Podcasts about Scope creep

This week on Swimming with Allocators, Earnest and Alexa welcome David Clark, CIO at Vencap, who unpacks the realities of venture capital, emphasizing a data-driven approach to understanding returns, the persistent and intensifying “power law” in VC, and why only a small percentage of funds and companies drive outsized results. The discussion covers the challenges of evaluating new managers versus established firms, the nuances of secondary investments, and the critical importance of consistent, top-tier fund performance. Listeners will gain insight into the pitfalls of confirmation bias, the difficulties facing retail investors, and why strategy, transparency, and adaptability are key for long-term VC success. Also don't miss Rebecca Stuart of Sidley as she explains how unprecedented AI-focused acqui-hires function as talent raids that can bypass standard change-of-control protections. She also outlines legal and structural strategies VCs and startups can use like broadened definitions of change of control, retention and vesting design, and coordinated employment/comp practices, to better protect portfolios and key teams. Highlights from this week's conversation include: Welcoming David to the Show and Previewing Today's Episode (0:18) David's Shift From Traditional LP Diligence to Data-Driven Investing (2:48)   How Long Feedback Loops and Unknown Unknowns Shape Venture Outcomes (5:16)   Confirmation Bias, Narratives, and Doing Pre-Meeting Homework on Managers (6:55)   Pattern Recognition and What World-Class Founders Look Like (8:49)   Using Power Laws and Top 1% Companies as the Core LP Filter (10:40)   Why Singles and Doubles Rarely Add Up to Great Venture Funds (13:46)   AI Acqui-Hires, Talent Raids, and Risks to VC Portfolios (17:20)   Deal Structures That Avoid Change of Control and LP Protections (19:04)   Retention Tools, Forfeiture for Competition, and Staggered Vesting Cliffs (20:53)   Democratization of VC, 401(k) Investors, and the Risk of Disappointment (25:22)   Emerging Managers and the Myth of the Middle Class in Venture (30:58)   Venture Secondaries, Premium Pricing, and Why Discounts Can Be Misleading (36:04)   Scope Creep, Platform Expansion, and When LPs Disengage From Big Firms (42:06)   VenCap is one of the longest-running dedicated venture capital fund-of-funds globally, investing in many of the world's leading VC firms for over three decades. The firm's strategy emphasizes long-term consistency, deep relationship networks, and concentrated exposure to top-tier venture capital companies across cycles. Sidley Austin LLP is a premier global law firm with a dedicated Venture Funds practice, advising top venture capital firms, institutional investors, and private equity sponsors on fund formation, investment structuring, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise across private markets, Sidley provides strategic legal counsel to help funds scale effectively. Learn more at sidley.com. Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies.  The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever finish a job, see solid revenue, and still wonder where the profit went?In this episode, we break down how painting contractors lose margin during production, even when the estimate “felt right.” From prep work that quietly expands (patch turns into skim) to the classic “while you're here” requests that bleed hours, the real problem is rarely effort. It's the lack of a system you can trust.Jesse Teron and Josh Eldridge walk through a practical approach to job costing that starts before the job begins. You will learn how to forecast profit to the dollar, set budgeted hours your crew can actually execute, and build production rates based on an average painter so your top performers can beat the budget and earn more.We also hit the leadership side: how to hold firm when subs ask for more money mid-job, how to stop doing extra work for free, and how detailed proposals and clear exclusions protect you from scope creep.Inside this episode:Why “trusting profit” is really about knowing your numbersHow to move from job costing in arrears to forecasting materials and labor up frontProduction rate examples (hardy board, fascia, second-level work adjustments)How to communicate budgeted hours and deadlines to your crew without dramaThe breakdown that makes it easier to say no to mid-job price changesA simple boundary system for change orders so you stop donating laborIf you want cleaner margins, fewer surprises, and a business that scales without chaos, this is the playbook.Submit your question for a future episode at paintergrowth.com.

If you're constantly doing “just one more thing” for free, it's not about client service, it's a boundary issue.In this episode of the Interior Design Business Podcast, I'm breaking down how scope creep sneaks into your projects and steals your time, profits, and peace of mind. From color consults and last-minute requests to Wayfair screenshots and patio meetings, we're calling it what it is: unpaid work.You'll learn why scope creep happens, how to recognize it early, and what to say to stop it in its tracks, kindly, clearly, and confidently.In this episode, I cover:Real examples of scope creep and how they sabotage your businessWhy people-pleasing turns into resentment and burnoutHow to write LOAs that protect your time and valueScripts for responding to “by the way” requestsThe role of mindset and self-worth in boundary settingHow scope creep can turn into extra income with the right systemsShow notes are available at interiordesignbusinessacademy.comFollow us on Facebook: facebook.com/InteriorDesignBusinessAcademyFollow us on Instagram: instagram.com/interiordesignbusinessacademy

Roger Knecht and Michelle Weinstein discuss how accounting professionals can overcome undercharging, set firm boundaries, and increase revenue. Learn strategies to value your expertise and implement sales processes for a thriving accounting firm. In This Episode: 00:00 Introduction to Michelle Weinstein 01:10 Michelle's Career Journey & Lessons 06:05 The Birth of The Abundant Accountant 09:50 Stop Undercharging and Valuing Services 12:33 Engagement Letters and Scope Creep 17:51 Establishing Boundaries for Your Firm 23:15 Payment Methods and Avoiding Receivables 30:03 Overcoming the Fear of Raising Prices 36:41 Valuing Expertise and Practical Advice 41:13 Key Takeaways and Closing Thoughts Key Takeaways: Define clear boundaries to prevent scope creep and protect your valuable time and knowledge. Implement a structured sales process to properly qualify clients and get paid premium prices. Understand and communicate your worth to confidently raise fees and attract high-value clients. Utilize engagement letters to outline included and excluded services, facilitating future upsell discussions. Shift from hourly billing to recurring or value-based payments to eliminate accounts receivable issues. Featured Quotes: "If you can't sell and you can't enroll, and you can't help people see your value, then what is all of that technical knowledge really worth?" — Michelle Weinstein "We have to eradicate the under-earning and being appreciated disease in this industry." — Michelle Weinstein "Your inventory is what's in your head. It's your most valuable asset and we have to protect that." — Michelle Weinstein Conclusion: Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here. Sponsors: Universal Accounting Center Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.   Offers: Get a free strategy session with Michelle. Register here: https://theabundantaccountant.com/theabundantcall/   Get a FREE copy of these books all accounting professionals should use to work on their business and become profitable.  These are a must-have addition to every accountant's library to provide quality CFO & Advisory services as a Profit & Growth Expert today: "Red to BLACK in 30 days – A small business accountant's guide to QUICK turnarounds" – This is a how-to guide on how to turn around a struggling business into a more sustainable model. Each chapter focuses on a crucial aspect of the turnaround process - from cash flow management to strategies for improving revenue. This book will teach you everything you need to become a turnaround expert for small businesses. "in the BLACK, nine principles to make your business profitable" – Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable – Discover what you need to know to run the premier accounting firm and get paid what you are worth in this book, by the same author as Red to Black – CPA Allen B. Bostrom. Bostrom teaches the three major functions of business (marketing, production and accounting) as well as strategies for maximizing profitability for your clients by creating actionable plans to implement the nine principles. "Your Strategic Accountant" - Understand the 3 Core Accounting Services (CAS - Client Accounting Services) you should offer as you run your business. Help your clients understand which numbers they need to know to make more informed business decisions. "Your Profit & Growth Expert" - Your business is an asset. You should know its value and understand how to maximize it. Beginning with the end in mind helps you work ON your business to build a company you can leave so that it can continue to exist in your absence or build wealth as you retire and enjoy the time, freedom, and life you want and deserve. Follow the Turnkey Business plan for accounting professionals.  This is the proven process to start and build the premier accounting firm in your area.  After more than 40 years we've identified the best practices of successful accountants and this is a presentation we are happy to share.     Also learn the best practices to automate and nurture your lead generation process allowing you to get the bookkeeping, accounting and tax clients you deserve.  GO HERE to see this presentation and learn what you can do today to identify and engage with your ideal clients.   Check it out and see what you can do to be in business for yourself but not by yourself with Universal Accounting Center.   It's here you can become a:   Professional Bookkeeper, PB Professional Tax Preparer, PTP Profit & Growth Expert, PGE   Next, join a group of like-minded professionals within the accounting community.  Register to attend GrowCon and Stay up-to-date on current topics and trends and see what you can do to also give back, participating in relevant conversations as they relate to offering quality accounting services and building your bookkeeping, accounting & tax business.   The Accounting & Bookkeeping Tips Facebook Group The Universal Accounting Fanpage Topical Newsletters: Universal Accounting Success The Universal Newsletter   Lastly, get your Business Score to see what you can do to work ON your business and have the Premier Accounting Firm. Join over 70,000 business owners and get your score on the 8 Factors That Drive Your Company's Value.   For Additional FREE Resources for accounting professionals check out this collection HERE!   Be sure to join us for GrowCon, the LIVE event for accounting professionals to work ON their business. This is a conference you don't want to miss.   Remember this, Accounting Success IS Universal. Listen to our next episode and be sure to subscribe.   Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have.  We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback   For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your accounting, bookkeeping & tax business please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 8012653777  

By Michael Iiams - In the Church of God we are all well aware of the reasons we don't celebrate Christmas, but what about the New Year on January 1? Turns out, not only is this not based on God's calendar, but is rooted in paganism as well. God makes it abundantly clear what He thinks about incorporating pagan worship

Scope creep doesn't arrive with a siren; it shows up as “just one more” request and quietly doubles your workload. In this episode, I break down a practical, humane way to protect your timeline and still make room for good ideas—so you ship value now and again soon, without burnout.We start by drawing clean edges around the work: a one‑page scope brief, an explicit out‑of‑scope list, and a shared definition of done. From there, we name one final approver to end circular edits, set a simple change path, and design feedback rounds that serve the build instead of stalling it. Then we move into team dynamics. You'll hear how to build a working alliance with your SME—align on behavior‑based outcomes, co‑create a must‑keep vs nice‑to‑have list, agree on response norms, and use a one‑page feedback guide to keep comments focused at the right stage.You'll leave with ready‑to‑use scripts for out‑of‑scope requests, late feedback, and conflicting SME guidance; a checklist of common pitfalls to dodge; and a steady cadence to deliver learning products on time without gold plating. If this helped you tame scope creep, subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a thoughtful review so more designers can find it.

Game Design Constraints and Scope CreepToday, we're diving into two little words that have the power to either catapult your project forward… or completely derail it. Those words? Constraints and scope creep. Maybe you've heard them thrown around in design meetings. Maybe you've bumped into them the hard way on your own projects. Either way, by the end of this episode, you'll see why understanding these two forces—and learning to wield them wisely—is absolutely essential to your success as a designer.Let's start with a quick scene. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing.Subscribing is absolutely free and ensures that you'll get the next episode of Experience Points delivered directly to you.I'd also love it if you took some time to rate the show!I live to lift others with learning.  So, if you found this episode useful, consider sharing it with someone who could benefit.Also make sure to visit University XP online at www.universityxp.comUniversity XP is also on Twitter @University_XP and on Facebook and LinkedIn as University XPAlso, feel free to email me anytime at dave@universityxp.comGame on!Get the full transcript and references for this episode here: https://www.universityxp.com/podcast/151 Support the show

Are you struggling with clients who ask for too much and want constant changes?  In this episode, we're diving into the challenges of handling clients' change requests and the importance of setting clear boundaries. I'll share my experiences, explain why clients make such demands, and offer practical advice on how to guide clients effectively.  Learn how to: - communicate expectations about changes, - establish guidelines in your contracts and interactions to maintain control over projects, and  - ultimately, reduce everyone's stress! 00:27 The Challenge of Client Requests 01:00 Personal Experiences with Client Demands 02:32 Understanding Client Behavior 03:41 Setting Boundaries and Expectations 05:17 Importance of Clear Communication 06:50 Real-Life Client Stories 09:47 Mapping Out Processes   RESOURCES

Every marketer has lived through a project that started smoothly and ended sideways.In this episode, co-hosts Jack Ferguson and Ben Reeves discuss scope creep. They share war stories, practical scoping habits, and mindsets that keep you sane when a client says, “Can we just add one more thing?”If you deal with unclear briefs, have underquoted projects before, or work with clients who expect magical turnarounds, this one's for you.On this episode:Jack shares how instant quotes backfire when clients haven't done discoveryBen shares a story of a national retailer who cut retainers from 100 hours to 30, and what broke firstHow Ben dealt with a client who ignored hours, then blamed outputJack shares a story of a prospect who wanted a full brand refresh price “on the spot”Why marketers should document everything, even internal emails and sign-offsHow to protect your boundaries without sounding defensive         And Why sometimes letting a client learn the hard way is the most strategic move you can makeYour co-hosts:- Jack Ferguson is an evidence based brand strategist- Ben Reeves is an experienced ecommerce strategistHelpful Links:Find Jack on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackfergusonmymm/Find Ben on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benreevesco/Follow The Push on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thepushFollow The Push on TikTok here: thepushmedialab (@thepushmedialab) | TikTokFollow The Push on Instagram here: InstagramVisit The Push website here: For Senior Marketers...By Senior Marketers | The PushVisit Jack's personal website here: Evidence-Based Brand Strategy & Marketing Consulting | Jack Ferguson

Executives are increasingly optimistic about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform their organizations, with 87% believing it will fundamentally change their business within a year. However, a significant gap exists between this optimism and the readiness of their workforce, as only 29% of executives feel their teams possess the necessary skills to effectively leverage AI technology. This disconnect is compounded by foundational issues in technology infrastructure, which over half of the surveyed executives cite as barriers to innovation. For Managed Service Providers (MSPs), this presents both a challenge and an opportunity to guide clients through complex AI transformations.A report from Movila indicates that 59% of MSPs are grappling with project management scope creep, which has risen from 46% in 2024. This increase is attributed to inaccurate project timelines and low process maturity, which are critical factors affecting profitability. Movila's CEO emphasizes the importance of accurate timelines in maintaining project profitability, suggesting that structured project management processes are essential for improving efficiency and client outcomes. The findings highlight the need for MSPs to address their internal project management challenges before assisting clients with AI initiatives.The episode also discusses the impact of the ongoing federal shutdown on government IT operations, which has led to workforce furloughs and hindered modernization efforts. Additionally, a study reveals a stark divide in AI adoption between executives and employees, with 87% of executives using AI compared to only 27% of employees. This disparity has created tensions in the workplace, particularly in companies where leadership promotes AI integration while employees express concerns about its reliability and job security.For MSPs and IT service leaders, the key takeaway is the necessity of focusing on execution and discipline rather than merely adopting new technologies. As the market for AI continues to grow, MSPs should prioritize training and process improvement to ensure their teams and clients are prepared for AI integration. By addressing foundational issues and fostering a culture of readiness, MSPs can position themselves as valuable partners in navigating the complexities of AI adoption.Four things to know today00:00 The Readiness Gap: When AI Ambitions and MSP Project Discipline Don't Match Reality03:46 Reality Check: From Shutdowns to AI Gaps, Tech's Biggest Problem Isn't Tools—It's Readiness07:13 Contrarian Wisdom: When Saying “No” to AI and “Goodbye” to VMware Becomes a Winning Strategy09:53 Waste, Profit, and AI Decay: Rethinking Technology's Broken Business Models Before They Collapse This is the Business of Tech.    Supported by:  https://cometbackup.com/?utm_source=mspradio&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sponsorshiphttps://scalepad.com/dave/

Welcome to The Trade Talks Live, where we celebrate the blue-collar trades and everything they stand for! Join us every weekday from 10-11 AM as we dive into national news, review trade websites, and share tips on mindset growth to help you succeed. Don't miss this hour of insights, inspiration, and practical advice! A big thank you to Leak-Pro for sponsoring this episode of The Trade Talks Live! Register for my FREE webinar! www.justmetroger.com LeakPro provides state-of-the-art leak detection solutions specifically designed for plumbers, helping professionals pinpoint hidden leaks with accuracy and efficiency. By utilizing advanced acoustic technology and digital sensors, LeakPro allows plumbers to reduce unnecessary damage, saving time and money on every job. LeakPro's tools are essential for detecting slab leaks, pipe leaks, and irrigation system failures without invasive measures. Whether working in residential or commercial plumbing, LeakPro offers cutting-edge solutions that enhance service quality. For more information, visit www.leak-pro.com or call 1-888-853-2577. Tradesmen built America. This is the "Blue Collar Channel"... Where you can listen to the top tradespeople around the world. Everything you need to learn about getting into the trades, becoming the best tradesman, starting your own business, and using networking and social media... To GROW in the trades!!!

Send us a textIt's the conversation every sales professional avoids, but the one you desperately need to hear. This week on "The Selling Podcast," Mike and Scott pull no punches on a critical question: when is it time to fire a client? They reveal that holding on to a bad customer can be more damaging than letting them go, costing you not just revenue, but your time, your team's morale, and your business's future.In this episode, we break down 12 unmistakable red flags that signal a toxic relationship. We're not talking about minor annoyances; we're talking about a client who:Costs more than they make, draining your support and time.Constantly disrespects you or your team, making every interaction a source of dread.Demands unrealistic expectations and causes endless scope creep without paying for it.Chronically pays late, wreaking havoc on your cash flow.Mike and Scott provide a simple but powerful rule of thumb: if a client consistently ticks three or more of these boxes, they are a bad fit. This episode is your playbook for identifying unprofitable relationships and having the confidence to cut them loose, freeing up your pipeline for better, more aligned opportunities.Support the showScott SchlofmanMike Williams - Cell 801-635-7773 #sales #podcast #customerfirst #relationships #success #pipeline #funnel #sales success #selling #salescoach

In this episode, Mark talks with Ignition's Ethan Cooney, Accountants Daily's Tech Innovator of the Year. They explore how firms are navigating TASA's new disclosure rules, updating engagement letters, and addressing the risks of scope creep.  Ethan shares how successful practices are rescoping agreements, running annual renewals, packaging services with add-ons, and confidently adjusting fees. The discussion also highlights how firms can de-risk cashflow by securing payments upfront. It's a practical look at what leading firms are doing right now to stay compliant, strengthen margins, and deliver a better client experience. Ethan's contact details: Ethan Cooney  |  Senior Partnerships Manager practiceignition.com LinkedIn

Send Katie a Text Message!! Scope creep: two little words that can drain your profits, stretch your timeline, and zap your energy if left unchecked. But here's the twist—done right, scope creep can actually fuel your profit margins and strengthen client relationships.In this episode, I'm breaking down the sneaky ways scope creep shows up (and why it feels so personal). The #1 mindset shift that transforms extra client requests into profit opportunities. What to say in the moment when a client asks for just one more thing, and so much more!Check out the show notes and other resources athttps://successbydesign.coach/podcast/b/scope-creep-solutions-for-interior-designersThis podcast is brought to you in partnership with Leah Bryant Co.Connect with Katie LinkedInBusiness Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers Free Resources for scaling your interior design firmWebsite

Clients who can't decide, projects that grow beyond scope, and upholstery that's tough to sell without a sit test — sound familiar? In this Ask Rebecca episode, Rebecca Hay shares how she tackles these common design dilemmas. Learn how to: Guide indecisive clients toward confident decisions Sell upholstery without relying on retail showrooms Manage scope creep with clear agreements (and less stress) Get the behind-the-scenes strategies Rebecca uses in her own design firm so you can handle these challenges with more ease and confidence.   Episode Resources: Episode 294: Ask Rebecca: Interior Design Project Management, Client Red Flags & More   Download our Free Resources ➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script ➡️ Stay confident from beginning to end with my Consultation Checklist    ➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue   Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses ➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course ➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about the business blueprint for interior design firm owners. ➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

In this episode of Building Better Developers with AI, Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche revisit one of the most persistent challenges in software projects: scope creep. Using AI prompts, we revisit a past episode on “Mastering Scope Creep: Navigating the Hidden Challenges in Software Development.” In that discussion, we explored what scope creep is, why it happens, and how to prevent it from stalling projects, draining teams, and eroding trust. Today, we're building on that conversation with fresh insights and practical strategies. Listen to the full episode for more real-world stories and practical strategies to keep your projects on track. What Is Scope Creep? Scope creep occurs when requirements change after development begins—often without proper planning or agreement. Rob describes it as “moving the goalposts” for what “done” means. This differs from: Iteration – Evolving requirements after review and delivery. Agile flexibility – Adjusting before a sprint starts, not mid-execution. Uncontrolled changes shift the destination while you're already driving toward it. Scope Creep vs. Feature Creep Michael introduces feature creep—adding extra features—as a related but distinct problem. Feature creep bloats the product, while midstream requirement changes alter agreed-upon work. Both can waste time and resources, but shifting requirements often cause rework and missed deadlines. Why It Happens The hosts highlight common causes: Poorly defined requirements Lack of regular checkpoints Stakeholder indecision or shifting priorities Underestimating the impact of “small” changes Without a process to control evolving requirements, teams risk chasing ever-changing goals. The Impact of Unmanaged Scope Creep Burnout from Endless Adjustments When requirements keep shifting, tasks drag on for weeks instead of days, creating “death march” projects that drain morale. If the definition of done changes mid-task, close the ticket and open a new one. Damaged Trust in Estimates Developers see moving targets, clients see missed deadlines, and both lose faith in estimates and planning. Growing Technical Debt Repeated changes often necessitate quick fixes, making the system more challenging to maintain. Stories from the Trenches Rob recalls a four-week integration project that stretched to nine months due to unclear ownership of data mappings. Michael shares a modular app that was copied into six separate projects instead of being built for reuse. One small change multiplied into six updates—an expensive lesson in poor change control. How to Prevent Scope Creep Expansion Define “Done” Clearly – Every task needs explicit completion criteria. Set Regular Checkpoints – Confirm that requirements remain relevant throughout the project. Separate New Work – Treat changes as new tickets with new estimates. Clarify Ownership – Assign responsibility for every requirement and integration. Challenge “Quick” Changes – Always Assess the Real Impact. Key Takeaways Unmanaged scope creep—or any uncontrolled change—can sink a project. By defining requirements early, revisiting them often, and isolating new work from current work, teams can adapt without losing control. Managing changes well is the difference between a project that adapts and one that never ends. Your Scope Creep Challenge Think about the last project you worked on. Did requirements change midstream? Were there regular checkpoints to confirm priorities? How did those changes impact the timeline, quality, or team morale? This week, choose one active project and: Review its requirements with the team. Confirm whether they are still valid. If anything has changed, document it as a new item rather than altering the current work in progress. By doing this, you'll practice catching and managing evolving requirements before they cause unnecessary rework. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Sprint Planning – Setting The Scope A Positive Look At Scope Creep The Importance of Properly Defining Requirements Getting It Right: How Effective Requirements Gathering Leads to Successful Software Projects The Developer Journey Videos – With Bonus Content Building Better Developers With AI Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content

Points of Interest0:00 – 0:13 – Introduction: Marcel Petitpas introduces the importance of pricing in agency profitability, emphasizing that even great delivery and project management can't compensate for poor pricing strategy.1:00 – 1:39 – The Problem with Pricing Guesswork: Kristen Kelly explains that most agencies lack a formal pricing framework, often relying on gut feelings, competitor comparisons, or outdated rate cards.2:09 – 3:49 – “Vibe-Based” Pricing Explained: Marcel highlights how pricing decisions are frequently made without math or structure, leading to unclear expectations and poor profit outcomes.4:00 – 5:35 – Budget-First Pricing Pitfalls: Agencies that accept client budgets without recalibrating scope or checking for margin risk setting themselves up for failure from the outset.6:27 – 7:46 – Undercharging and Overdelivering: Many agencies underestimate the margin needed for true profitability, aiming too low and failing to account for overhead, unutilized time, and business costs.9:00 – 10:33 – Scope Creep and the $0 Change Order: Kristen and Marcel discuss strategies for managing out-of-scope requests, including the effective use of $0 change orders to maintain boundaries.11:43 – 14:20 – The Right Way to Factor in Overhead: Marcel breaks down how to incorporate overhead and indirect costs into pricing without overly complex calculations or flawed net profit heuristics.16:15 – 19:49 – Choosing the Right Pricing Model: Using the Agency Pricing Quadrant, the episode explores how risk and value should guide pricing models—ranging from hourly to value-based strategies.19:53 – 22:34 – Tracking Average Billable Rate (ABR): A simple but powerful metric, ABR helps agencies estimate delivery margin and benchmark performance across services and projects.22:56 – 25:09 – Overcoming Fear of Raising Prices: Kristen and Marcel debunk fears around increasing prices, offering strategies for timing and managing legacy client transitions.25:21 – 26:54 – Delivery Margin as a North Star: The key takeaway: aim for a 70% delivery margin when pricing services to ensure room for overhead, profit, and sustainable operations.Show NotesConnect with Kristen via LinkedInFree Agency ToolkitParakeeto Foundations CourseFree access to our Model PlatformPricing CalculatorPricing & Scoping EpisodePricing Model Quadrant

Believe it or not, I see so many designers flying without a net, which is what I call it when you work without a letter of agreement or with one that has absolutely no protection for you in it. A letter of agreement is just another word for a contract, but it sounds much friendlier. Most importantly, a letter of agreement will outline all stipulations, clauses, and information that you and your client need to set up a positive and professional project timeline. Your business needs to have a document that provides protection for your profits and peace of mind for you as the principal of the firm while at the same time providing clarity and confidence to your client. And even though this is so important, the legalese that most contracts are written in often makes both designers and clients uncomfortable and overwhelmed. My attorney-approved letter of agreement template is written in plain English and covers everything needed for protection from any snafus that may arise. And in today's episode, I will walk you through my process of creating the right letter of agreement that is not going to overwhelm you or your clients but will still provide all of the clarity, confidence, and cohesiveness needed for your next project. In this episode, you will hear: How to craft a thorough and protective letter of agreement in plain English that will be easy for you and your clients to navigate Which clauses to walk your clients through when reviewing your Letter of Agreement The importance of presentation and ease of information when crafting your letter Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love to welcome you to our creative community, if you haven't yet subscribed. We'd truly appreciate it if you drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and spreads the word about the podcast Supporting Resources: View my Letter of Agreement template - https://melissagalt.kartra.com/page/the-right-design-agreement  For more information about The Affluent Creative, check out my website www.melissagalt.com Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok @MelissaGalt Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.  Let them know we sent you.

AMA President Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, with this panel of AMA Advocacy Resource Center attorneys continues their conversation on how the AMA is working with national, state and specialty medical societies to address these key legislative priorities. How are the key issues of prior authorization, scope of practice, and physician wellness playing out? What themes are emerging and how are they different than those of previous years?       ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This week started with content batching. Batching is an optimizer's tool for ultra productivity. Every month, I create blogs, podcasts, and videos for Carfagno Cleaning and Solo Cleaning School. It takes a ton of time to do each week. I used batching in my cleaning business and in other areas of business over the years. When Teresa's mom was available to watch the kids overnight, we jumped on the opportunity and grabbed a hotel for the night. I got so much done as I batched blog after blog after blog. We also enjoyed time together, so it was a win-win. The following day, I rented an office from my MCBA friend Vernessa Hopkins. Vernessa owns H3 Business Services in Harleysville, PA. The office was perfect and I was able to record all of my podcasts for the upcoming month. My batching goal was to invest a few days and dollars to complete all of my content for a month. I accomplished that! Please keep this in mind. The portion of my batching that related to my solo cleaning business was a small part, so it may not be necessary for you to batch your content. However, you may start sending out newsletters a few times per month, maintain your website, and repurpose content to Facebook and Google My Business. Batching would be a great idea for you at that point.I've been tracking each of my offices from Saturday to Saturday, so I know how long they are taking. Plus, I've made changes to get faster. Over the weekend, I had a difficult email to send. One of these office cleaning clients took me longer because of paint speckles and glitter on the floor as well as increased kitchen areas. I knew I'd have to say something or scope creep would get me! [Before continuing, check out the bonus video, "How do I Deal with Scope Creep" on the Solo Cleaning School YouTube Channel. You'll learn how easy it is for your clients to unintentionally take advantage of you.]When the scope of work increases over time, it causes our cleaning times to increase. The great majority of cleaning companies will NOT raise the price as the scope changes so slowly they don't notice it. Not me! I recognized the potential Scope Creep setting in and knew I would have to send a difficult email. I used the sandwich technique with praise and gratitude in the open and close of the email. In the center, I laid out the areas where the scope has increased. Then I shared how this affects my company. "I clean five offices every Saturday right now. I'm in the process of adding more as well. So when one office starts taking me longer, it ends up costing me money. I'm sure you understand!" Then, I offered possible solutions which either forced them to take ownership and have the staff do more end-of-day cleaning or I would submit a new proposal with higher prices for the increased scope. I was nervous about the outcome as it was surely possible to lose the client, but I had to do this. It's my business and I must run it like one! Fortunately, they responded with consideration and we worked through the solutions together. Ultimately, they decided to take ownership for one portion. The other part, where they've added more kitchen appliances, we decided to alternate half-and-half each week. They gave a little and I didn't raise my prices. It also raised my image of trust and professionalism.Read the rest of this article at the Smart Cleaning School website

Points of Interest1:14 – 2:53 – Introduction: Marcel introduces Tiffany, who explains her firm's mission to help agencies use contracts as strategic tools rather than just legal formalities.3:06 – 4:08 – Why Contracts Get a Bad Rap: Many agencies view contracts purely as legal protection, missing their potential to strengthen client relationships and reduce future conflicts.4:38 – 6:02 – Misguided Legal Focus: Agencies often waste time on low-risk legal scenarios instead of focusing on practical issues that more commonly disrupt projects, like miscommunication.7:01 – 8:56 – Real Risks Are Operational: Most issues arise not from lawsuits, but from unclear responsibilities and client misunderstandings about what's required to get good results.9:02 – 11:07 – Contracts Should Reflect Reality: A "Goldilocks" contract—just right for the business context—is more effective than copying generic templates that don't fit the agency's operations.11:13 – 13:13 – Understand Common Failure Points: Agencies need to identify real-world issues (like IP problems or client-supplied content) and structure contracts to prevent and address them clearly.15:31 – 17:00 – Matching Pricing Models to Scope: Marcel introduces the Pricing Model Quadrant to explore how pricing (time-based, deliverables, outcomes) should guide how scope is documented.18:01 – 20:21 – Miscommunication in Scope Documents: Flexible contracts often fail when salespeople write scopes conversationally, leading to misinterpretation by delivery teams or clients.21:11 – 22:47 – Internal Clarity is Just as Vital: Clear scopes benefit internal teams too—so account and project managers can make aligned decisions without relying on secondhand info.23:00 – 24:49 – Scope Creep and Change Requests: Knowing the pricing model helps teams respond consistently to client requests—whether that means upselling time or renegotiating scope.26:27 – 29:30 – Trust Reduces Contracting Pain: Tiffany shares that as client trust grows, they move from demanding rigid scopes to preferring flexible, time-based arrangements, simplifying collaboration.Show NotesDevant WebsiteBook:Deal MakersEssential Contract Drafting Skills: A Practical GuideYouTubeEmail: tiffany.kemp@devant.co.ukLove the PodcastLeave us a review here.

In this episode, Chip and Gini delve into the topic of scope creep in agencies. They discuss the bell curve of profitability and the importance of setting clear expectations from the first client conversation. They highlight strategies like dividing projects into 90-day scopes to regularly reassess goals and deliverables. The duo emphasizes the significance of internal communication, developing a culture of transparency, and ensuring team members understand project scope and costs. They also stress the need to build flexibility and cushion into initial pricing to manage minor scope changes and avoid financial strain. Finally, they agree on mastering financial understanding and regular one-on-one meetings for smoother agency operation. Key takeaways Chip Griffin: “As agency leaders, we need to be thinking about scope from the very first conversation that we’re having with a prospect.” Gini Dietrich: “Scope creep comes into play when we don’t price projects based on actual numbers.” Chip Griffin: “Scope creep tends to happen because you’re not communicating well with the client, but just as importantly, you’re not communicating well with your own team.” Gini Dietrich: “When your team is involved from the beginning versus after the contract was signed, scope creep will become less of an issue.” Resources How to stop scope creep before it starts Related How agency owners can avoid scope creep (featuring Steve Guberman) Hidden overservicing by agency employees How agencies can avoid scope creep with client projects (featuring Ben Aston) View Transcript The following is a computer-generated transcript. Please listen to the audio to confirm accuracy.Chip Griffin: Hello and welcome to another episode of the Agency Leadership Podcast. I’m Chip Griffin. Gini Dietrich: I am Gini Dietrich. Chip Griffin: And Gini, you know, I think we should expand the scope of this podcast. I think we should start covering economic issues and engineering, and I don’t know, while we’re at it, why don’t we do the arts? Gini Dietrich: Let’s do some politics. I, I’d like to do some politics. Chip Griffin: Oh, definitely politics. Yeah. Yeah. I think that would be smart. I think that’s really smart. A good expansion of the scope of this. Gini Dietrich: Absolutely. Yes. Chip Griffin: But, but we’re still gonna do it in, in just about 20 minutes a week. We’ll choose the topic, we’ll pay ourselves exactly the same amount. Gini Dietrich: Yes, absolutely. I, I’m okay with that. Chip Griffin: Okay, Gini Dietrich: cool. Let’s do it. Cool. Chip Griffin: Well, so that obviously is a joke. We’re not doing any of those things. Gini Dietrich: No. Chip Griffin: Although it might make it easier to come up with topics ’cause some weeks we struggle to figure out what to talk about and if we were covering everything, or maybe that would make it even harder. Gini Dietrich: Although we could just record our pre-conversation and be done with it. Chip Griffin: Yeah, we’d probably get in a lot of trouble though, so let’s, let’s not do that. Okay. Can we, can we just agree we’re not. Gini Dietrich: I’d have to tone down my swearing too. Chip Griffin: We’re not hitting record before we hit record, so that … not serving any purposes at all. Gini Dietrich: Nope, I agree. No, not good. Chip Griffin: Alright, well how about we talk about scope creep when it comes to agencies rather than this podcast. Gini Dietrich: I like it. I like it. And you just did a webinar on this, so tell us all. Chip Griffin: Yeah, I mean, look, it, scope creep is, is something that I think just about every agency experiences at one point or another. I think I’ve talked in the past about my theory of the, the bell curve of profitability for agency clients where you tend to be less profitable in the beginning because you’re getting up to speed and then you start to figure it out and you get efficient and you don’t have to ask so many questions to get things done well. And then over time, that’s when the scope creep comes in and starts driving down your profitability. And, and I think that part of the problem is that as agency leaders, we need to be thinking about scope from the very first conversation that we’re having with a prospect. And so many of the problems that we talk about on this show go back to the first conversation with an employee or a client or something like that. And so we need to set the expectations correctly from the very beginning because if we don’t, we have no hope of staying within scope over time. But then we also have to set the expectations correctly in the actual documents we’re signing. Gini Dietrich: Right. Chip Griffin: So it’s a balancing act because you don’t want to be so specific in the agreement that you’re, you’re constraining yourself from being able to be creative or you’re forcing yourself to do certain things or meet certain objectives that six months later will no longer make any sense. So you got to have some flexibility in there. At the same time, you’ve got to put guardrails in. Gini Dietrich: Absolutely. Chip Griffin: And you develop these by learning from your past engagements. If you do that, then you can set up the protections that you need in order to be able to have reasonable or rational conversations with your clients when scope creep occurs. Gini Dietrich: And I think we’ve had this conversation before too, in that we tend to build our scope before we really get into the client’s business. Especially when it’s a brand new client right. After you, if you, you’re doing scope after a year or something, it’s a little bit easier, but when it’s with a, with a brand new client, you just don’t know. You don’t know what their culture is like. You don’t know what access you’re gonna have. And we, we have a list of things like you have to give us access to analytics and the CRM and you know, blah, blah, blah. All your marketing automation, all the kinds of stuff, right? And we tend to add to that list based on what we’ve learned from other clients. But even still, you still don’t know exactly what you’re getting into. And so building a scope of work for an entire year, like I think most of us do, is really challenging. So one of the things that we started to do is say, okay, for the first 90 days this is what we’re going to do. We got to set you up. We’re got to do systems all like all this stuff. We’re gonna get some results. These are kind the, these are the tangible deliverables you’ll get in the first 90 days. After that, we’re gonna take a look at things and say, okay, what are the objectives? Where are our benchmarks? What were we able to accomplish in the first 90 days? And move from there. And we do that every quarter. So we’re really only writing a scope for, for three months at a time. It’s a pain in the butt from a paperwork standpoint. But it prevents the scope creep because we’re able to have that quarterly conversation to say, this worked, this didn’t, we still need this. We weren’t able to get that. Like, these are the kinds of things that we need to be able to do to move this, the your business forward and it, and it’s less confrontational, so you don’t have to call and say, so we’re running out of hours. Like, you just, you don’t have to have that conversation because you’re, it’s a consistent, ongoing thing that’s part of the work that you’re doing with your clients. Chip Griffin: Yeah. And, and communication like that is absolutely critical to staying within scope. And it’s the, the communications breakdowns happen at multiple levels, for sure in the worst cases of scope creep. And it, it tends to be because you’re not communicating well with the client, but just as importantly, you’re not communicating well with your own team. Yep. Far too often, the actual employees who are responsible for the day-to-day work have no idea what the scope is that you’ve committed to. Gini Dietrich: Right. Chip Griffin: And they need to know that. Gini Dietrich: They need to know. Yes. Chip Griffin: Because are, are they, are they still likely to veer outside of scope on occasion to, to keep a client happy? Yep. A hundred percent. Yep. I mean, we, we just have to accept that, that that employees are in a difficult spot. And I know that in the past when I was a junior agency employee and I had the client asking for one thing and a boss telling me that I, I, you know, had to stay within a certain parameter of hours or scope or whatever. I was between a rock and a hard place, right? Because I knew someone was going to yell at me. Yep. And so. The instinct is to try to find some way through, which usually ends up in at least some degree of overservicing. So that will still happen. But what you’ve got to do is you’ve got to make sure that they know that they’re overservicing, because that will curb it to some degree or another. And when you hide things from your team, they don’t have the information that they need, the awareness that they need in order to help you make better decisions. Gini Dietrich: I remember, this was a long time ago, but you know, in the early days of my agency, I remember an employee pulling me aside and saying, it’s great that you’re going to these new business meetings and you are, you know, writing the proposals and you’re saving us from all of that work. But once we transition to doing the work, like we don’t, we don’t have the same knowledge that you have. And so the clients are getting frustrated. We’re getting frustrated. And I was like, oh. And in my mind, I really was saving them from all that like, it’s administrative tedious work. Right. But what it was in, when in fact, and sure, it’s, it’s still tedious and they didn’t enjoy the actual proposal writing and stuff like that, but because they were, they began to become, become involved from the beginning. They understood what it is that we’ve promised, what we’ve said that we can do, and, and, and to what extent that costs. Right. So it became, that became less of an issue too when I involved them from the beginning versus after the contract was signed. Chip Griffin: Yeah. And you have to make sure that you’re creating a culture that they will share with you when the client is asking for things. Gini Dietrich: Yep. Chip Griffin: They’re out of scope, even if they may agree to it in the moment because it only takes five minutes. They still need to keep you in the loop. And if you are not getting the awareness yourself as the leader for what kind of scope creep was going on, you can’t make a rational decision that’s right about how much to allow. Because I’m not gonna tell you, you shouldn’t allow any scope creep. Because if every time the client asks for something out of scope, you call ’em up and say, we’re not doing this, or you have to pay more, or something like that. Right? You are going to destroy that relationship. Yes, absolutely. Yes. So you cannot be that kind of of agency. You need to accept that there is going to be some and and, but you need to be aware of it. You need to deal with it sooner rather than later when you’ve crossed that line of into something where it is too much. Because if you don’t call it out when it’s happening, if you don’t deal with it when it’s small, it becomes really hard to deal with once you’ve got a huge accumulation of it that’s built over 6, 9, 12 months or more. And so you’ve got to be in a position where you’re just addressing it as soon as you possibly can so that you can get things back on track. Gini Dietrich: Yeah, I mean, a really good example of that that just literally just happened here is a client asked three of my team members to be at their onsite in June for three days, you know, with travel and all that. And I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We’re not budgeted for that. Like, we’re not scoped for that at all. We, there’s no travel, there’s no in person anything. And that’s expensive. It’s really expensive to have three people in one place for three days. Yep. So, you know, luckily I, I think I’ve created a culture that it did come up and I was like, okay, great that they want you there, but we’ve got to get a new scope of work or add on to, do an addendum to our, to our contract because that we just, if, if we take that out of our current budget, we can’t do the work. And like my team, I didn’t even realize it, it was just part of the conversation that we’re having as a, as a team update. And they were like, oh. So you like to, to your point, you have to build a culture that people are comfortable sharing that with you and saying, you know, the, this, the client’s really excited to have us there. How do we make that happen? Yeah. It’s like new scope of work, friends. Chip Griffin: Right? And, and at the same time, in order to deal with sort of the, the less expensive scope creep that can occur, you know, so that you’re not making your client feel nickeled and dimed, you’ve got to build that into your original pricing. Gini Dietrich: Yes. Chip Griffin: And so too often just to win the business, I’ve seen agencies kind of whittle that pricing down to the bare minimum just to, to give what’s being asked for. But you have to assume that there’s going to be out of scope requests because I don’t think I’ve ever had an engagement as an agency where the client didn’t ask for at least a little something out of scope. And we have to stop putting ourselves in this position where we think that the client is doing it for nefarious purposes. They’re trying to get something for nothing. No, frankly, most of the time the person we’re dealing with on the client side doesn’t even know what was agreed to themselves in the beginning. So they may be completely clueless and, and oftentimes my experience has been when you tell them, oh, that’s not within scope of it, oh, I had no idea. I’m sorry I didn’t, I didn’t mean to ask you to do something that, right. I thought it was quick and easy and was in scope and was fine. But, but make sure that you’re building some sort of a cushion into your price so that you can allow those little things. Sort of like if you’re renovating your house or something like that, you want to build in a cushion so that when you want to move an outlet or something, you move the damn outlet. Right. And you don’t have to worry about, oh my God, that’s gonna be another 500 bucks to do that. Just plan ahead that these things are going to happen and you’ll be in a much better position to figure out what’s the real scope creep, like travel expenses that you need to deal with. Because anytime it’s an out-of-pocket scope creep, that’s a real, it’s real. There’s a difference between a little extra time, which is bad. Yes. But direct out of pocket expenses, that’s much worse. Gini Dietrich: Not happening. Not happening. Not happening. You said something moving an outlet. Shoot. I lost it. Chip Griffin: I just distracted you by taking it off topic. Gini Dietrich: It’ll come back to me. Chip Griffin: Well, fortunately, you know, we’ve, we’ve, we’ve built in a little cushion here in time, so we’ve got little bit of time that we can, where we can back to it. When it, when, when it, it re registers in your mind. You know, I think the other thing that we have to do is we have to create a culture of trust with the client so that they are open to us coming to them with these conversations. And so some of that’s on the personal level. Some, you know, that that means that, that as, as agency leaders and owners, we need to make sure we’re maintaining relationship with the client even as we’re having other people run the day to day piece of it. Because generally speaking, when it comes to something like scope creep, that almost always ends up being a more senior conversation at some point. If you don’t nip it immediately by the person on the other end saying, oh, I didn’t realize it was in scope, let’s just forget about it. Let’s move on. When they, when it’s something they really want or and or need and want to push forward, it’s probably gonna be more senior conversation. So you want to make sure that you’ve established that relationship of trust. But part of that too comes in those early expectations. And, and one of the things that, that I have always said to my clients, in consulting engagements of any kind is, look, you know, here’s the price that we’re agreeing on. But if at any point I feel like it’s not working for me, or you feel like it’s not working for you, let’s come to each other and we’ll figure out what to do. Do we need to adjust scope? Do we need to adjust price? But I like to set that expectation before anything is signed. And frankly, it’s another reason why I don’t like true ironclad long-term contracts, because frankly, I want the flexibility on my side. Gini Dietrich: Absolutely. Yeah. Chip Griffin: To go back and renegotiate when necessary. Yep. And, and I would rather that flexibility than the misguided unquote certainty of a long-term contract. Gini Dietrich: Yeah. I totally agree with you. What were some of the questions and topics that came up during the webinar that you just did? Chip Griffin: So, I mean, the questions are, are typically around the logistics of this, right? Mm-hmm. You know, how do I, how do I specifically have this conversation? How do I increase the, the price on someone who’s, you know, really budget sensitive even when I know that what they’re asking for is something that we ought to do. And I think these are things that, that we’ve touched on a lot in the past, particularly when it comes to raising prices on existing clients, right? Because that’s, that’s the guide that I look to when it, it comes to scope creep. You, you have basically two choices. You can swap something out and so we don’t do this, but we do what you’ve just asked for instead. Yep. So we, we, you know, it’s a net wash on, on the actual cost. Or we are gonna have to charge you more. But that’s because you see as the client, the additional value coming to you in exchange for whatever additional pay that you’re getting. I, I think that we, we can’t be in a position where we think about scope creep solely in terms of we need to charge you more for this. Frankly, more often than not we can just, you know, rearrange what we’re already doing for a client. Absolutely. Particularly if it’s scope creep that’s happening over time. Because chances are, if it’s come into the relationship a year or two down the road, there’s something that we were doing originally that we’re still doing. We could probably just shed that and it would, you know, come out in the wash. Yeah. So, you know, I, a lot of the questions really come down to those logistics of how do you actually have those conversations? How do you figure out how to price it? Those sorts of things. Gini Dietrich: Yeah. One of my favorite things, approaches is, yeah, yeah, absolutely. We can do this. We’ve been doing this, this, and this. What, what do you want to replace it with? I think we could probably replace it with this and just make a recommendation. And sometimes the client will say, no, I want to keep doing that. What will it cost to add that on? And other times they’re like, yeah, I, let’s take your recommendation and replace it. So it’s not technically scope creep because you’re just, you’re moving, to your point, you’re moving things around. Chip Griffin: Right. And, and we also shouldn’t assume that the answer is going to be no. Gini Dietrich: Right? Chip Griffin: Because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve assumed that, that if I say this is, this will cost this extra, someone will say, uh, no, I’m gonna, I’m gonna pass on that. The reality is that, that people say yes to these upcharges all the time. Yep. In some of the photography that I do on the side, I’ve been shocked at that. The people who will pay exorbitant travel fees for me on what is a relatively low cost project to begin with. In some cases, you know, the travel cost may double the total cost of the engagement, and they’re like, oh, that’s fine. I’m like, okay, Gini Dietrich: okay, Chip Griffin: okay. I mean, I figured it was gonna scare you away and I wouldn’t have to do this cruddy thing that I wasn’t interested in, but apparently not. Gini Dietrich: Okay. You know what’s interesting about the last few episodes we’ve done is much of the things that we’re talking about really come down to understanding your financials and getting that straight. And I think if you have that foundation, a lot of this stuff goes away, right? Because you know how much things cost, you know what your profitability needs to be, and you know where things stand. And if you have that really strong foundation, and I’m not saying you necessarily have to do it. But you do have to find an accountant who can help you create these kinds of things. Once you understand that all of this stuff gets easier, prospecting gets easier, pricing gets easier, price increases get easier, scope creep gets easier, all of it gets easier. I think too many of us, myself included in the past have just focused on, well, I think it’ll cost this and let’s just throw it in there. And that’s where the scope creep comes into play is when we don’t do it based on actual numbers. Chip Griffin: Yeah, I mean, look, the two, the two best solutions are the two best solutions that I recommend for almost every operating problem within an agency. The first is regular without fail weekly one-on-ones with all direct reports. Yep. Because that’s your line of communication internally, so that you even aware that something, something’s up that, that you need to pay attention to. And the second is project budgeting. Because if you’re, if you’re doing the time tracking that’s required for project budgeting and you’re looking at your numbers, you’ll understand when and where you need to draw the line on scope creep. And so almost every single internal operations problem I’ve ever encountered in an agency can be, if not completely solved, heavily mitigated by those two things. Gini Dietrich: Totally agree. Absolutely. Yes. Chip Griffin: And the vast majority of agencies aren’t doing either. Gini Dietrich: That’s correct. Because it’s time and uncomfortable and things that you don’t want to focus on. That’s absolutely right. Chip Griffin: But both are actually really easy to do and don’t take all that much time. And if you just invested in them, it would make a monumental difference. Yes. In the outcomes. And frankly, it even bleeds over onto the, the business development side because it helps you to figure out what kinds of clients you want to get, how to price them effectively, and maybe even bubbles up some ideas of who to specifically target if you’re doing those one-on-ones well. Gini Dietrich: Yes, absolutely one-on-ones. Do your project budgeting, so many things will be solved. So many problems will be solved. Chip Griffin: And on the client side, communications, same thing. I mean, you know, we are in the business of communications and yet we are generally very bad at communicating Gini Dietrich: very bad, very bad. Chip Griffin: With clients, with team members. Yes, with prospects. The only thing we’re good at is advising others on their communications, but, but we need to, to focus on our own shoes a little bit as the cobbler. Gini Dietrich: We do, yes. As the cobbler needs to do. 100%. Chip Griffin: So any final words on scope creep or should we try to contain the scope of this podcast? Gini Dietrich: I think we should try to contain the scope of this episode. Chip Griffin: Okay. Well on that note then, I’m Chip Griffin. Gini Dietrich: I’m Gini Dietrich Chip Griffin: and it depends.

In this episode, Chip and Gini delve into the topic of scope creep in agencies.

Episode Highlights[00:01] Meet Angie Boynton, Contract Law ExpertAngie shares her journey from litigator to contract law specialist—and why she believes contracts are the foundation of every business relationship.[06:12] Contracts Are About Clarity, Not CombatContracts aren't swords or shields—they're the structure for how two people agree to work together. Angie explains why mission-driven coaches need to shift how they think about legal agreements.[10:47] Why “Borrowed Contracts” Can Cost You EverythingAngie shares real examples of coaches posting online asking for contract templates—even after landing their “dream client”—and why this approach is dangerously short-sighted.[13:59] What Happens When a Client Refuses to Sign?Ryan and Angie explore how your contract should reflect your values—and how to respond when a prospect won't agree to your terms.[17:03] Scope Creep and the Danger of OvergivingThe most common boundary violation in coaching: doing more than you agreed to. Angie breaks down how to protect yourself without compromising service.[19:45] The Five Clauses Every Coaching Contract Should IncludeAngie walks through her 5 must-haves in every agreement:Correct Legal Name (and what to do if you use a DBA)Confidentiality Language (to protect your IP and your client's privacy)Force Majeure Clause (what happens when life happens)Clear Obligations (for both coach and client)End Date (so you know when your responsibilities are complete)[44:52] The Truth About “Lifetime Access”Angie shares how to define and limit “lifetime access” in a way that's legally clear and doesn't trap you in unrealistic client expectations.Links Mentioned:Free Contract Download + IP Risk QuizGet Angie's client agreement template and take her copycat risk quiz at: www.happyatlaw.com

In this episode, Tackling Scope Creep: People, Process, & Courage, we're diving into how to protect our projects, keep our sanity, and build stronger teams in the process.Episode outlineIntroCore conceptsThe People Side: Assertiveness and Stakeholder Boundaries The Process Side: Change Control Systems (Hard Skills/PM Tools)The Progress Side: Leading with Clarity Under Pressure Summary & ClosingGodspeed y'all,Kevin

There's a lot of noise out there about “scope creep” in healthcare. But instead of letting fear and false narratives distract us, it's time to shift our focus to what really matters.In this episode, I'm breaking down five powerful areas where PAs should be putting their energy:Building strong, trust-based patient relationshipsInvesting in ongoing professional developmentCultivating mentorship and sponsorshipSetting and maintaining healthy boundariesAdvocating for the PA professionThese are the things that truly move the needle—for our careers, our patients, and our collective future as PAs.Resources & Links

In this episode of, "Power Minutes for Project Managers," we learn how to push back on scope creep and master the art of saying no, without actually saying no. #ProjectManagement #ScopeCreep #Leadership #RiskManagement #SoftSkills 

Send Katie a Text Message!! In this Strategy Session, we break down essential project management strategies to help interior The #1 mistake designers make that leads to project chaos—and how to avoid it.Ready to streamline your projects, increase efficiency, and maximize profits?Don't miss this power-packed episode—your future self (and clients) will thank you.Pro Tip: Adding project management services can significantly boost your firm's profitability and client satisfaction. Start with small steps and refine your process as you gain experience.See full show notes and resources mentioned in this episode athttps://successbydesign.coach/podcast/b/how-interior-designers-can-execute-scale-and-boost-profitsWant a Plug-and-Play Workflow?Let's build a custom project management system for your firm. Book a 1:1 strategy session with Katie to create a workflow that streamlines your projects and maximizes your revenue.

Today Andy visits the Fable Factory and chats with cool music guy Reed Reimer! They chat about Christmas music, Table top games, multi-media projects, and D&D Open Game Licenses. Reed also talks about his collabs with Benjamin Emory Larson, making a Zombie Opera, Cthulu Dreamt, and Eldritch horrors! Reed also teaches Andy about the concept of Scope Creep. If you like what you're hearing you can support Beyond Synth on Patreon: www.patreon.com/beyondsynth or PayPal: www.paypal.com/paypalme/beyondsynth Check out REED REIMER here: https://soundcloud.com/reedreimer https://www.instagram.com/reimerpdx/ https://reimerandlarson.bandcamp.com/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/54bUKwAaWfbpsGOLk0Dmg8 FABLE FACTORY: https://fablefactory.bandcamp.com/ Today's Playlist: Reed Reimer - “Sorca” Reed Reimer & Benjamin Emory Larson - “All I Want for Christmas (feat. Savannah Smith)” Cthulhu Dreamt - “Exploring the Base (Act 1)” Reed Reimer & Benjamin Emory Larson - “The Agency” Reed Reimer - “Blue Monday (cover)” Reed Reimer - “Into the Deep Forest” Reed Reimer - “Stepping Off The Train”

Tricky Clients Emergengy Toolkit: https://freelancelifestyle.podia.com/the-tricky-client-emergency-toolkit    Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: hello@emmacossey.com  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership.

This week, Tyler focuses on the importance of tracking hours and managing projects effectively to ensure profitability. He discusses strategies for budgeting, scheduling, and holding trades accountable to avoid cost overruns and maximize margins.   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media Tyler's Top Blogs: How I Started My Business Books that Build Site Protection Principles My Preconstruction Process: Part 1 Becoming Proficient in Multiple Trades

Why are the AMA and the AAPA Fighting? PA2 Olivia Quinby, PA2 Raginya Handoo, PA2 Julie Vuong, and M4 Katie Higham-Kessler dig into the intense ‘scope creep' debate between the American Medical Association ("Scope creep will destroy everything!") and the American Association of Physician Assistants ("WTF we're just trying to fill the gaps, bro!"). They discuss arguments from both sides about non-physician practice rights and the impacts on healthcare quality and access. And then there's this question: should this rivalry break out into the patients' view, what will it mean for their trust in a system many already find untrustworthy? Meanwhile, listener Olivia, a hopeful PA student herself and fearing that she missed the mark this year, seeks advice on strengthening her application while she waits to hear back from her schools. The hosts provide personal insights and practical tips on standing out in PA school applications, focusing on experiences, recommendation letters, and writing skills. We've all been there, Olivia–hang tight!

High ticket projects which I define it as a project anywhere from $25K to $300K and everything in between require more sophistication in several areas to protect yourself as a business owner. High ticket projects are normally devlievered over the course of several months and for multi-six figure projects, those can extend beyond a year and even up to 3 years. While the big project numbers I just shared likely sounds amazing, there are several things that make this type of business more complicated. I have 5 watchouts to cover with you in this training episode. 1) Longer Sales Cycle 2) Pricing 3) Scope Creep 4) Project Management 5) Advance Cash Flow Techniques Required This episode is an example of things that I help my clients with regularly and demonstrates how I teach and train.  May I support you as your grow your consulting business? There are three ways we can get started:

In this episode, we dive into a challenge that both service-based and product-based business owners often face: finding the balance between offering exceptional service and protecting yourself from being taken advantage of. If you've ever struggled to know whether you're truly going above and beyond or simply doing too much, this episode will give you the answers. We explore the delicate line between delivering great value and maintaining boundaries that ensure your business remains sustainable. You'll gain practical strategies for setting clear boundaries, confidently communicating your worth, and handling clients who overstep. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Going Above and Beyond vs. Being Taken Advantage Of We define what it truly means to go above and beyond for your clients, and how to recognize when you're being taken advantage of. Learn the signs that it's time to assert your boundaries. Setting Clear Expectations from the Start Discover how clear communication, contracts, and outlining scope, timelines, and deliverables upfront can prevent misunderstandings and scope creep. The Importance of Knowing and Owning Your Value Many business owners, especially creatives, tend to over-deliver or undercharge. Learn how to maintain confidence in your value and set pricing that reflects the true worth of your work. When to Push Back on Client Requests Learn how to professionally handle situations when a client asks for more than what was agreed upon. We'll guide you on how to have these important conversations without damaging the relationship. How to Offer Exceptional Service Without Burning Out Understand how to go above and beyond in a way that's sustainable. Learn to provide value without overextending yourself, keeping your clients happy without compromising your own well-being. Dealing with Difficult Clients Some clients don't respect boundaries, no matter how clear you are. We'll share strategies for managing challenging client relationships, and when it's perhaps time to consider letting them go. Key Takeaways: Offering exceptional service doesn't mean sacrificing your time, value, or business goals. Setting clear boundaries and communicating them from the start is essential for a sustainable business. Knowing your value gives you the confidence to set prices that reflect your worth and say no to clients who don't. Handling difficult clients with professionalism can protect your time, energy, and overall business health. Resources Mentioned: Free Guide: Fully Embrace Your Value – DOWNLOAD this free guide that helps you confidently communicate your worth and maintain strong boundaries in your business. Contact Us: Instagram: @philippacraddock Email: hello@philippacraddock.com  Ask a Question: Have a question? Ask HERE, and we might feature it in a future newsletter or podcast episode! Thank you so much for listening, and I hope you find this episode helpful in finding that balance between going above and beyond and protecting your time, energy, and business.  

In this episode of Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack, William shares his experience of being contracted to develop software for a school, only to face constant requests for additional features that weren't part of the original agreement. Struggling to balance client satisfaction and his own workload, William seeks advice on how to handle scope creep and how to ask for fair compensation for the extra work.Please visit our website to get more information: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com/Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn

Welcome to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning psychology podcast brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. Join hosts Leanne Elliott, chartered psychologist, and Al Elliott, business owner, as they dive into the latest trends, insights, and practical advice to help you navigate the world of work. In today's episode, we're giving you a crash course in technology careers. Whether you're looking to break into the industry, considering a career change, or simply curious about the tech world, this episode is packed with invaluable insights. We're joined by John White and Nick Korte, co-hosts of the Nerd Journey podcast, who share their decades of combined experience in various tech roles. They discuss what it really takes to build a successful career in the tech sector. Key Topics Covered: The Wide Range of Tech Roles Getting Started in Tech The Importance of Tinkering and Curiosity The Reality of Tech Interviews Salary Insights and Career Progression Navigating Tech Company Culture Staying Relevant in a Rapidly Evolving Field Personal Stories Resources Mentioned by John and Nick Episodes on the Principal Engineer Role: For a list of discussions on the principal engineer role and its significance in the industry, visit Principal Engineer Episodes. Max Kanat-Alexander (3 Episodes): Part 1: Embracing the Open Source Spirit Part 2: Succession Planning and Delegation Skills Part 3: Scope Creep and Focusing on Essential Work Ethan Banks: Discussion on doing work uniquely suited to your skills – Ethan Banks Episode. Erik Gross's Tech Academy: Insights on coding bootcamps and leveraging valuable knowledge – Erik Gross Episode. Kenneth Ellington and His Cyber Academy: Part 1: Introduction to Cybersecurity Part 2: Nurturing Cybersecurity Talent Development VMware Explore 2024 Presentation: John's talk on technical career progression, including slides and video – Uncovering the Patterns of Technical Career Progression. Connect with John White & Nick Korte Nerd Journey Podcast: nerd-journey.com Email: nerdjourneypodcast@gmail.com LinkedIn – Nick Korte: Nick Korte LinkedIn – John White: John White Support with Mental Health and Well-being If any of the topics in this episode have affected you, or if you need mental health support, please reach out to one of the following resources: UK: Mind offers mental health support and information. For those in distress, call Samaritans at 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. US: Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. Rest of the World: Visit Befrienders Worldwide to find a helpline in your country. Connect with Truth, Lies & Work YouTube: Truth, Lies & Work YouTube Channel TikTok: Truth, Lies & Work TikTok Instagram: Truth, Lies & Work Instagram LinkedIn: Truth, Lies & Work LinkedIn Connect with Al Elliott: LinkedIn Connect with Leanne Elliott: LinkedIn Email: Reach out at hello@truthliesandwork.com. Book a Meeting: Schedule a meeting with Al & Leanne here.

MedPod Today: the podcast series where MedPage Today reporters share deeper insight into the week's biggest healthcare stories. This week, MedPage Today reporters discussa new COVID variant, why the FDA is concerned about amniotic fluid in eyedrops, conversations happening in California about certified registered nurse anesthetists' scope of practice. Episode produced and hosted by Rachael Robertson. Sound engineering by Greg Laub. Reporting by Kristina Fiore, Sophie Putka, and Jennifer Henderson.

Join us next week for new clinical content! Sam discusses his opinion of the American Medical Association's campaign against the PA name change, ability to change specialties, and scope of practice. Ortho Boot Camp registration is now open! Check out PAOS.org for more info about the new offerings this year for those new to the profession or the ortho specialty.

Scope creep is a very dangerous thing that can endanger a team's productivity and mental health. It involves taking the original scope of a project, and slowly but surely, adding more and more tasks to it. Often times scope creep is not done nefariously, as those that request tasks from developers are ignorant of the technical complexities of their requests. Unfortunately, there are those that will add to a project's scope willingly to take advantage of their employees, or there may be some mismanagement within the company that leads to additional work in a short period of time. In this episode, Matt and Mike discussed the who, what, where, when, and why of pushing back against customer requests in order to keep projects in-scope. They discussed the importance of pushing back sometimes, when to push back, and whether it's appropriate to push back when acting as a freelance contractor. Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcasts/saying-no-to-scope-creep-how-web-devs-can-push-back Thanks to Magic Mind for sponsoring this episode, enjoy 20% off one-time purchases and subscription using our link and code (Link: https://magicmind.com/HTMLPOD20 Code: HTMLPOD20) Thanks to Wix Studio for sponsoring this episode! Check out Wix Studio, the web platform tailored to designers, developers, and marketers via this link: https://www.wix.com/studio

Tim Dyck is the founder of Best Culture Solutions, a company focused on aligning people with the right roles in organizations. Tim specializes in recruitment, career transitions, and people strategies, helping businesses optimize their workforce for success. 3 Key Quotes: “Every problem in every business is a people problem.” “People are choosing more control over how, when, and where they work.” “Fractional work can drive greater value for both sides when done well.” In this episode, Mike Simmons and Tim Dyck discuss how work is evolving, focusing on recruitment, people strategies, and fractional work. They highlight the importance of aligning talent with company needs and the benefits of hiring fractional professionals to solve specific business problems efficiently. Find Your Catalyst at https://findmycatalyst.com 5 Key Takeaways: People Strategies are Critical to Success: Every business issue ties back to people. Aligning people with the right roles improves productivity. Effective people strategies include hiring, training, and clarity in roles. Fractional Work Offers Flexibility: Businesses can bring in experts part-time for specific needs. Fractional professionals may provide faster impact. Smaller companies benefit from high-level skills without full-time salaries. Workplace Evolution Post-Pandemic: Remote work isn't new but has become more mainstream. The shift allows workers to have more control over their work-life balance. Employers must adapt to these changes or risk losing top talent. Scope Creep in Fractional Roles: Both businesses and freelancers must define roles clearly to avoid scope creep. Success in fractional roles depends on sticking to agreed-upon responsibilities. Misaligned expectations can derail both parties. Finding the Right Fit in Recruitment: It's essential for businesses to identify the specific roles they need. Hiring the right person can solve problems faster. Companies should avoid forcing unqualified individuals into roles just to fill vacancies. This episode offers insights for both business leaders and professionals seeking more flexibility in their work, providing practical strategies for the modern workplace.

As we return from the annual conference, a further discussion on the history of the American Medical Association and its impact on current challenges in healthcare.

Mark Roberts, Technical Director of Prosperon Networks, joins hosts Sean Sebring and Chrystal Taylor to salute the unique challenges of IT project management. From the joys of scope creep to the intricacies of wrangling leadership buy-in, they cover the life of a project from initial discovery process all the way through to project handover. © 2024 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved 

The podcast for project managers by project managers. Is Scope Creep derailing your project? A lack of control can lead to projects spiraling out of scope. Join us as Shannon Keenan shares strategies to keep your team focused, avoid delays, and deliver successful outcomes. Learn how to manage scope effectively and prevent projects from spiraling out of control. Table of Contents 03:11 … Artemis Factor04:45 … What is Scope Creep?07:33 … Change Request vs. Scope Creep10:14 … The Problem with Scope Creep12:27 … Scope Change Requests13:38 … Is All Scope Creep Bad?17:22 … Signs of Scope Creep Occurring19:23 … Project Health Checks22:25 … The Planning Phase25:08 … Importance of Documentation26:11 … Ren Love ‘Projects of the Past'28:37 … Push Back on Scope Creep30:43 … Be the Trust Agent32:45 … Finding the Balance: Innovation vs. Scope36:43 … Useful Tools for Managing Scope Creep40:37 … Keeping a Decision Log42:49 … Connect with Shannon43:49 … Closing SHANNON KEENAN: What we do to avoid those pitfalls are project health checks.  We'll do monthly health checks.  It depends on how big the project is or how long it's going to run.  And you really want to kind of just do a quick check, it's good as a PM you're looking forward, but just kind of take a quick glance back; right?  What was your original charter?  Or what was your objective?  What was your timeline?  What were the benefits?  Are these additional requirements causing any kind of pain to the project or negatively impacting any of those original requirements, objectives that were set up at the beginning of the project? WENDY GROUNDS:  Welcome to Manage This, the podcast by project managers for project managers.  I'm Wendy Grounds, and in the studio with me is Bill Yates.  We want to take a moment to say thank you to our listeners who reach out to us.  If you leave comments on our website or on social media, we love hearing from you.  We appreciate your positive ratings on Apple podcasts or whichever podcast listening app you use.  Please do get in touch, leave us a comment at Velociteach.com or on social media, and let us know what you like to hear more of, as well.  We like to make our episodes something that you'd want to hear more about.  So, if you have some suggestions of project managers who are doing amazing projects or topics that would be very helpful to you in your career, please let us know. BILL YATES:  Got a team needing top-notch training?  Velociteach specializes in private group training, both on-site and virtual.  Share your training goals with us, and we'll craft the perfect plan for your team.  Whether it's exam prep, maintaining certification, or mastering the latest project management best practices, our live classes and expert instructors will fast-track your organization to success.  Explore our private group training offerings at Velociteach.com today. WENDY GROUNDS:  Today we're exploring the crucial topic of scope creep... BILL YATES:  Scope creep. WENDY GROUNDS:  ...in project management.  It can be that silent killer that'll derail even the most well-planned projects.  We're joined by Shannon Keenan.  She is the co-founder and partner at Artemis Factor, and she brings over 25 years of project management expertise in the pharmaceutical industry.  Shannon has expertly guided both large and small teams through comprehensive strategies across the entire pharma value chain, from R&D and clinical trials to regulatory affairs and commercial operations.  Her extensive experience makes her the perfect guest to shed light on this pervasive issue. BILL YATES:  And we had students and listeners reach out to us, and they had specific questions about scope creep.  I can't wait to put those in front of Shannon. WENDY GROUNDS:  Yes.  So, let's get started.  Hi, Shannon.  Welcome to Manage This.  Thank you so much for being our guest. SHANNON KEENAN:  Thank you so much for having me.  I'm excited to be here and excited to talk a lit...

In a recent episode of the Developer Building Better Developers podcast, Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche delve into the nuances of Agile development, with a particular focus on defining and achieving “done” within Agile frameworks. This discussion is critical for developers who aim to deliver functional software efficiently while avoiding common pitfalls like scope creep and burnout. Introduction: Why Defining 'Done' Matters in Agile In Agile project management, "done" is more than a checkbox. It's crucial for smooth project progress. A clear definition of "done" helps set expectations and ensures team alignment. Teams risk endless revisions, missed deadlines, and stakeholder frustration without it. Defining Done from the Start: Establishing Your MVP The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is key to defining "done" in Agile. It's the foundation for all development efforts. Your MVP should include just enough features to satisfy early adopters. It provides a concrete goal for your team and guides future development. Defining Done for Each Sprint: Tracking Progress Agile progress is incremental. Each sprint should bring you closer to the MVP and final product. Tasks must align with the established definition of "done." Careful sprint planning keeps teams on track and moving in the right direction. Daily Alignment on 'Done': The Role of Stand-Ups Daily stand-ups are essential for team alignment. These brief meetings help identify potential roadblocks early. They also ensure everyone understands what "done" means for each task, maintaining momentum and keeping the team focused. Refining 'Done' in the Backlog: Prioritizing Work Backlog refinement sessions are critical for defining "done." Teams review and prioritize work for upcoming sprints, focusing on items crucial to reaching "done." This ensures that the most valuable aspects of the project are worked on. Redefining 'Done' in Retrospectives: Learning and Adjusting Sprint retrospectives allow teams to reflect and improve. They review what went well and what didn't, revise the definition of "done," and make necessary adjustments. They also learn from each sprint to avoid repeating mistakes. Protecting Your Definition of 'Done': Handling Scope Creep Scope creep is a major Agile challenge. It occurs when new features are added without adjusting timelines or resources. A clear, agreed-upon definition of "done" helps prevent this. Evaluate and integrate changes carefully to avoid derailing progress. The Ongoing Journey of Defining 'Done' Defining "done" in Agile is an ongoing process. It requires constant communication and adjustment. Focus on delivering a product that meets customer needs and aligns with the original vision—a well-defined "done" guards against missed deadlines and project failures. Remember: Let your definition of "done" guide you to success. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Getting It Right: How Effective Requirements Gathering Leads to Successful Software Projects The Importance of Properly Defining Requirements Changing Requirements – Welcome Them For Competitive Advantage Creating Use Cases and Gathering Requirements The Developer Journey Videos – With Bonus Content

Sam weighs in on an open letter from the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to American Medical Association (AMA) and their recent "scope creep" rhetoric. The letter is available to read and sign here: https://www.aapa.org/news-central/2024/07/aapa-calls-on-ama-to-put-a-stop-to-campaign-against-pas/

In this powerful episode, we dive into a transformative approach to client relationships that will change the way you do business, going beyond the surface to tackle some of the most pressing challenges entrepreneurs face today — especially those who want to maintain high standards, protect their boundaries, and ensure they're working with clients who truly value what they bring to the table.We explore the concept of making your clients audition for the privilege of working with you, much like contestants on American Idol. This isn't about playing hard to get; it's about setting clear boundaries, commanding confidence, and ensuring that the clients you take on are aligned with your values, vision, and the level of service you provide.In this episode, I discuss:Auditioning Your Clients: Just like in American Idol, not everyone makes it to the next round. I'll teach you how to audition your clients, guiding you on principles to help them either self-eliminate or clearly identify themselves as strong potential candidates.Creating Demand Generation: Discover how to generate strong demand for your services, making clients eager to work with you. When done right, this approach flips the script, positioning you as the sought-after expert who clients are vying to work with.Combating Scope Creep: Learn how to protect your time and resources by setting firm boundaries from the start, ensuring that your projects stay within scope and that you're compensated fairly for any additional work.Setting Boundaries and Expectations as an Empath: As someone who genuinely cares about others (and I'm sure you do in your business), it can be challenging to enforce boundaries. I'll share strategies to balance empathy with the necessity of maintaining your professional integrity.Commanding Confidence in the Discovery Phase: The initial discovery phase is crucial for establishing authority and setting the tone for the entire client relationship. I'll guide you on how to exude confidence and control during this critical stage.Mastering Value-Based Pricing: Discover how to shift the focus from cost to value, ensuring that clients understand and appreciate the worth of your services. I'll share techniques for implementing value-based pricing that aligns with the results you deliver, helping you command higher fees while maintaining client satisfaction.Maintaining High-Profit Margins: Learn strategies to keep your profit margins high without compromising on the quality of your work. We'll discuss how to structure your offerings and negotiations to ensure you're paid what you deserve, allowing you to focus on delivering excellence.Removing Objections with Confidence: Objections can derail a conversation and undermine the perceived value of your services. I'll guide you on addressing and removing objections preemptively, creating an environment where clients see you as the essential bridge to achieving their goals. By removing the air out of the room, you'll keep the focus on the vision and the transformative impact of working with you.Eliminating Budget Concerns: Learn how to remove budget from the equation by shifting the conversation to value. I'll show you how to guide clients to see the worth of your services, allowing you to command the rates you deserve while keeping your profit margins high.By the end of this episode, you'll have a clear roadmap for elevating your business relationships, protecting your time and energy, and ensuring that the clients you work with are a perfect fit for your services. If you're tired of chasing clients, compromising on rates, or dealing with constant scope creep, this episode is for you. Beyond The Episode Gems:• Learn More Starting Your Own Business With Amazon's Delivery Service Program• Start Creating Exceptional Sites & Business Solutions Using Wix Studios • Grow Your Business Faster Using HubSpot's CRM Platform• Use The Same Recording Platform I Use For My Podcast, Try Riverside.fm For Free• Buy Troy's Book, Strategize Up That Is Referenced In This Episode: StrategizeUpBook.com• Discover All Podcasts On The HubSpot Podcast Network#####Support The Podcast & Connect With Troy: • Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/Reviews•  Follow Troy's LinkedIn @FindTroy• Get Strategy Solutions & Services: GrowWithTroy.com•  Follow Troy's Instagram @FindTroy•  Subscribe to Troy's YouTube Channel

There's a traditional divide between Sales and Production. It's always a challenge — they have different goals, processes, and personalities. Typically, Production is left out of the conversation when it comes to scope creep, leading to delays and change orders during construction — and disgruntled clients. Will Giesey and his team are changing that situation...

We catch up with our Dear Friends the Bergers as they take on their training in advance of their third CrossFit Games and trying for the third consecutive win.  What are they up to during the lull between semifinals and the Games, what is Scope Creep, How important is community and what is New with Coach Lynette and her first trip to Elite Semifinals.

Summary In this episode, Andy interviews Kory Kogon, FranklinCovey's Vice President of Content Development, about her updated book, Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager. They discuss the prevalence of unofficial project managers in various industries, especially post-pandemic, and the unique challenges they face. Kory shares insights on foundational behaviors, clarifying expectations, stakeholder management, and risk management. The conversation also delves into the significance of accountability and performance discussions, particularly for those leading without formal authority. If you lead projects, regardless of your title, this discussion is for you! Sound Bites "We often find that at least 80% of the participants in our project management workshops don't have the word project in their title. Yet you could argue that, in many ways, we're all project managers." "The top reasons why projects fail are unclear scope, key stakeholders wanting different things, lack of communication, not knowing the roles, having the wrong people in roles, and scope creep." "Accountability takes on a different lens. It's not punitive. It's mutual accountability." "A cadence of accountability sets up a team that is inspired to want to do the work." Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:23 Start of Interview 02:41 In What Ways Are We All Project Managers? 05:09 The Top Reasons Why Projects Struggle 07:45 Clarifying Expectations in Projects 14:06 Identifying and Managing Stakeholders 18:40 Managing Risks in Projects 24:20 The Importance of Accountability 26:36 The Essence of Accountability in Leadership 28:03 Creating a Cadence of Accountability 31:54 Navigating Informal Authority and Performance Conversations 37:26 Clarifying Project Scope and Managing Change 43:36 Interview Wrap-Up 44:25 Andy's Comments After the Interview 47:44 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Kory and her book (and download a sample chapter) at FranklinCovey.com. If you'd like more on this subject, check out: Episode 405, with Gil Broza about scaling good project practices across the organization Episode 376, with Nick Sonnenberg about his book Come Up for Air Episode 129, with Kory about her book The Five Choices   AI for Project Managers and Leaders With the constant stream of AI news, it's sometimes hard to grasp how these advancements can benefit us as project managers and leaders in our day-to-day work. That's why I developed our e-learning course: AI Made Simple: A Practical Guide to Using AI in Your Everyday Work. This self-guided course is designed for project managers and leaders aiming to harness AI's potential to enhance your work, streamline your workflow, and boost your productivity. Go to ai.i-leadonline.com to learn more and join us. The feedback from the program has been fantastic. Take this opportunity to unlock the potential of AI for your team and projects. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Ways of Working   The following music was used for this episode: Music: Brooklyn Nights by Tim Kulig License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Chillhouse by Frank Schroeter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license