Six years into my agency, we landed what seemed like a dream project—an interactive entertainment website for a well-funded client. The budget was substantial—$300K—the project was exciting, and everything felt like a perfect fit.
Then, right before signing the contract, the client hit us with an unusual request: everyone on our team had to take a personality test. They claimed it was standard practice in “big agencies,” so we played along, assuming it was the norm and we were just too small to know.
But then, things got weird.
They rejected our art director—a client and team favorite —simply because his personality type didn’t match their project manager’s. They had never met him, never spoken to him, yet they insisted we assign someone else to his role on the project.
That should have been our cue to walk away. But instead, we caved… because, you know, allegedly, “the big agencies do it this way.”
What followed was eight months of chaos:
🚩 Constant scope changes (without additional payment).
🚩 Late assets that delayed our progress.
🚩 A demand to slash the project in half—from $300K to $150K.
🚩 Then, at month eight, a complete decision to cancel the project entirely.
Throughout those eight months, we had been collecting payments on autopay—$10K per month, totaling $80K. And now, suddenly, they wanted their money back.
Cue the cold sweat. I picked up the phone and called a lawyer for the first time in my life:
“What do I do now?”
The legal advice? “Avoid a fight.”
So, we negotiated a fair value for the work completed and returned the remaining balance: $52,375. I took a picture of the check so I would never forget the lessons.
Lessons Learned:
👉 Odd behavior at the start means odd behavior throughout. Personality tests are not “standard practice.” Don’t let a client convince you something is normal if it doesn’t sit right with you.
👉 As soon as there’s a dramatic scope change, pause the project, renegotiate, and re-contract. Don’t wait.
👉 Keep the money you collect in line with the work completed. If client delays slow you down, don’t let payments get too far ahead of progress.
👉 Don’t be afraid to contact a lawyer. They’re on your side and can help you avoid legal and emotional trauma. A small price to pay for peace of mind.
