A few years ago, I ended a client relationship over what I’ll call “values misalignment.” It had been steady work for many months. But the company’s public positions on several issues were in direct opposition to things I believed in. Even though my work was mostly behind the scenes, I didn’t want to be associated with the company in any way. It wasn’t worth the stress.
Most solopreneur advice about difficult clients assumes that the client is the one who leaves. Or it tells you how to manage your boundaries in order to maintain a good working relationship. There’s also a third option: walking away.
No matter the reason, you can do it in a way that maintains professionalism. Here’s how.
Identify that you cannot fix the problem
Before deciding to end a client relationship, ask yourself: if the client fixed one big problem (or problems), would you want to keep working with them? If the answer is yes — something like how the client communicates or scope creep — then it might be worth a discussion. You can solve those types of structural problems if the client is willing to change.
But let’s say the client is paying below your current rates and cannot afford more. Or your services have evolved over time, and the project is no longer a good fit. Any number of reasons can’t be addressed by changing something about the working relationship.
Ultimately, it’s your business. You get to decide who you want to work with. Any reason you have is a valid reason to end the client relationship.
Follow your own contract
My contracts include a clear termination clause. Either party can terminate with 30 days’ written notice. It explicitly says that the client pays me for any completed work not yet invoiced and anything in progress as of the termination date.
Process-wise, you have a few things to do:
- Let the client know that you’re ending the arrangement per the termination clause in the contract
- Outline what will happen in the remaining time, including any in-progress work.
If you terminate a project before its completion, a kill fee covers what happens to the unfinished work. The client might have to pay, for example, 50% to cover the work you’ve put in to date.
With a solid contract, a termination notice can be uneventful (at least from a logistical perspective), because the contract covers what needs to happen.
Keep the conversation simple
You might be tempted to over-explain, especially if the reason you’re ending the agreement is price or fit, and you otherwise like the client. But the notice should not be an invitation for negotiation (assuming you’re not open to negotiation).
You don’t need to let the client know your grievances. At the time of notice, grievances no longer matter. “My capacity is changing” is straightforward and understandable. So is “I’m narrowing the focus of the services I offer to clients.”
Your entire email can be a few sentences:
I wanted to let you know that my capacity has changed, and I need to end our working relationship. Per our contract, my last day will be October 3, and I’ll have this month’s work completed before then. I’ll send my final invoice the following week.
Leave on good terms
No matter what your work was like up until you provide notice, those final weeks will shape the client’s impression of you. Finish whatever work you have in progress. Make sure the client has access to all files or login information. Write a short recap of anything outstanding on your last day and what needs to happen next. That way, whoever picks up the work next isn’t starting from scratch.
If the reason is price or fit, offer to refer another solopreneur. I’ve done this before, and the clients were grateful that they didn’t need to conduct a search to look for my replacement.
My client never knew that I ended an agreement over values misalignment because winding down the agreement was entirely procedural. I even trained my replacement. Solo work is a small world, and when you leave on good terms, you’ll maintain a reputation for being a professional.
