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PODCAST

Client Horror Stories

Beloved by Clients

Tales from those on the front lines of dealing with clients. Tales of difficult clients, complex situations, relationship management - and how massive client management problems were solved, and what they learned. Largely those running agencies, but all across different professional services.

business management

All Episodes

00:42:55

That time when you get hired to coach a bully… (with...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/04/09

Early in his coaching career, Carlos, Executive Coach & Neuromanagement Expert, was brought in to work with a company's top C-suite executive—someone brilliant at their job, consistently delivering exceptional results. But behind the performance was a serious problem: team members were quitting in droves, admitting they could no longer tolerate their boss's behavior. Simply put, he was a bully. The company found itself trapped in a lose-lose situation. Letting him go could jeopardize the

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01:04:47

That time informed consent in writing saved the...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/03/26

Today, we're joined by Jane Muir, Shareholder at J Muir & Associate PA, who opens up about one of the most difficult Client Horror Stories of her legal career. Early in her career, Jane represented a group of older clients who had jointly invested in a Chinese restaurant. The group believed they weren't being given accurate financial figures and hired Jane to help negotiate a settlement. To protect both herself and the firm, Jane required everyone to sign a waiver of conflict of interest

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01:11:47

That time when a marketing agency shuts down your...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/03/19

When Scott Gilbert, Founder of Aesthetic Flight, first launched his business, he didn't yet have the marketing expertise needed to scale effectively. And while this series usually features Client Horror Stories, this time Scott is the client—sharing what went wrong when he hired an agency to generate leads. A few years in, Scott understood the basics and felt confident enough to outsource growth. He trusted the agency to handle paid ads and bring in leads. But during what should have been the

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00:53:39

That time when a client turned the hiring process...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/03/12

Today, Caroline Sangal, Life-First Career Coach & Founder of Next Success, joins us to share a Client Horror Story that changed the course of her career forever. Before transitioning into coaching, Caroline was a highly skilled technical recruiter. One project involved a small, family-owned chemical company that needed a top technical professional to step into a role created by the impending retirement of a senior leader. Caroline was pulled in to help after her firm had already been working the

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00:46:01

That time when your pitch turns into a TV commercial...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/03/05

Fresh out of college, Paul Pape, Founder & CEO of Gamify Business, faced one of the most challenging experiences of his early career. Through his mentor, Paul got the chance to pitch a major ad campaign for a client who owned a chain of grocery stores. The meeting went exceptionally well—he presented a creative concept featuring his wife as the face of the campaign and left confident he had nailed it. But after weeks of silence, it became clear he'd been ghosted. Months later, Paul was

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00:51:29

That time when Billy Idol's manager fires you...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/02/26

Are you afraid of what lies ahead—of the challenges that might test your confidence and resilience? Mike Montague, Founder of Avenue9, shares a client horror story that toughened his skin and proved that if he could survive this, he could survive anything. Back in 2005, Mike worked at a retro radio station in Kansas City. The station was sponsoring a Billy Idol concert, and before the show, Billy and his manager approached him with an exciting offer: to DJ the event. Thrilled by the opportunity,

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00:17:45

That time when a client admits to stealing from his...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/02/12

Tim Brownson, Coach & Author, moved to the U.S. in 2006 to start fresh and build his coaching career from the ground up. As a newcomer, finding clients was tough—so when a potential client from an elite Ontario neighborhood reached out, he saw it as a golden opportunity. Though it wasn't his usual practice to visit clients at home, Tim agreed to meet. Their first session went well and lasted two hours. When it came time to discuss payment, the client suggested they talk about it during the

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00:42:15

That time when a former partner tries to cash in...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/02/05

Today's guest, Ed Hajim—Author, Philanthropist, and Mentor—joins us to share a collection of Client Horror Stories from his remarkable career. Trust us, these are stories you'll want to hear. During his time as Managing Partner of a mid-sized investment bank, Ed helped grow the firm's revenue from $20 million to over half a billion, eventually selling the company twice—the first time to Xerox. But success didn't come without conflict. One of the partners accused Ed of "doing

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00:30:03

That time when your boss is so scary that everyone's...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/01/29

Have you ever felt that knot in your stomach before work, knowing you'll have to face a terrifying boss? This Client Horror Story captures that exact feeling. Cordell Robinson, CEO of Brownstone Consulting FirmWorking, recalls a time he worked on-site with a client whose team lived in fear of one particular person—their compliance manager. Known for being impossibly demanding and hypercritical, this individual made employees feel like even the smallest mistake could cost them their jobs. Despite

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00:54:16

That time when your business partner offers...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/01/22

Today, we're joined by Eric Gee, Author, Life & Writing Coach, who shares a story that's almost too hard to believe. In his younger years, Eric and a close friend launched an education company focused on teaching and mentoring students. Everything ran smoothly—until one day, his business partner crossed a line. When a female student mentioned having a sore neck, the partner offered her a massage. While he saw it as harmless, given his background in massage therapy, Eric knew immediately

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00:52:47

That time when you warn a client of the repercussions...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/01/15

Today's episode features Brad White, CEO of VARC Solutions, who shares one of his biggest frustrations in business—working with clients who simply refuse to listen. Brad's company specializes in bookkeeping, and one of their core tools is QuickBooks—a platform trusted by both small and large businesses alike. Over time, QuickBooks has evolved significantly, especially with the rise of cloud technology. However, not all clients understand that QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online (the

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00:49:26

That time when being too trusting costs you your...

Client Horror Stories ·

2026/01/08

If you're interested in real estate—and the stories that come with it—this Client Horror Story is for you. Spencer Sutton, VP of Marketing at Evernest, takes us back to his early days as a young real estate investor. At the time, Spencer was flipping houses but dreamed of building long-term wealth through rental properties. The problem? He had no idea how to be a landlord or set boundaries with tenants. Still, he pressed on and purchased his very first rental home—located 45 minutes from where

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00:49:04

That time when a real estate owner hid deals under...

Client Horror Stories ·

2025/12/24

Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Angela Thomas, Scaling Expert & Founder of Angel Success Consulting, who has built a thriving business through dedication and grit. Angela specializes in training and developing businesses, and she was invited to conduct a training session for a real estate business owner. The first session was a success—payment went through smoothly, and the client was pleased with the results. Encouraged, the business owner requested another round of training, this

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00:30:05

That time when a client threatens to sue you for 17...

Client Horror Stories ·

2025/12/18

Today, Greg Digneo, Founder of Content Guppy, shares a Client Horror Story that proves some people really are as wild as they seem. In the early 2000s, Greg and a friend launched a solar panel company with no prior experience. To their surprise, two of their university professors became their first customers, and the money they earned from those projects was more than they had ever handled since graduation. Their third client, however, was a different story. At their first meeting, he proudly

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00:44:40

That time when you discover a respectable executive...

Client Horror Stories ·

2025/12/11

Kate Viana, Founder of Viana Communications, shares a Client Horror Story like no other. In 2021, after leaving a nonprofit to strike out on her own, Kate was thrilled when a Texas-based client reached out. She began by improving their website—despite having little experience and doing it for free—before transitioning into consulting work. Eager to expand her expertise, Kate offered to visit the organization in person. What she discovered was shocking. At her very first dinner meeting, leaders

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00:34:25

That time when a six-hour job turns into a six-month...

Client Horror Stories ·

2025/12/04

Today, Aleks Krylov, President of Stern Gutters, shares a Client Horror Story that dragged on for months. In October of last year, a retired woman contacted his team to install gutter protection at her home. By the first week of November, the installation was complete, and the final bill was charged. Just days later, Aleks began receiving emails and phone calls from the client claiming the technician had caused damage—breaking a patio lamp and chipping paint beneath the gutters. The technician

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00:37:05

That time when you're tasked to present a product...

Client Horror Stories ·

2025/11/27

Today's horror story is a little different—it focuses not on a client, but on our speaker himself: Ron Reich, Founder of RLB Training & Development. Years ago, while working at an HR consulting firm, Ron received a surprising call from someone in Dallas who told him he was "the opposite of what he said he was." Odd as it sounded, the call turned out to be life-changing—the man was offering Ron an opportunity to become a trainer and facilitator at Toshiba, a dream role he had long

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00:32:40

That time when you help an employee become the best...

Client Horror Stories ·

2025/11/20

In today's Client Horror Stories episode, Wes Towers, founder of Uplift360, shares a time when his good intentions as a leader took an unexpected turn.After years of working closely with one of his team leaders, Wes noticed the employee had grown bored and uninspired in their role. Wanting to reignite their passion, he brought in a bold new project they'd never tackled before: building a niche dating website. Excited for the challenge, the team leader eagerly accepted.But just weeks into the

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00:58:29

That time when you invest your whole life (and...

Client Horror Stories ·

2025/11/13

Jody Durand, author of Country Boy Soul, shares a heartbreaking chapter of his life—navigating a failing business, a troubled marriage, the sudden loss of his mother, and ultimately, bankruptcy.In 1999, with no experience outside of farming, Jody was invited by a friend to help manage a U.S. call center selling cell phones, with the promise of becoming a shareholder. Trusting the vision, he invested $120,000—money borrowed from relatives and secured against his future. Despite early red flags, like

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00:43:42

That time when you sell only 50 tickets in an...

Client Horror Stories ·

2025/11/06

Today, we welcome Tom Elliott—Corporate Event Host, Comedy Magician, and Public Speaking Coach—to share a client horror story that left a lasting mark on his career.Eager to grow as a comedy magician, Tom began booking small theater shows of around 100 seats. After gaining traction, he was offered what seemed like his big break: a contract to perform at an 800-seat theater. Convinced this was his moment, he signed on and began selling tickets.But reality hit hard—only 30 tickets sold. Despite

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