I just billed my 500th hour for a single client this year and it felt weird.

I run a small painting crew, and this one homeowner in the West End has had us doing a full interior repaint, then exterior trim, and now a deck restoration. Seeing that number on my invoice software this morning made me realize I've basically had a full-time job with just one person. Has anyone else hit a client milestone that made you rethink how you structure your work?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim_ramirez327d ago

Wow, that's a serious chunk of time with one client. I was just reading a piece about how some freelancers and small shops hit a point where a single client makes up too much of their income. It can feel safe, but it's risky if that work suddenly stops. Maybe it's time to look at your rates or set a limit on hours per client for the future. That number is a real eye opener.

riverh4927d agoMost Upvoted

My friend had one client for 90% of his income. He bought a fancy espresso machine to celebrate the "stability." Two weeks later, the client's budget got cut. Now he drinks expensive coffee while staring at his empty inbox. It's the most costly lesson in not putting all your eggs in one basket.

reese_hayes7126d ago

Yeah that "real eye opener" number is no joke. I got burned like that early on, one client was 80% of my income for almost a year. When they left, I had to scramble and take any low paying job I could find just to pay rent. What helped me was setting a hard rule that no single client can be more than 40% of my monthly income. It forces you to keep looking for new work even when you're busy, which sucks but it's way safer. Solid point from kim_ramirez3 about checking your rates too, raising them for new clients can help balance things out faster.