Okay, my pool is scope creeping me.
Every October I race the first frost. Garden out, coop buttoned up, everything put to bed before the cold sets in. This year there’s a new item on that list, because it’s the pool’s first fall. And I can’t close it, because the chemicals won’t balance. I fix the pH, the alkalinity goes off. I fix the alkalinity, something else needs adjusting. Every trip to the pool store is supposed to be the last one.
Just one more small adjustment. Which is exactly how it happens with clients, too.
One thing I’d tell every designer right now
Scope creep never shows up as a big ask. It shows up as “while you’re here, could you just…” The powder room. One more chair. A quick look at the guest bedroom. Every one of them is small. Together, they’re why it’s December 18th and you’re still placing orders.
The fix isn’t saying no to everything. It’s deciding where the edge is before anyone asks. For me, that’s the November Lock: keep signing clients, keep doing consultations, but no new full design work starts between November 1st and January 2nd. Small asks with a clear finish line are fine. Anything without a finish line waits for January.
Draw that line now, while it’s still October. It’s a lot easier to hold a line you drew ahead of time than one you’re trying to draw in the middle of the holidays.
I wrote the whole thing up in the blog 👇🏼
