Took me two years to realize some clients cost more than they pay.
Had a brand paying me $1,500 per month. Sounded great on paper. But they required three rounds of revisions on every video. Constant calls. Scope creep on every project. Last minute changes.
Calculated my actual hourly rate for that client. It was under $25.
Meanwhile I had clients paying $1,000 who required minimal revisions and communicated clearly. My effective rate with them was over $100 per hour.
The high paying problem client was actually my lowest value relationship.
Now I track not just what clients pay, but what they cost in time, energy, and mental bandwidth.
Some clients need to be fired so better ones can take their place.