How To Spot Meaningless Work

While attempting to explain our company values, our process, and our strategy to a new client, he interrupted:

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, how much is it gonna cost?”

Red flag number one.

We shifted the conversation to his company and asked him several questions about why he was in the business he was in. We were digging, grasping, desperately looking for something more, but all he could tell us was, “gotta make that money.”

Red flag number two.

We made the mistake of letting him hire us because we thought we could change him. We believed so much in what he didn’t believe in, we thought that he would follow suit.

6 months later we realized what a horrible idea that was. Instead of teaching him to love us, and our values, he taught us to hate everything about him. The divorce was mutual, but it was exhausting nonetheless.

Do you want to do meaningful work?
Do you want to want to help your people?
Do you want your clients to be long term partners?

Choose them wisely.
Ask the important questions up front, then ask them again.
And don’t ignore your red flags.