Comment by leakycap

> I can already tell from the first interview what kind of client they are

I don't think you can tell, but you believe it - if you approach people with this kind of attitude, it is no wonder you have never made it over the hump with someone who actually needs help and is busy with their pressing business and isn't a perfect client

It's great when someone pays promptly, but I'd be a fool to turn my nose up at someone because they take a few weeks to open their wallet and pay an invoice for temporary use of my brainpower to do something for them when they needed my help.

I see clients as human beings with different routines, ryhthms, and even procedures of getting something paid. Just because I mark something on a piece of paper as the day I'd like to be paid for it doesn't mean I'll lose my mortgage and go hand to mouth the day after, and I don't expect a client to call me feverishly worried if they forgot to turn in an invoice until yesterday and the payment will be a few weeks. OK. I run my business & life in a way that doesn't put me in a bind if someone else needs a little time.

Treating people this way allows you to form relationships - which is in and of itself much more rewarding, on a more meaningful level.

I don't value or see a reason to enforce military-like pay schedule with the people that I judge on their... what did you say?

> from the first interview what kind of client they are

I think this says a lot more about you. Usually, this is called stereotyping. It can lead to inadvertent racism, sexism, and biases against those your so promptly judge.

You should be aware that you might be focused on the cheque, which has a finite and set value, instead of the person and relationship you can build with each client - which has an unlimited value.

Plus, as far as we know, we get one chance to live our life. Maybe you could try not treating people like you describe, it might make your one life experience different when you see how other people respond.