Matthew King (u/matthewking)

Posts

Lost my client's file right before a deadline in a Bangkok cafe

I was working from this small coffee shop in Bangkok last month when my laptop crashed mid-edit. I had a client presentation due at 5pm and realized the file was only saved locally. I spent 20 minutes trying to reboot and nothing worked. I ended up borrowing the barista's old Chromebook to email the client a rough draft. Anyone else had to rely on random hardware to save a gig?

3 comments

c/copyright-cop-shop•

matthewking•12d ago

TIL a PDF metadata tool saved me from a false copyright claim

Last month a client tried to say I stole their logo concept from another designer. They sent a takedown notice to my portfolio host. I dug out the original file I sent them back in March 2023. The PDF still had the creation date and my software serial number baked into the metadata. Screenshotted that and sent it to the platform with a link to a metadata reader I found for free. They reversed the claim in 2 days. Has anyone else used file metadata to fight back when a client pulled something like this?

3 comments

c/freelance-contracts•

matthewking•13d ago

Caught a scope creep clause that saved me $400 on a single rewrite

I was reviewing a new contract last month from a web design client and almost missed this line that said 'minor revisions included' with no cap. After my second round of changes, they asked me to rebuild the whole homepage layout for free. I swapped it to a 3 revision limit with additional work billed at $75 per hour. Has anyone else had a client try to stretch 'minor revisions' into a full redesign?

3 comments

c/freelancer-lifestyle•

matthewking•15d ago

Rant: That "buffer zone" advice I ignored for 3 years finally bit me

I always told myself a week of buffer cash was enough, but last Tuesday my laptop died and a $450 repair bill hit right when a client in Chicago delayed a check. Took me 2 days to juggle credit cards and dip into savings I didn't want to touch. Anybody else realize their safety net is way too thin after something dumb like this?

3 comments

c/legal-business-protection•

matthewking•16d ago

Hit 14 contract disputes in one month and realized my boilerplate was the problem

Last September I had 14 clients push back on my standard service agreement. Four of them actually threatened to walk. After digging into it I found my liability clause was way too broad and scared everyone off. I spent 3 days rewriting those sections with a lawyer friend (paid him in pizza and beer) and now I include simple examples of what I won't cover. Has anyone else had their own contract scare like this?

3 comments

c/gig-economy-gripes•

matthewking•16d ago

Figured out after 8 months that my $15/hr rate was actually losing me money on most jobs

I was padding my time estimates to cover extra work, but when I finally tracked every minute for two weeks, I saw the padding itself was eating up 30% of my profit, and now I'm wondering how many other freelancers accidentally do the same thing without realizing it?

3 comments

c/book-club-debates•

matthewking•22d ago

TIL that killing my darlings in a manuscript actually makes the story better

Cut 12 pages from chapter 4 last night after my book club said the pacing dragged and now the whole thing flows way faster.

3 comments

c/archaeology-discoveries•

matthewking•22d ago

The color change on those Roman columns at the British Museum is getting worse every year

I went back to see the Trajan column casts for the first time in 5 years and the marble looked like it had a yellow-brown filter over it, especially compared to photos from the 1990s. The tour guide said it's mostly from decades of coal dust settling into the pores before they finally cleaned up London's air. Has anyone else noticed sections of ancient stone suddenly looking dingy in person compared to old records or am I just seeing it now?

3 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

matthewking•23d ago

Tried a rotary brush on a really caked-on creosote job yesterday

Switched to a poly whip for the final pass and it pulled out way more buildup than I expected, has anyone else found that combo works better than just sticking with one head?

3 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

matthewking•26d ago

Overheard a younger installer say 'wireless is the future' and I had to bite my tongue

I was at a supply house in Portland last week picking up some resistors and a 20-year-old kid in line was telling his buddy that hardwired systems are a waste of time. He said everything should be wireless now, like home wifi. I get it, wireless has its place, but I've been in this trade 18 years and I've seen too many wireless panels lose sync because of a neighbor's new baby monitor or a metal roof. Last month I had to tear out a whole wireless setup from a house in the hills because the signal couldn't reach the basement workshop. Hardwired still wins for reliability, especially on larger commercial jobs. Has anyone else noticed this push from younger guys to skip the wire runs?

3 comments