Sneaky Red Flags, Headshots & Happy Hour
We hear about red flags all the time when it comes to romantic relationships, but it's also super important to be aware of subtle (and not-so-subtle) red flags that come up in a business context. Whether you’re a consultant on the hunt for your next project, a small business making an important hire, or a freelancer navigating multiple client and partner relationships, here are some sneaky red flags to be on the lookout for. 👀
🚩 They're bad communicators. (But they're nice about it.)
They let important emails and Slack messages go unanswered, they ask questions that make it clear they haven't read anything you've sent them, and they miss deadlines or meetings. But they're, like, super nice about it. Working with someone who genuinely seems like a great person who's just a bit spacy can be disarming – hence why it's on this list. You may actually want to be pals with this person, but almost inevitably there will come a point when something important falls through the cracks (oh look, it's sitting unread in their inbox) and that spacy energy turns toxic.
🚩 They brush off your concerns.
If you go to your main contact with specific concerns about a project that you'd like to discuss and they continuously brush you off or say things like, "Oh, we'll figure it out, it will be fine!" - RUN. Chances are they aren't doing it maliciously, but it's a sign that they aren't showing up fully as a partner and they aren't taking the work as seriously as you do.
🚩 They don't vet you thoroughly. (This one is probably most relevant for consultants and freelancers.)
It might sound like the easiest sale ever if someone hires you without asking many questions, right? After all, youknow you're great at what you do. But a client not asking enough questions might be a signal that they don't know what to ask (and, as a result might not really know what they want or need). And that can lead to confusion, frustration, and scope creep. (Laura may or may not have learned this one the hard way recently.)
The good news? Most of these red flags show up very early in the relationship (usually before a contract has even been signed). It can be tempting to ignore them, especially if it's a project or client you're really excited about. But in our experience, we've never regretted saying no to a red flag-filled project and we've always regretted saying yes.
What sneaky red flags are we missing? Reply to this email and let us know!
Plus, scroll down for a fun event we’re hosting in September and our latest restaurant and podcast recs.
🪢 Laura + Lauren
Things We Loved This Week
Laura’s Things
🐕 New tattoo inspo.
🇵🇹 This Portuguese restaurant with bangin' food and even better cocktails.
🤩 This house upstate that Lauren and I are trying to figure out how we can buy and turn into a WT/SB retreat center.
🐶 This accurate description of my relationship with Posey, Ralph, and Barney.
Lauren’s Things
♀ This podcast on the state of the uterus 2 years after Dobbs.
💀 The entire "unfortunately I was not selected for the Paris Olympics" meme with Suni Lee's perfect topper.
🍾 Bet.
🎶 Snoop Dogg does what? (I'm really going to miss Olympic content.)
