Dennis I think this is a super important topic that designers don’t think about often enough. The clients you choose to work with directly shape the future of your business. This is why working for poor to mediocre clients on cheap marketplaces like Upwork is so damaging. While you may think “I’m just doing it for the money and I need the work” you’re ignoring the future repercussions of that choice. How does that client work shape your portfolio and your opportunity to access the kind of work you really want to do?

Far too many designers forget they’re running a business. As soon as you frame client choice in terms of how each choice shapes your future business growth, the priority considerations shift dramatically.

Well written piece again Dennis. I’ve been really enjoying your writing.