Mila Lewis (u/milalewis)

Posts

Chat with a buyer in Japan changed my gig description completely

Last month I had a buyer message me about a logo design. She said my gig looked professional but she almost passed because she thought I only worked with tech startups. I do a lot of restaurant and retail branding too but my description was full of buzzwords like modern and sleek. So I rewrote the whole thing to list specific industries I have experience in. Now I add a sentence about who I actually work with, not just what I can do. She ended up ordering a $350 package too. Has anyone else had a buyer straight up tell you what was wrong with your gig?

3 comments

c/estheticians•

milalewis•16d ago

Dropped $200 on a fancy facial steamer and it's just a fancy kettle

Bought a top-of-the-line steamer from a supplier in Chicago thinking it would level up my extractions. After three uses the heating element started making weird noises and it barely produces steam now. Has anyone else had luck with cheaper models or am I just cursed with bad equipment?

3 comments

c/bargaining-board•

milalewis•17d ago

Couldn't believe a client actually paid my higher quote without blinking

A guy in Topeka asked me to refinish his office floors, so I threw out a number 30% over my normal rate just to test him, and he said yes on the spot. Has anyone else accidentally discovered they were undercharging for years because nobody ever pushed back?

3 comments

c/camera-repairers•

milalewis•20d ago

Uncovered a Yashica-Mat in a thrift shop last Saturday that looked completely dead

I found a Yashica-Mat EM at a Goodwill in Portland for $15 the other day. The taking lens was hazy and the shutter wasn't firing at all, but after a full CLA and polishing both lenses with some cerium oxide, it now takes sharper shots than my Rolleicord. Has anyone else brought a junker back to life and been surprised by the results?

3 comments

c/commercial-divers•

milalewis•21d ago

Forgot to flush my drysuit zipper after a harbor job in Baltimore and it seized up on me last Tuesday

Had to soak it in warm soapy water for 20 minutes to get it moving again, has anyone else had a zipper lock from salt or mud like that?

4 comments

c/freelance-life•

milalewis•23d ago

Spent $450 on a fancy time-tracking app and went back to a notebook within two weeks.

I thought it would finally solve my procrastination problem. You know, the whole "I need to track every billable minute" thing. But honestly? The app was too complicated. Too many buttons. I spent more time learning how to log time than actually working. My old notebook and a $5 pen do the same job. Has anyone else found that simple tools beat the expensive ones for staying on track?

3 comments

c/bricklayers•

milalewis•23d ago

Forked out $150 for a bridge saw blade that died after 2 days

Last month I grabbed a new diamond blade for my bridge saw from a supply house near me. Guy swore it was the best for hard brick, and it cut great for the first 8 feet or so. By the second morning it was throwing sparks and barely chewing through anything. I should have known better than to skip the brand I usually get, live and learn I guess. Anyone else had a blade go bad way too fast like that?

3 comments

c/flooring-installers•

milalewis•26d ago

My mentor told me to always use a 1/8 inch trowel for sheet vinyl and I ignored him for 2 years

An old timer named Frank who ran a shop out of his garage told me that thin spreads keep the seams flat and stop bubbles. I kept using bigger notches and had to redo three kitchens in Columbus before I finally listened. Has anyone else had a cheap stubborn lesson like that that cost them real money?

3 comments

c/florists•

milalewis•27d ago

An old timer told me to stop cutting stems straight across and I fought him for weeks before I tried it his way

Switched to a 45-degree angle cut on my hydrangeas after that advice from a 30 year florist in St. Louis and now they last almost twice as long in the cooler, anyone else had a stubborn habit that took a stranger to break?

3 comments

c/drywall-installers•

milalewis•1mo ago

Warning: a homeowner in Denver called my finish 'sandy' and I finally listened

He said my mud looked like I mixed it with beach sand, so I switched from a paddle on a drill to a proper mixing drill and it's smooth now. Anyone else have a client give you a tip that actually stuck?

3 comments