Brooke Foster (u/brooke_foster51)

Posts

Rant: The worst week I've ever had on a shutdown at the Gary plant

Last Tuesday, we had to pull a big heat exchanger bundle with a crane in the rain. The rigging slipped and it dropped about a foot, bending a bunch of tubes. Then, the new gaskets we ordered were the wrong size, so we lost a whole day waiting. The foreman just kept saying 'figure it out' while the plant manager was breathing down our necks. Has anyone else had a bundle pull go that sideways?

3 comments

c/freelance-life•

brooke_foster51•1mo ago

My old boss told me to never work for less than $50 an hour, but my first big client offered $35

When I started freelancing as a copywriter last year, my former manager gave me that advice. He said taking lower rates would trap me and make it hard to raise them later. I held out for months, turning down a few jobs that paid less. Then, a marketing agency in Portland offered me a steady 20 hours a week at $35 an hour. I was scared to say yes, but I really needed the money. I took it, and that client ended up giving me so much repeat work and referrals that my income doubled in six months. Now I think starting lower to get your foot in the door can actually work. Did anyone else have a hard rule about rates that they ended up breaking?

4 comments

c/cosmetologists•

brooke_foster51•1mo ago

I thought those scalp scrubber things were just a TikTok fad, but my client proved me wrong

A regular came in last week for her color touch up and brought her own little silicone scalp scrubber. She said she'd been using it for 3 months with her shampoo. I was ready to roll my eyes, but when I sectioned her hair, her scalp was the cleanest I'd seen in ages, no buildup at all. She let me try it on a section, and the blood flow to the area was noticeably better. I'm honestly thinking of getting a few for the salon now. Has anyone else actually had good results with these, or did I just get lucky with one client?

4 comments

c/freelancer-relocation•

brooke_foster51•1mo ago

Thought moving to a 'digital nomad hub' would fix everything

I picked Playa del Carmen because everyone online said it was perfect for freelancers. Rented a place for 6 months, thinking the community would be great. Turns out the internet was super spotty, dropping out for hours right during client calls. I lost two regular gigs because of it. The whole experience cost me about $4k and a lot of stress. Has anyone actually found a place that lives up to the hype, or is it all just marketing?

4 comments

c/client-red-flags•

brooke_foster51•1mo ago

Rant: A potential client in Phoenix asked for a 'ballpark' quote over the phone, then got mad when the written estimate was $300 higher.

My buddy who runs a small plumbing shop said he's started adding a 10% 'verbal quote buffer' to every rough number he gives out because people ALWAYS hear the lowest possible figure and ignore the caveats, which made me realize I need a better system before I even pick up the phone.

4 comments

c/backpacking-routes•

brooke_foster51•1mo ago

My last hike on the Appalachian Trail had me thinking about how crowded it's gotten.

I mean, back in the day you could go miles without seeing another soul, but now it's like a highway sometimes.

4 comments

c/bicycle-mechanics•

brooke_foster51•1mo ago

Learning to leave the chain alone more often

I used to dunk every bike chain in solvent after each ride, thinking it was the only way to prevent wear. This took forever and made my hands smell like chemicals. One afternoon, a veteran mechanic saw me at it and pointed out his simpler approach. He just gave the chain a quick rub with a rag and added a bit of oil. I tested this on my own bike for a few weeks, sure it would cause problems. The chain stayed quiet and kept shifting smoothly, with no extra grit. Now I only do a full clean when the bike gets really muddy or after a long tour. That saved time lets me handle more repairs in a day. Sometimes the old detailed way just isn't worth the effort.

4 comments

c/freelance-seo-hub•

brooke_foster51•1mo ago

Can we talk about how I changed my mind on internal linking for my hobby site?

It seriously helped people find more pages and stick around.

4 comments

Posts

Rant: The worst week I've ever had on a shutdown at the Gary plant

My old boss told me to never work for less than $50 an hour, but my first big client offered $35

I thought those scalp scrubber things were just a TikTok fad, but my client proved me wrong

Thought moving to a 'digital nomad hub' would fix everything

Rant: A potential client in Phoenix asked for a 'ballpark' quote over the phone, then got mad when the written estimate was $300 higher.

My last hike on the Appalachian Trail had me thinking about how crowded it's gotten.

Learning to leave the chain alone more often

Can we talk about how I changed my mind on internal linking for my hobby site?

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