Years ago my dad taught me a terrible lesson on business without even knowing it.

He owned two rental properties on one lot. I rented the front house, and Mike, the grouchy old man, lived in the back house. Mike liked to find fault and complain about everything. He nagged dad about not just reasonable fixes but ridiculous ones too. He would complain to him about the neighbors and the city's trash pick up. He was loud and would yell at me and my small child for using colorful chalk on the sidewalk. He was the neighborhood curmudgeon.  It was to the point that dad decided to implement an "asshole tax". He raised the rent every year, the yearly legal maximum, in the hopes of getting him to move out. He complained of course, but continued to pay it.  

A couple of years later when I started my own business, my biggest client was also my most difficult. She was rude, arrogant and often left her staff in tears. She was a 5’ tall bully. I decided to charge her higher prices for it. I no longer offered small tweaks at no charge that were outside of her contract. I raised prices every year. I offered upsells whenever possible. I wanted to get every penny possible from her. My lizard brain told me that if I could maximize my income from her, it would be worth it. 

After she broke me down to tears, I realized it still wasn't worth it. 

Now instead of an “asshole tax” I have a velvet rope policy, AKA boundaries.

I have since established non-negotiables and will go out of my way to discover as many red flags up front as possible. Not every client will be a great fit, and that's OK. Not everyone gets into the club, and even fewer get into the VIP section.

The Red Velvet Rope Policy is about intentionally choosing who you let into your business, your time, and your energy. Instead of trying to work with everyone, you define who is a great fit and who is not, then you build boundaries that protect your work, your values, and your sanity. When you are clear about who you serve best, you attract better clients, avoid unnecessary friction, and create a business that feels sustainable rather than draining.

If you want to read more about The Red Velvet Rope Policy, pick up a copy of Book Yourself Solid for Creatives. It is one of the first foundations they discuss to build your business on. Even if your business is more analytical than creative, it can be applied to any role that is a decision maker or client facing. 

Working with bullies is just too expensive. 

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