Over the last few years I have found myself getting more and more work from a single client.  They clearly appreciate what I can do for them and they have had a decent internal structure to act as professional go-betweens.

This client however, has been making technology promises to its own clients (massive global brands) which it can't honor (think 10K budgets to make 500K projects work)

During the past four months all of their internal IT team and half of their external providers have resigned because of the pressure to stand up in front of clients and lie about what they can deliver.

I am now in the situation where I have let most of my other clients go to concentrate on this one. It is paying the bills.  I almost have that employee mentality where I am afraid to leave.

Pressures are building for me to help them promise the delivery of undeliverable projects and every part of me says 'end the contract now!'.  However, I do have my bills to pay, and I have sub-contractors relying on me to keep them fed with work. As you might have guessed this is the first really big money gig I have dealt with.

I have enough to keep myself afloat for six months.  I 'think' that a kick up the arse like this will make me work 24/7 to get my old money makers (and the new ones on the list) earning.

I guess what I want to know is, has anyone else been in this situation, and how did you manage it?  Were you scared of the 'leap of faith'?  Did your plans work out and if not what came about to replace them?

People NEVER follow my advice (at first) because I tend to tell them what they don't want to hear but I think you've already made the decision to leave.

Did you see 'Pirates of the Caribbean', when Depp walks off his sinking ship, on to the dock, just as his ship sinks?

You wanna do it like that:)

Dogboy - I wish there were a "like" button on here for that succinct advice.

That said, better to be a little early and jump down to the dock than be a little late and have to swim for it.

Quote from: rcjordan on November 02, 2013, 06:11:26 PM
People NEVER follow my advice (at first) because I tend to tell them what they don't want to hear but I think you've already made the decision to leave.

I think you are right.  I am trying to plan as best I can at the moment.  I think I might just need to get over the fear of the leap.

Quote from: dogboy on November 04, 2013, 07:50:03 AM
Did you see 'Pirates of the Caribbean', when Depp walks off his sinking ship, on to the dock, just as his ship sinks?

You wanna do it like that:)

Fantastic!  I had to look it up as I had not seen the film for a while.  Here it is - http://youtu.be/R7m5Int1hAA

The problem is, I now start humming the music every time I start thinking about the situation. 

Sounds to me your gut is saying "LEAVE."

Usually, I don't listen to my gut.  I listen to myself trying to make logic like "It pays the bills...etc"

Listen to your gut.  Seriously.  Advice learned the hard way.

Thank you all so much for the replies on the thread and those via PM and email.

Well, I had a meeting with the client today to clarify the future vision of their business.  I went in (after talking it over with my family) with my contract termination letter in my pocket.  I honestly believed I would come away full of determination to carry on.  However, It didn't work out that way. I just can't get my morals and professional values to fit with what they are doing.

I hope I did the right thing by offering to help them find suitable replacements, but even that is playing on my mind now. 

Anyway, I'm ready to work hard at anything I can turn my hand to.  Please.....Please! (I am sounding desperate?) PM me, email me, look me up on linkedin etc (PM for address as this is outer core).  I'm not after money at this point, I just want to try things out.

So, just like Jack Sparrow in the vision put forward by DB (though perhaps not as good looking), I am stepping onto the dock ready for new adventures!

What kinds of things would you LIKE to be doing in addition to writing a novel?

>I honestly believed I would come away full of determination to carry on

see this quote by nffc
http://th3core.com/talk/water-coolerextra/quotes-that-hit-home/msg3024/#msg3024

>Anyway, I'm ready to work hard at anything I can turn my hand to.

Then you will be successful.  Even if what you work at fails, you'll know to start something else.

Quotemorals and professional values

I'm glad you're on the dock.

The universe has ways of providing unexpected support when we make decisions and take actions based on our highest and best values.

If there's a will there's a way.
That's how I think...

If you want something so bad, you will over come any obstacles that get in your way.
You may have to back track, you may have to change things slightly, but you will get there in the end.

Good luck

Thank you all for the kind and encouraging words.

Quote from: ergophobe on November 13, 2013, 07:31:12 PM
What kinds of things would you LIKE to be doing in addition to writing a novel?

Well, I have been soul searching and decided that I don't want to develop any more.  I have been studying for the SQL 2012 exams and realised I just don't love it anymore.  Not like some of the other people in the space do anyway.  It has just become something I 'do'.

I have a number of things I am going to try, but I am going to start by setting myself the challenge of starting a little business in a month using only the time that the rest of my family are watching 'I'm a Celebrity', I'm going to start a new thread for that because I'd love the thoughts of everyone on here.

Oh... and I'm 15,000 words into the novel.  I aim to finish and publish it by Christmas.  I have outlines for three more to make a series.  I also have a very rough outline for 8 shorter stories, also in a series.