A 4 AM chat with another freelancer changed how I handle rush jobs

I was venting to this guy at an all-night diner in Austin about a client who pushed a 2-week project up to 3 days, and he said 'you're not a hero, you're a doormat with a laptop.' That hit different because I realized I kept saying yes to every last-minute panic just to feel needed, so now I quote double the rate and half the hours I actually expect. Anybody else try pricing craziness to scare off deadline flip-floppers?

2 comments

2 Comments

haydenhayes2d ago

A buddy of mine tried that after a client kept changing his deadline every week. He quoted triple his normal rate and the guy just paid it without blinking. Now my friend realizes the real move is charging for the stress, not the hours, and he actually looks forward to those rush jobs.

matthewking15h ago

Man, that's the dream right there. Happy for your buddy.