Wait have you tried pouring boiling water down the mound at dusk when they're all home?

Respectfully, I gotta push back on this one. Some of us have been cleaning our own lenses for years without issues, it's not rocket science. The trick is to use a ROCKET blower first to get any dust off, then a brand new microfiber with ONE drop of lens cleaning solution. Not drenching it. People go way too aggressive with the scrubbing and that's where the scratches come from. I've had cheap vintage lenses that I cleaned up just fine with this method, they look crystal clear. The real problem is when folks skip the blower step and rub dirt directly into the glass. You don't need to pay a pro for something you can do in 2 minutes if you're careful.

Man that hit hard. The part about hearing the urgency in someone's voice when they say no rush, that's real. I had a boss who would say "just get to it when you can" but then he'd stand at my desk and hover while I was working on something else. You just know the cushion is imaginary. It makes you feel crazy for even noticing the mismatch.

Respectfully, copying someone's format can work short term but it's a trap. The reason that guy's short proposals work is because he already has 50 reviews and a reputation on the platform. His name alone gets him replies. If you use the same format without the track record, clients might just see it as lazy. Did you try adjusting his style to match your own voice at all?

$250 dryer repair turned into $700" sounds like you got ripped off before the tech even touched anything.