Have you ever had a client, prospect—or even an acquaintance—ask to "pick your brain"? At first, it might feel flattering. But after the fourth or fifth time, it starts to feel like a burden. You feel taken advantage of. In this short episode, I talk about how I changed my approach to these requests. Instead of making excuses or feeling resentment, I started charging for "brain picking" sessions—and it completely transformed how I handle these situations. I walk you through how I reframed these requests into a structured offer, how I set the price, and how you can do the same to ensure that clients and prospects value your time and expertise. It doesn't matter what type of work you do as a solo professional. If you get these requests regularly, this episode will give you practical tips on how to handle them with confidence.

Have you ever had a client, prospect—or even an acquaintance—ask to "pick your brain"? At first, it might feel flattering. But after the fourth or fifth time, it starts to feel like a burden. You feel taken advantage of. In this short episode, I talk about how I changed my approach to these requests. Instead of making excuses or feeling resentment, I started charging for "brain picking" sessions—and it completely transformed how I handle these situations. I walk you through how I reframed these requests into a structured offer, how I set the price, and how you can do the same to ensure that clients and prospects value your time and expertise. It doesn't matter what type of work you do as a solo professional. If you get these requests regularly, this episode will give you practical tips on how to handle them with confidence.

Have you ever had a client, prospect—or even an acquaintance—ask to "pick your brain"? At first, it might feel flattering. But after the fourth or fifth time, it starts to feel like a burden. You feel taken advantage of. In this short episode, I talk about how I changed my approach to these requests. Instead of making excuses or feeling resentment, I started charging for "brain picking" sessions—and it completely transformed how I handle these situations. I walk you through how I reframed these requests into a structured offer, how I set the price, and how you can do the same to ensure that clients and prospects value your time and expertise. It doesn't matter what type of work you do as a solo professional. If you get these requests regularly, this episode will give you practical tips on how to handle them with confidence.

#358: How to Handle Client Requests to Pick Your Brain

Ed Gandia, co-author of the bestselling book, The Wealthy Freelancer, reveals how to propel your writing business to the six-figure level (or the part-time equivalent). In this nuts-and-bolts, no-nonsense podcast, you'll discover how to get better clients, earn more in less time, and bring more freedom and joy into your writing business. Ed will walk you through the practical, "doable" systems and strategies he has developed in his own writing business — the same systems he has taught his private coaching clients. He'll also show you what's working for other business writers by bringing you real case studies from the field. And he'll share all this information in an honest and transparent way, with no hype or fluff. Topics covered include: getting better and higher-paying clients; banishing the feast-or-famine cycle; doing more of the work that excites you; how to raise your fees and rates; boosting your productivity; making your business recession-proof; discovering and leveraging your strengths; finding your niche; pricing content writing projects; pricing copywriting projects; writing white papers; writing case studies; writing web copy; writing articles; and much more.

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#358: How to Handle Client Requests to Pick Your Brain

#358: How to Handle Client Requests to Pick Your Brain

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