Bloggy Question 21 — Are You California Dreaming?

September 17, 2006 by Liz

Monday, Monday, Can’t Trust That Day

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Hypothetical Question.

A friend explains a situation with a potential client who works in a field that suits the friend’s skills, style, and experience to a T. The more you hear, the more you think that the client needs your friend’s help to grow his business. You know the guy’s on the level. You’ve met some of his clients. They speak highly of his work.

The client-to-be is an entrepreneur with important clients, and he’s stuck where entrepreneurs with important clients often get stuck. Your friend is an expert at helping people stretch and expand their dreams. She can show him where to go next, how to get there, and how to delegate. . . .

The problem is that he has some form of “bad date” syndrome. He says he’ll call Monday to set up a meeting — Monday, Monday — pick one the call keeps getting rescheduled. She says he calls with other questions, but doesn’t return phone calls or emails from her. Of course, he treats his clients differently.

Last week a meeting (time and place too this time) was made to set goals. Your friend wants to let the client know that now the work must begin. She knows that relationships that start shaky can turn out to be the best ones . . . but she’s starting to talk about her own disappointment not the potential client’s needs.

What advice do you have for her?

Is this client worth saving or all this time has she been “California Dreaming?”

–ME “Liz” Strauss