Spotting Red Flags in Your Projects (Before They Drain You)


Design Clarity Weekly

Helping Design Professionals Streamline, Simplify & Succeed

Hey Lovely!

If you’ve ever had a project that left you exhausted, second-guessing your fees, or wondering how things went off the rails — you’re not alone.
Those “never again” projects can actually become your greatest teachers if you take the time to look back and see what they were trying to tell you.

This week, let’s turn those tough lessons into clarity — and learn how to use your systems (like Mydoma) to protect your time, energy, and profit.

Tips, Tools & Takeaways for Designers

3 Tips: Turn Past Red Flags into Future Clarity

Audit Your Projects Without Emotion

Pull up your past projects and look at the facts — not the frustration.
How many hours did it really take? Where did communication break down? What expectations were unclear?
Software like Mydoma keeps those answers organized — from time logs to client messages.
💡 Pro Tip: Create a simple “Post-Project Review” checklist right inside your portal to capture what worked and what didn’t while it’s still fresh.

Identify Early Warning Signs

Most red flags appear long before you send a contract.
Clients who hesitate to pay for a consult, want to “skip the process,” or give fuzzy answers about budget or timeline are waving bright warning banners.
Use an inquiry form to filter these out automatically. Add deal-breaker questions so you can spot misaligned leads early.

Build Boundaries into Your Systems

Strong boundaries don’t make you rigid — they make your business repeatable.
Automate your onboarding, require payment upfront, and use proposal templates with “What’s Not Included” clauses.
When you build these into Mydoma, the system does the hard part for you — protecting your process (and your peace).

2 Resources to Help You Strengthen Your Process

📌 Post-Project Review Template (task template checklist) – Create a quick form with five reflection questions: what went well, what didn’t, what surprised you, what you’d do differently, and the client red flags you’d watch for next time.

📌 Workflow Templates – Set up your own “red flag filter” using intake and project templates. Add deal-breaker questions, automated emails, and task reminders so you stay in control from inquiry to install.

1 Question for You

🤔 What’s one red flag you ignored in the past that you’ll never overlook again?Take a minute to write it down — then build a system or template that prevents it from slipping through next time. Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to offer support! Or send me a question and I'll answer it in next week's newsletter!

Want More Support?

Every difficult project is a lesson in disguise. When you combine your intuition with data and systems, you stop repeating the same mistakes — and start building a business that runs with ease, not exhaustion.

If this hit close to home, it might be time to streamline the backend of your business. Through my Virtual Design Support Hours and VIP Strategy Sessions, I help designers document their workflows, create better systems, and bring calm to the chaos — so you can focus on the creative work you love. Let's chat about the support that suits you best. Book a complimentary call with me here.

Here’s to clearer boundaries, cleaner processes, and saying yes to projects that truly fit. 💛

Warmly,
Marsha

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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The Design Clarity Weekly

Sent every Friday, this quick 5-minute read is packed with actionable tips to help you streamline your design business. Written by Marsha Sefcik, a trusted business strategist for design professionals, you'll learn how to simplify workflows, master client onboarding, and improve your design-related copy. Join hundreds of design professionals who already benefit from this free, weekly resource!

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