irina Poddubnaia)
In this episode, Irina Poddubnaia, founder of TrackMage, is going to share her craziest experience in the retail industry with us. From numerous counts of deceit, misspelled brand names, and defective items, to missing orders, you’ll be shocked by her revelation.
There was a time in Irina’s life when she decided to start a new life and move to China to start her business. The experience was immensely eye-opening as she finally had the chance to travel and discover the beautiful – and not-so-beautiful side – of cultures that were way different than what she grew up with. During this big decision, Irina was faced with multiple challenges in dealing with various suppliers for her business.
One time, they decided to sell knock-offs of designer shoes and requested an order from the supplier. Lo and behold, they got the Valentinos but the name was misspelled! Pfft, no problem – it’s manageable. Irina continued to find other products to sell and had her eyes set on electric hookahs. It started perfectly as everything worked when they tested it out. Unfortunately, their new batch was extremely defective – one even blew up when a customer used it!
Irina then decided to switch to selling clothing where, upon receiving the batch from their supplier, she found out some colors were missing! Unfortunately, her business ended up not having any loyal customers because of poor service. No one wanted to trust them.
After living in China for a while, she learned that they have certain beliefs about inner circles and how when you weren’t part of it, there were just some perks you’ll never be able to receive. This meant that receiving a whopping 50% discount on their service resulted in you receiving half of your orders defective and useless.
If you’re eager to learn more about Chinese culture, you better tune in!
Wed, 03 May 2023 - 55min - 40 - That time when you’ve been working your butt off for a project but your client decides to disappear off the face of the earth because he can no longer afford to pay (...) (with Sherrilynne Starkie)
In this episode, Sherrilynne Starkie, Social Media Expert and Host of the 50 Women Over 50 podcast, is going to tell us a horror story no business owner would ever like to go through. It’s an experience like no other, which involves talks about money, paperwork, and legalities.
Sherrilynne has been in marketing and communications approaching 30 years of experience, and during this time, she established her own public relations agency at the dead center of the Irish Sea.
She got a call from a tech guy looking to launch his own business. This figure had been introduced to Sherrilynne by a long-term and loyal client, and he was looking to launch a new telecommunications service. Sherrilynne was intrigued and took on the challenge, working with the new client on a monthly retainer for around 5–6 months.
At first, things were going great. Sherrilynne was crushing it, and the client seemed to be thrilled with her work. But then, disaster struck. The old client who had referred Sherrilynne to the new client reached out, wondering if they had been paid since they hadn't been receiving payment for their own services. She decided to give her client the benefit of the doubt, but alarm bells were going off in her head and instinct pushed her to do some more digging.
Sherrilynne soon found out that the new client had been consistently late with payments, always with some excuse or another. Eventually, the client stopped taking her calls and responding to her altogether. What a nightmare! But this didn’t faze Sherrilynne.
She decided to take matters into her own hands and took the new client to court, hoping to get the payment she was owed. However, it seems like it was never meant to be. The client filed for bankruptcy, and Sherrilynne was left with nothing to show for all her hard work and trouble in court. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but she knew that she had given it her all.
The story doesn’t end there though. Listen to the full episode to know all the important details!
Wed, 12 Apr 2023 - 42min - 39 - That time when your client had a meltdown about her bridal look and you ended up not getting paid (with Kelsey Knutson)
In this episode, Kelsey Knutson, business coach, and podcast coach shared a tea-worthy story about her experience and survival of a “bridezilla.” While even talking about the experience grew a pit in her stomach, it helped her become the successful entrepreneur she is today. But we’ll get to that in a bit!
Let us rewind to when Kelsey had just started her hair & makeup artist business and was working on building connections to expand her clientele. A friend of a friend referred her to a certain client who was about to get married, and Kelsey was set to prepare the bride’s bridal hair as well as her bridesmaids’.
On the day of the wedding, everyone was hungover and late, and Kelsey had eleven looks to do – that’s 45 minutes each! Fast forward, she’d already started working on the bride’s look and was proud of herself for achieving the exact look they’d practiced during their trial run. She was just about to take a photo when the bride looked in the mirror and said, “I f*ing hate it”.
Imagine Kelsey’s surprise! She then asked the bride to figure out what kind of look she wanted and worked on the rest of the bridesmaids’ hair. The bride eventually decided she would prefer a messier look. Like the superstar that she is, she was able to fix the look and somehow got everyone done in time. At this point, Kelsey had already started feeling defeated but overheard the bride talking to her grandma and cursing her on the phone.
This is when Kelsey realizes that there’s probably something wrong with the bride. Red flags had started popping up left and right but she continued to pull through. But you know what the worst part is? Despite her best efforts, Kelsey ended up not getting paid for her services.
As the episode ends, Kelsey shares the importance of asking questions before committing to something, taking time to assess what you could do differently in certain situations, and establishing proper communication.
This episode is an eye-opener to businessmen and entrepreneurs, but you’ll need to listen to the whole episode to understand more!
Wed, 29 Mar 2023 - 50min - 38 - That time when your client forgot to disconnect her Facebook and Instagram accounts but you unintentionally saw spicy “tea” from her DMs (with Anika Jackson)
In this episode, our guest, Anika Jackson, shares a story of when she worked with a client who had a million projects plus a nonprofit which was bankrolled and produced by her husband. Although that’s a good thing, there are plenty of red flags that came with it and Anika had first-hand experience with this situation.
To start, each project had its own logo, website, and brand identity. The client hired multiple experts in different fields and with different scopes of work, including Anika, who was assigned as her PR manager. Whenever they would go to meetings, the client and her husband would be there, which causes confusion surrounding who is the actual boss.
Then, the client wanted to hire people as her employees but under Anika’s company. Anika didn't know them, didn’t vet them, and didn’t want to hire full-time, but it happened. As days went by, things started getting weird, a lot of missed meetings, and all of a sudden, the contract just stopped without notice.
Anika found out that she was ghosted, and the client made a bunch of reasons like she wanted to stop doing services, she wasn’t happy with Anika’s team, and she didn’t feel like she was getting enough of Anika’s time.
But there was spicy “tea” that Anika discovered. Let’s just say it had to do with a risque virtual affair with somebody who was not her client’s husband.
Learn more about the “tea” and more professional lessons in this episode!
Thu, 02 Mar 2023 - 53min - 37 - That time when your client wanted to retire early, but his wife was spending $8k a month while he spent only $2k (with Robert Persichitte)
In this episode, Robert Persichitte, a Financial Planner of Delagify Financial, shares a relatable adulting story of a client who absolutely hated his job and just wanted to get out of it.
This client was a pretty high-level attorney, a pretty high earner, and a very high-stress job. He wanted to retire as soon as possible. So Robert followed his usual process with the client and tried to put everything in the context of goals.
But this is where the problem came in with this client. The client gave him an estimate of about $6,000 a month in lifestyle expenses which is considered as having fun money, paying for things like groceries, and going out.
However, something common amongst high-earning clients is that they're unaware of the numbers they're actually spending. Robert then came to an actual estimate of the client's household spending, which totaled $10,000 a month. The catch is that his client was not the one in the household spending that money. He only spent about $2,000 a month, and the other $8,000 came from his wife.
At this point, Robert knew that his client's goal of early retirement wasn't possible. Robert formed a great strategy to resolve this issue, focusing on purposeful communication and subtle approaches to client management.
Watch the full episode to learn how he did it!
Wed, 08 Feb 2023 - 51min - 36 - That time when you stepped in to put out the fires in a project, only to have the head of the project play matches and throw gasoline everywhere (with Mark Herschberg)
In this episode, Mark Herschberg, a Chief Technology Officer and author shares his story when he was working under “Evil Corp” (a code name for the company).
At that time, he was assigned to a company division that was working on creating a new type of video service/ video marketplace platform where viewers could watch content from movie studios and tv stations under controlled access. With this wonderful idea in mind, Evil Corp put out a press release stating their release date.
The catch is that Evil Corp wasn't very good at doing projects like this, so they decided to get a vendor to do it for them. But there’s more…The funny thing is the vendor wasn’t optimized for this project, and they wanted to bring in 2 more vendors that had the technology that Evil Corp needed.
By the time Mark was brought into the company, the project was launched. Instead of being a convenient video platform, everything was done manually by phone and email. Plus, there was a game of broken telephone going on between the 3 vendors and the internal team of the company.
As Mark said, everything was on fire, and he was there to put out the fires. By the end of the episode, Mark and Morgan talked about the essence of management, communication, and problem-solving, which could be helpful to you as well!
Wed, 07 Sep 2022 - 50min - 35 - That time when your client didn’t pay his bill, and you ended up getting a 1000 word text from his new wife instead (with Matt Davis)
In this episode, Matthew Davis of Davis Business Law, reveals how his law firm decided to not do family law anymore because of this client-horror story.
It all started when a client came to his law firm where his ex-wife hated his guts, and she had a very good reason to because he got another woman pregnant. Still, he thought that his ex-wife was interfering with his relationship with the kids, which she legitimately was, but he wanted to be the victim in the whole ordeal.
The client kept coming to Matt, asking him to help him with his case, and Matt tried to explain to him what would happen in court and what the judge would possibly come up with in his case. Matt started to feel sorry for him, and he was pretty persistent, so Matt decided to help him.
The time came when they took the case to court, the judge was losing his temper with Matt’s client, and Matt ended up being the bad guy instead. At the end of the episode, Matt shared some interesting concepts about the drama triangle game, the grudge match, and some ways to incorporate psychology to prevent troublesome issues.
Wed, 24 Aug 2022 - 50min - 34 - That time when your client and his business partners just assumed that each of them know what to do to build a high-rise building (with Jeremy Streten)
In this episode, Jeremy Streten, a Lawyer and Business Coaching Support, shared a story of when a client from a construction company approached to get approval to build a 30-story high-rise building in Australia.
His client was thinking of selling the property and packaging it all up to a developer for building the high-rise. However, his business partner, an architect, was caught up in the thought that he was going to earn a lot from this and actually develop and build the property himself. A third investor, who had invested 10%, was supportive of selling the property to a reliable developer.
So, two of them were on the same page while the other one was thinking of something grand. The catch is that these three guys didn’t communicate their end goal for this. They just assumed that each of them knew what they would do. Worst of all, this misunderstanding ended up in court.
As the episode ends, Jeremy shared valuable thoughts that are not only helpful in the legal profession but to other businesses as well. He also pointed out the little things we often overlook are essential in big decisions.
Mon, 08 Aug 2022 - 58min - 33 - That time when your client was super happy to get a negative headline on UK’s biggest tabloid because to them, it’s still brand exposure (with Divya Patel)
This was when she was just newly working for a brand, selling luxury watches for men. Divya Patel, a PPC Specialist, was handling the PPC service of the brand.
At that time, they were going to launch a YouTube campaign and she offered to create the ad assets for them since she’s been with the brand from the start. She was there to help the clients with the brand message, tone of voice, and everything about branding.
The client declined her offer and told her that they will sort the video out themselves so that they could focus on the campaign. Still, Divya and her team briefed the client on how the video should turn out. Divya and the team expected the video to be showcasing the watch that they’ll be launching.
One day, as Divya walked into the office that day, her manager was upset and the team was circled around a computer. Turns out, the client posted the video on YouTube without telling the team.
To their dismay, the video was the complete opposite of what they expected and what was discussed in the briefing. Instead of men wearing and showcasing the watch, women in lingerie were there and the video didn’t focus on the watch, which was their product.
That’s not all. Divya Googled her client and she saw her client's name plastered on UK’s biggest tabloid negatively, something about how the video was degrading to women.
Divya and the team were utterly disappointed and upset. They felt that all the work they’ve been putting into the brand was just thrown out the window. When Divya and the team approached their clients about it, they were really happy about it because they thought it was good publicity and a nice way to put their name out there.
Thankfully, Divya and the team were able to get through this issue. Watch the episode to learn more about how they resolved the problem and the steps they took moving forward.
Morgan FriedmanWed, 20 Jul 2022 - 44min - 32 - That time when your client was upset about why she was in a small podcast, that only got 10,000 downloads for her episode (with Tom Schwab)
In this episode, Tom Schwab of Interview Valet shares how trust and communication flow in the same river towards success. His story pointed out how important it is to educate clients, provide a timeline and establish clear solutions in risk analysis when working with clients.
The story happened when Tom, a podcast marketing specialist, worked with a client with zero knowledge of how podcasts work. At first, the onboarding was great, the podcast recording was super smooth and it was a really abundant podcast session.
Five days later, he received a nasty and angry email from the client, all about how upset she was for not getting results in those five days. She also mentioned that she was with a radio show and had 4 million listens, which were not actually 4 million listens as she thought.
She started to complain and demanded to have her money back. Tom didn’t want to ruin their reputation so he asked her to wait 10 days after the podcast to see the results.
By the end of the episode, Morgan and Tom shared interesting conclusions about the hierarchy of communication and how it helped Tom to deal with the client. Watch the episode to learn more!
Thu, 07 Jul 2022 - 58min - 31 - That time when a customer frequently visits your workplace and uses the “quality control” card to eat free cupcake samples (with Braden Cadenelli)
In today’s tasty episode, Braden Cadenelli, the Senior R&D Manager at National Innovation Centers of Puratos shared one story that happened during his previous employment. This particular event has served as a lesson for Braden on how important trust, communication, and leadership are in business.
Back at that time, he was working for a semi-industrial pastry wholesaler in the food industry. One time, a customer approached him asking for a large order of cupcakes from them. The company accepted the offer and this customer frequently made visits to the company.
At this point, Braden already suspected that this could be a troublesome customer to deal with because of 2 major reasons.
First, every time the customer comes in, she would taste test their products including the ones that are actual orders. It came to the point where they would make her separate samples and leave them somewhere else so she wouldn’t bother with their work.
Second, when the deal was made and the company ordered ingredients for the production, the customer threw a tantrum saying the company ordered the wrong ingredient just because the packaging was different. It was the same ingredient made by the same manufacturer, just a different packaging because it was bought in bulk.
Fortunately, the company owners dealt with the situation professionally and have proceeded. The day of the production came, everything was super hectic and stressful. What’s worse is, the customer was there doing “quality control” eating 10 cupcakes in every batch they made.
As we reach the end of the episode, Braden shares some realities about such work environments and how important the principles of trust and leadership are in every industry. Let’s hear more of Braden’s story and learn a lot of interesting things in the food industry along the way!
Fri, 27 May 2022 - 1h 17min - 30 - That time when the web guy suddenly went MIA because he’s going through an existential crisis (with Timi Orosz)
In this whiskey and wine-powered episode, Timi Orosz, founder of Connect One Marketing, shared a story where she learned three crucial things in business: communication, boundaries, and friendships. It happened when a friend of hers approached her and asked her to help him develop a branding strategy for a new business.
At that early point, a little voice in her head told her that this could lead to something troublesome, but Timi decided to push through and help her friend.
Everything went smoothly until she needed to outsource a web developer to build the business website. She found this developer with an amazing portfolio and reasonable rates, and her impression of him was great.
As they have been working together, Timi was on good communication terms with this web developer. Suddenly, the web developer went missing in action and ghosted the project. Timi had no choice but to hire another developer at a higher rate since it was already a rushed project.
As she continued working on the project, she started receiving emails directly from her friend’s teammates, asking her to fix some technical stuff. Timi’s not the technical type, but she still offered to help (thanks to Google) and suggested having a professional handle it.
Timi was disappointed in herself since she still helped them even though it was not part of her responsibilities. She was also disappointed in her friend since he didn’t communicate with her about this. Things eventually piled up until both Timi, and her friend decided to call off their partnership.
As the episode ends, Timi and Morgan share the importance of communication, setting boundaries, and friendships in business. Watch the episode to learn why you need to establish these three essential principles in business.
Wed, 11 May 2022 - 1h 01min - 29 - That time when you were too nice to a client so a 15-page website snowballed into a 150 + page one (with Ari Krzyzek)
In this episode, Ari Krzyzek, the co-founder of Chykalophia, shared an exciting-turned-heartbreaking project that led her to learn how important it is to have detailed contracts and establish policies when offering digital services.
It all started when a client approached her to do an exciting project, and Ari was excited about it too. The client also recognized Ari’s expertise, saying that they are the professionals they’re looking for, which for Ari, was very warming and boosted their ego.
During the brainstorming phase of the project, Ari and her team threw lots of ideas to the client, and in return, the client wanted them to try everything out. Little did they know, this triggered the problem. So the original contract of getting 15 pages done in 5-6 months became 150+ pages and lasted for more than a year.
Since a lot of time was wasted on revisions and demands, Ari and her team were burned out from finishing the super delayed project. What’s worse is, they weren’t paid the full price.
As the episode reaches the end, Morgan and Ari share a lot of lessons and ideas preventing such things from happening. One of them is establishing a process structure and strictly following it every time a new project comes in. Watch the episode to hear more!
Tue, 12 Apr 2022 - 56min - 28 - That time your client complained about your slow response time, a week after you met him in the hospital during your radiotherapy (with Rachel Brenke)
In this episode, Rachel Brenke, a multi-faceted entrepreneur and intellectual property attorney shared two stories with key takeaways: (1) Always establish good communication with your clients and (2) Know that no money is worth the stress and mistreatment.
The first story started when Rachel was diagnosed with cancer in her early 20s, but she just shrugged it off since it was “impossible” for her age. Two years later, her cancer worsened, and she had to undergo therapy.
As Rachel was about to head home after 3‑day radiotherapy, she was in the elevator with her client. After that, she received an email from that client.
The second story was when a big shot photographer approached Rachel to help with a copyright infringement case. Rachel did what she was good at and produced results, aka “financial compensation” for her client’s case. However, the client had some sort of different expectations.
As the episode wraps up, Morgan and Rachel point out a lot of lessons, primarily on the good practices and preventive practices that every entrepreneur or business owner should have.
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Fri, 04 Mar 2022 - 56min - 27 - That time when you worked for a client in the funeral business and ended up being ghosted yourself (with Liz Wilcox)
In this episode, Morgan meets fellow Will Smith fan, Liz Wilcox. A self-employed Email Marketing Specialist from Miramar Beach, Florida.
A while ago, Liz´s was contacted by her friend because their client needed some email marketing services. And of course, she was very excited to work with her buddy.
The client worked in the funeral industry, and to begin with they thought Liz´s rate was waaay high.
In Client Horror Stories #28, Liz works with a friend, who was the middleman between her and the clients, getting in contact with grieving customers, and a client who does not believe nor let her use her usual tools.
Talking about her style and brand and her client´s persona, in Liz´s own words “If you are on a fundamental level so different from your client, that's probably a red flag that you will never make them happy”
A year later, a new marketing manager comes in, Liz goes on holiday, and when she comes back her client stopped replying to her calls.
Luckily Liz has a policy of getting paid upfront... good advice especially when your client disappears.
As in many of our stories, one key lesson to be learnt: when something feels funky, it probably is.
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Thu, 10 Feb 2022 - 41min - 26 - That time you were hired to remotely create a Shopify store, yet ended up setting up your client’s store, in a mall, at midnight (with Nick Janetakis)
Always be careful when working with friends, close ones, or family members. You might wind up becoming their packager!
In today's episode Nick Janetakis, a Full Stack Developer, tells us the story of a time when he was introduced to a friend´s friend who sold sports sweaters and now wanted to start selling them online, so asked Nick to work on this.
He ended up taking the job and because he sort of knew the business owner, he didn't seal the deal with any type of contract. He even gave him a special discount.
The client lived within walking distance of Nick's office, and he ended up going there quite often.
Eventually, it got to the point where the business was working well and there were many orders. The client asked Nick to help pack the merch up and move boxes around!
Nick even started helping set up his client kiosk in the mall, at midnight! f
Nowadays, he doesn't resent that time but has learned from it. Boundaries are healthy and very necessary.
This episode leaves us with a very important lesson: Focusing too much on the relationship part of the job is counterproductive. Always be careful when working with friends, close ones, or family members.
And a very important lesson in Nicks' own words: You should be respectful of yourself when it comes to how you value yourself.
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Fri, 28 Jan 2022 - 33min - 25 - That time your inexperienced client turned into an influencer sommelier in less than 2 months (with Rick Schirmer)
Today’s episode brings us, straight from Hollywood, Rick Schirmer, CEO & Founder of Viral Brand, with a super interesting and incredibly well told story that, regardless of the horror that made it CHS worthy, actually has a happy ending.
Rick’s tale brings us back to 2020 (or, as he calls it, the “pause” year) when he took under his wing a “cut deal” client with very little experience, and a lot of expectations. Along with some very powerful lessons on cheap clients, setting boundaries, and trusting your instinct, Rick shares with us a key learning from the whole experience: the inequality generated when someone gives you something that means everything to them, and very little to you. And yes, no matter how deep that sounds, we are talking about budget.
“Influencer sommelier” and “delusional button” are only a couple of awesome concepts that we’ll definitely steal from Rick, and definitely only a peak at how fun this story turned out to be.
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Wed, 20 Oct 2021 - 54min - 24 - That time your client who was too good to be true was, in fact, too good to be true (with Dimitri Constantine)
Dimitri Constantine is the CEO & Founder of Brandcoders, and the protagonist of today’s tale. His story brings us back a couple of years when a long-time friend brought him into a brand new project that seemed all too good to be true. And here’s our first lesson: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Dimitri’s narrative walks us through the birth and development of a business that, even though it seemed brilliant and crazy easy to sell, for some reason was not able to get investors to commit. And that was just the first red flag.
An abusive culture of “slow-boiling” employees, talking trash behind other people’s backs, and firing people every three months after deciding they were the ones to blame for the lack of success is only a couple of highlights of Dimitri’s client.
To wrap up this gripping story, Dimitri leaves us with some wonderful and original lessons learned: it is not a good sign when there’s only one full-time employee in the company, you should always work with people looking to learn and progress, and that you never realize exactly where you are until you are in too deep.
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Fri, 31 Dec 2021 - 58min - 23 - That time getting “comfortable with uncomfortable conversations” was the key to managing your startup (with Kison Patel)
Today’s story might as well fall under the “Managing Horror Stories” category because that’s exactly what it is. Kison Patel, CEO and Founder of M&A Science and DealRoom brings us a tale on the insights of starting a business that you really believe — and trying to save it at all costs.
Kison’s tale takes us back a couple of years, to the time where he decided to chase an idea he was passionate about, along with his partner who also was a very dear friend. And the first thing that he teaches us about is this one: no matter how excited you are about it, take the time to evaluate the product and business model you are pursuing before it’s too late and things start crashing all around you.
In Client Horror Stories #25, Kison brings along a couple of powerful managing secrets, such as the importance of creating an environment where people feel comfortable communicating their thoughts and feelings (even when it’s bad news), acknowledging people’s achievements, and creating a culture where colleagues feel like friends that are happy to work together.
To wrap up Kison’s story, he and Morgan reach the end with a super interesting addendum that only strives to fulfill their #1 conclusion: how essential it is to keep feedback going and to be able to give and receive criticism.
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Tue, 21 Dec 2021 - 1h 20min - 22 - That time your client threatened to fire you if you didn’t deliver a surprise demo, months before the due date (with Andrew Kemendo)
Andrew Kemendo is the Principal Architect, AI at Unity Technologies, and also the star of Client Horror Stories #24. Today, he brings us a story that has that one killer combo: just enough drama to keep you gripping, and just enough lessons learned to know it was time well invested.
Andrew’s tale brings us back a couple of years ago, to a young startup dedicated to creating augmented reality experiences who accepted what looked like an unbelievable deal from a huge company meant to be their hero case. And even though they were for a little while, Andrew wouldn’t be here if that would’ve remained the situation.
Out of the blue calls to demand a demo from one week to another (even though you weren’t supposed to have it for two more months) & trying to pull their software to massively fail in the way are just a couple of the dramatic highlights this story brings along. Reaching the end, Andrew gives us some powerful lessons on how important it is to never dedicate completely to one project, aligning with your client’s entire company and not just themselves, and overall understanding that it’s not only your client who hires you, but you also hire them.
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Tue, 14 Dec 2021 - 50min - 21 - That time your cowboy mounted shooting client ripped his tax return in half in front of you (with Liz Farr)
How often do you see a headline like that? Well, that’s because not often we get stories like this. On today’s episode, we have our first ever guest from the finance world: Liz Farr, Founder & CEO of Farr Communications, telling us an incredibly dramatic story, filled with incredible twists and lessons.
Liz’s story takes us back to 15 years ago, when handwritten tax notes and mail filing your returns were not red flags at all… unless they actually were. Apparently, even when you refuse to pay your taxes for 10 years, you might still want the documentation in order to continue developing your tax-avoiding business.
Being a powerful combo that includes horse riding while balloon shooting, IRS agents, vanishing clients, and massive debt, today’s tale has a lot to teach us on retainer costs, gut-instinct listening, and the risk of being too close to the person you are working for.
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Mon, 06 Dec 2021 - 53min - 20 - That time you had to develop two apps a day, every day, for a 19-years-old boss (with Ben Nuttall)
In our 21st take at Client Horror Stories, we have Ben Nuttall, Software Engineer at BBC News Labs, with a story that, from the very beginning, has us wondering what’s with people’s common sense: showing up for an interview all dressed up, only to have the interviewer receive you in shorts and flip flops, and announcing that the person who called you in was no longer working there.
Ben’s tale takes us back to 2011, when the apps market was flourishing, and everyone trusted them to get them instant success. So much that a properties company figured it was a great idea to have a small team developing quick and easy apps to make some extra money. But you see the problem with having an absolutely unrelated industry’s company dive in the app development business is that they actually believe two people and one designer can develop 2 apps everyday, and believe pushing employees to the edge is the right way to accomplish it.
Today’s narrative brings us a bunch of different horror moments, such as bosses that take you to their offices to yell at you until you quit, so they don’t have to fire you, and other bosses that hire someone’s son to be your boss, even though they have 19 years old and zero experience. Along with a wide variety of absolutely bizarre and unbelievable moments, the older and more experienced version of Ben can’t believe he actually went through.
However, as every good story does, Ben’s one leaves us with some very valuable tips and lessons: First of all, if something smells weird, don’t hesitate to ask someone you know and trust in your industry what they think about it. Secondly, find people to learn from, and make sure you have at least some of them in your workplace. And finally, even bad experiences can be worth living, even if it’s just for the hope of it all.
About Ben:
Ben is a software engineer building prototypes for BBC News, and previously spent 6 years at the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Ben likes Python, Linux and all things open source.
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Morgan FriedmanWed, 29 Sep 2021 - 35min - 19 - That time you poured your heart into your moonshot, but ended up burning down 3 acres of Stanford University (with Mark Jacobsen)
Our 20th take at Client Horror Stories brings in a particularity that sets apart from the rest: there are actually no clients involved. In today’s episode, we have Mark Jacobsen, author of Eating Glass: The Inner Journey Through Failure and Renewal, with an excruciating story that has us sharing his pain from the very beginning.
Mark’s narrative brings us the point of view of a military pilot during the hottest years of war with an unstoppable will to help the Syrian refugees, which eventually led him to begin a non-profit with his own resources. His tale starts in the very beginning of the motivation for it, then goes through his innovative idea of using drones to reach places he couldn’t fly to, and eventually gets to the breakdown point: creating a 3-acre wildfire in Stanford.
What’s so special about today’s episode, is the fact that it teaches us that, no matter how pure our intentions are, some moonshots can be achieved by just trying and trying. Among some of the many lessons that this story taught us, we shall highlight Mark’s point on being able to create and maintain healthy habits both for you and your team, and making sure you have a business plan before you start anything, even when your anything is a nonprofit. But overall, it teaches us that even though our intuition can really help us see a problem coming, sometimes other people’s intuition can also help us find the right solutions to it.
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Fri, 10 Sep 2021 - 51min - 18 - That time your teenage idol hired you to manage their show, then makes you learn not to meet your heroes the hard way (with James Hush)
In our 19th take at Client Horror Stories, we have James Hush with a story very different to anything else we’ve heard: for the first time in Client Horror Stories, we have the story of a client with nothing to do with the tech world, and we definitely loved it. Not only today’s guest comes from the music industry, but he also has an awesome ability to link bands and shows management to handling a traditional enterprise and its clients. And also, he was happy to share with us many clips from his teenage band.
Today’s tale brings us back to when James was a college kid with rockstar dreams, and was taken under the wing of a show manager who taught him everything he knew. So when he was experienced enough, the best thing that ever could have happened happened: he was hired to plan and manage the event of his most admired label in the world. However, if everything was so great, he would not be telling his story here, would he?
James’s tale is as exciting as it is worth listening to, and it leaves us not only with some pretty cool Beatles and Aerosmith’s anecdotes, but also a lot of valuable lessons on handling clients, no matter the industry you work in. So, as a general best practice in James language: don’t focus on just one project at a time, choose your door person, and, no matter what happens, write down the terms beforehand. Oh, and over anything else: that sometimes just showing up and doing what you are asked to makes a huge difference.
About James:
James has given teams the ability to ship features at 5 pm on a Friday in 15 minutes to millions of users. He believes any engineering team can deliver high quality features that customers love on time, without working late or opening a bottle of Advil.
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Mon, 30 Aug 2021 - 1h 04min - 17 - That time your company had you working 36 hours straight, then took away your bonus (with Violet Femm)
In our 17th take at Client Horror Stories, we receive Violet Femmes, who brings us a dramatic and introspective story that lasted two years but gave her lessons for a lifetime. Today’s episode has a therapy-like tint that definitely makes the narrative strike a significant chord in us.
Opening with the phrase “I am terrific at making mistakes”, Violet’s tale has more than enough elements to make it a memorable one, but if we had to choose a couple of them to highlight they would definitely be emails “accidentally” sent to the wrong people, a lot of fancy wine, bewaring procurement, and the fact that horror comes not only from your client, but also from your own company.
Today’s episode leaves us slightly unsettled, and the realization that sometimes, no matter how hard you work, some things just can’t be accomplished. Violet’s tale teaches us that, every now and then, not even a 36 hours workday can get all your tasks done, and that’s when you need to take a step back and be able to ask for the help you need, and hope that your company is there to back you up.
Links:
Mon, 23 Aug 2021 - 59min - 16 - That time your offhand joke became the embarrassing headline in the press (with Scott Kveton)
In our 17th take at Client Horror Stories, Scott Kveton, founding partner of Fractionalist.co, brings us a story that takes us 11 years back in time, back to the moment where people used to camp and wait in line for hours to get iPhone 3.0.
Scott’s tale starts with a “Why wait three months? Let’s launch in 30 days!” optimism, and includes everything that a good story should: The press, young and inexperienced entrepreneurs, a deal with the biggest app in the app store, and even Steve Jobs.
Today’s episode leaves us with a couple of great lessons on how to properly build your teams, how carefully you should choose your clients (even if they are tech giants that say they’ll refer you!), the importance of trusting someone’s instincts, even if they are not incredibly experienced, and definitely choosing wisely the jokes we’ll tell to the press.
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Tue, 17 Aug 2021 - 27min - 15 - That time your wonderful client was growing fast and doing great, then mysteriously shuts down overnight (with Bonnie Rothman)
In our 16th take at Client Horror Stories, Bonnie Rothman, CEO of Company B, brings us a fast, exciting, and very well told (not that she tells stories for a living!) horror story. Today’s tale has everything that a great story needs: dynamism, excitement, plot twists, and shoes in the oven.
In today’s episode, Bonnie walks us through the story of an incredibly well-funded startup that had a great idea and had been growing super fast, so everything indicated that the future ahead could only get brighter. And it did, at first. As Bonnie’s strategies kept making her client’s company grow more and more, so did the excitement that both created revolving around the company’s acceleration and expansion, until one day, 10 minutes before their scheduled team meeting, Bonnie received the call that turned this into a horror story: The team meeting was being canceled, and the investors decided to shut their business down because they weren’t reaching their expected numbers. Harsh.
Bonnie’s tale leaves us with more than a couple of interesting lessons on how sometimes you do everything right (and how important it is that you recognize it!), and you still fail due to factors that could never be managed by you. Reaching the end, Bonnie tells us what she thinks the bottom line is: The most important thing is to be able to build a trust-based relationship with your clients, that allows them to be vulnerable with you and express their fears. Make sure you are trusted, that you provide good and coherent ideas, and that you are a good partner, even if that includes offering to go for a drink after your client learns that their business will be shut down.
About Bonnie:
Your story drives your business and builds your brand. I'm the founder and CEO of Company B, a digital communications agency. A lifelong storyteller, former New York Times journalist and screenwriter, I help high growth companies tell stories through content and public relations, driving massive media attention. Stakeholders want to hear more from you, learn more about you and do more business with you.
Links:
Mon, 09 Aug 2021 - 34min - 14 - That time your client believed that advertising was a magic solution, but still micromanaged the magician (with Collin Slattery)
In our 15th take at Client Horror Stories, Collin Slattery, founder, and CEO of Taikun Inc. brings us a story approached not too dramatically, but rather as a learning experience for everyone who was a part of it (and, obviously, us as well!). Today’s tale gives us a lesson on how good students are the ones that don’t need an atomic bomb of a client in order to pick up a bunch of good lessons on how to manage them.
Collin’s narrative takes us to August 2020, very deeply diving into the pandemic craziness and a client who, no matter how hard he tried to change his mind, simply believed that advertising would solve every single one of his problems. But of course, advertising was not a magic success potion for their business, and so our story smoothly turns into micromanaging meets blaming marketing for everything mess.
Today’s episode leaves us with a sour taste in our mouths, and more than a lot of lessons to take notes on, such as: “In some situations, techniques that worked for everyone else, simply won’t do it”, “ABT: Always be testing everything you do”, and our personal favorite “If a client wants to do something, even though you insisted that it was not a good idea, have them sign a document where they agree that the did it against your professional advice”.
About Collin:
Literacy quotes:
“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” - John Maynard Keynes
Links:
Wed, 21 Jul 2021 - 1h 00min - 13 - That time your mentor gifted you his house in his will, but removed you from it when you asked him for the money he owed you (with Will Rico)
In our 14th take at Client Horror Stories, we have Will Rico, CEO of CommonMind, along with a parade of mentors, telling us probably the weirdest yet most gripping and surprising story so far. Today’s tale is the compilation of horror, random, and sometimes positively surprising situations that went along in Will’s 9-year long relationship with his then mentor.
Will takes us back to 2001, when he was just a 27-year-old starting a company and renting an office from his high-school boss, who couldn’t help but try to get involved in the young startup’s business. Little did we know that he would not actually end up being the trouble-maker, but actually the guy that he introduced Will to in order to create (what he thought would be) a fantastic deal.
The narrative that Will walks us through has everything from drama, sweet-angel wives, sketchy guys with a lot of stories to tell, and even unexpected (and later on canceled) inheritances, to end up with very wise advice: Choose your mentors wisely, don’t take advice from just anyone, and learn how to say “no”.
Links:
Thu, 15 Jul 2021 - 1h 01min
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