Why Great Boundaries Are Good for Business
So… Boundaries?
As a person in long-term recovery (from all sorts of things, including under-earning and self-defeating people pleasing), I have done a lot of boundaries work.
When I started Licorne AGENCY, coming up for 10 years ago, I was a pushover. I had no idea what boundaries were, and even less how to set healthy boundaries in the workplace.
I’ve learned a lot of lessons the hard way. Yep. The *unpaid* hard way.
In my previous role, I had earned a lot of recognition from working late, going above and beyond, working Christmas, doing whatever people asked, and doing it well. I thought I was winning at ‘the work thing’ and didn’t even realise that my outlook was unsustainable until I burned out in February 2015, just 4 months after starting Licorne.
At that point I had a few (exceptionally demanding) clients for whom I would do literally anything. I remember staying up all night to get a job done in time for a really tight deadline, only for the client not to get back to me for a week after I had submitted the work, AND NOT PAY ME!
I accepted any client who wanted to work with me and undercharged so much that I was undercutting the market and making it difficult for others in the field.
I was struggling to make ends meet, and I was run ragged. And really, it was all my fault. I had no idea that I could decide what I was, and wasn’t, willing to do.
Things had to change. And so they did. I started to value not only myself, but my clients and peers.
I learned that boundaries are not about getting others to do something, they are about deciding what we are willing to do and then sticking to that. Here are some examples of Licorne’s boundaries with clients:
We are available for client communications 9am-5pm, Monday-Thursday and 9am-4pm on Friday. This means that our clients know when they will get a response from us, and when they won’t. If we work with a night owl, they know that they will get a response the next morning.
We don’t negotiate on price. Sometimes clients approach us who don’t have the budget for our services, and that’s ok. There are web designers out there at every price point. We are too expensive for some, but too cheap for others! We know who we work best with, and our prices reflect the value of our service.
For website builds, we take a 50% payment upfront with the remainder on delivery.
For new retainer business, we take payment up front.
What you will receive is outlined in our contract when you start working with us including:
Services and deliverables
Cost, fees, and payment schedule
Communication
Change of scope
Relationship of the parties
Copyright
Feedback expectations
Proofs, revisions, and approval
Cancellations or rescheduling
Termination
Governing law
Amendments
We set expectations about how we work: the frequency of contact, timelines and roles and responsibilities of the client.
We close down for a week over the festive period.
Most of the time, clients will instinctively appreciate the clarity of our boundaries. They know that it means that we’ll be able to deliver better creative solutions for their business, and that clear boundaries mean no misunderstandings and no last-minute surprises, just high-quality service delivered on time, and on budget.
So, what do you think? Where are you with regards to boundaries? Still a pushover or acting authentically and owning your needs? Let us know 💡
Licorne Agency was founded with one goal in mind:
To offer fully managed web and branding solutions that let SMEs focus on what they do best—running their business.
If you want us to look after your website or branding, please get in touch.
