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Day 109: Friends ≠ For Free
March 8, 2020 —I just got off a call with a former web design client and our conversation reminded me, for the millionth time, that every person on this planet has an agenda. And that agenda does not include my wellbeing.
Six months ago, I helped Patty (not her real name) move some website content over to Squarespace. She never went live and her account expired, so when I started getting frustrated emails like “Where is my content??” I just sighed. Here we go again.
I picked up the phone and dialed Patty’s number.
We did the usual How have you been? dance for a few minutes, then (surprisingly) went deeper. Her, having a non-cancerous brain tumor. Me, having arthritis. The struggles of running a business. The lack of resources for solopreneurs…and so on.
It felt like an actual human connection.
And then money came up.
I offered to help launch the site for a measly $600. “Oh, that’s not in my budget,” she said. “What if you just spend a couple of hours with me on the phone and show me how to do Squarespace myself?”
…the implication being that our ten-minute phone conversation somehow entitled her to free services, compliments of yours truly.
