Body
Hi everyone as the title states…long story short my kindness got the best of me and I’m getting emotionally curb stomped.
About 2 months ago I had a lead reach out to me saying they needed immediate help with their marketing and were very overwhelmed. They had a great product so I felt confident being able to produce results. (For context they are an artist.)
Because we got going so fast and the person explicitly stated they really needed help I started work without a contract or payment. (Yes I know im dumb) At every turn they ignored my request to sign the contract and some how every payment method we found “wouldn’t work”. The package she signed on for was a consultation package and bought a few extra posts every week. I explained what she would be getting and we started on the 25th of the month. (Remember this because this is when her billing cycle started.)
The first month went by great but with some red flags. I explained to her at the beginning that she would need to provide the raw content. I never pestered her for it but she constantly let me know she was working on getting all of her content into a one drive for me. She gave me a small amount and I worked with what I had. There were minor tweaks here and there but over all I was getting feed back like I love it, you’re a life saver etc.
All of a sudden one day I created another post with the content she provided me. She messaged me freaking out letting me know I wasn’t supposed to use those photos. I apologized for the mix up but explained that those were photos she provided me and if I wasn’t supposed to be using them can we do a clean up of the folder so I know what I can and cannot use. We moved on and she started giving good feedback on posts. Again more red flags started to pop up and I started debating firing her. And by this time she finally paid me and even paid for the next month in advanced.
The 25th of the next month hit and since she paid in advance I had already completed her monthly content calendar, a strategy for the month, and had one post scheduled to go out the next day. She sent me a message asking me to focus only on social media so I sent her another post to review. This is when she exploded. She said I wasn’t listening and she told me to stop everything. (Which again like I stated I had just received a message telling me
To push forward with socials.) I took a step back and told her to let me know when she was ready to meet and regroup. Two days later she messaged me stating that she no longer wished to continue our services due to mental health reasons and asked for a full refund for the second month.
Normally I require a 30 day cancellation notice but she still had not signed the contract so I felt there was no way I could hold her to that. I responded to let her know that because I had already delivered the content calendar, strategy and one post had gone out for that cycle that I could not offer a full refund but offered to give her a refund for the services she hadn’t received yet and she obviously could keep the content calendar and strategy (the post was already posted which she approved manually by the way.)
She did not like this response, she immediately clapped back saying I put her in the hospital due to multiple panic attacks and her doctor and psychiatrist suggested she end the relationship. She also stated that all of my work was aweful and not satisfactory so she deserved a refund (again I have photo proof of the positive feedback she was giving.) She also stated that I should not have done the work because she asked for a pause. (Billing cycle started the 25th and she asked for a pause on the 27th. By then I had already completed the prep work.)
I stood tall and she reported my business for fraud. Surprise, the payment company told her it wasn’t. I guess she had now reported me
To her bank for fraud and called the police? She had also started to try and drag me through public Facebook groups and of course twisting the narrative to her benefit. (Every single claim she has made I have proof that it’s not true.)
This whole situation is killing me though, reading the horrible things people are saying about me without knowing both sides is killing me and is honestly making me consider stepping away from my business forever. (I know letting a bully win isn’t the answer but this all just sucks.)
Moral of the story :
1. ALWAYS ALWAYS get a signed contract.
2. Vet the heck out of potential clients. It doesn’t matter if you need the money, this isn’t worth a single dime.
3. Document everythingggggg. I’m so thankful I have proof of what is actually the proof incase she drops my name (right now it’s all anonymous)
Stay safe out there guys there are some truly aweful people out there
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