I had to choose between a steady retainer and a big one-off project

Last month, a client offered me a $500 a month retainer for ongoing work, but the same week I got a chance to quote on a $10,000 website rebuild. I took the big project, even though it was a risk. It took six weeks of solid work, but it paid off and covered my bills for months. Has anyone else turned down steady money for a bigger, scarier job?

3 comments

3 Comments

christopher9434d ago

You said you "turned down" the steady money, but you didn't really. You just didn't have that client yet. A retainer offer isn't money you already have, it's a promise. So you chose between two new jobs, not between keeping cash and risking it. That's a different, less scary choice. Still a good one, but the framing is off.

spencer84d ago

Christopher943 makes a fair point about the retainer being a promise, not cash in hand. But turning down any guaranteed income for a project that might fail is still a real risk. A signed retainer agreement is as good as money for planning your next months. Choosing the uncertain creative work over that safe promise is absolutely turning down steady money. It's the same scary choice, just at an earlier stage.

kellyjones4d ago

Exactly! People always count chickens before they hatch.