What Nobody Tells You About Custom Work
There's a hidden cost and trap that I've escaped from.
Custom work sounds great.
Until you’re drowning in it.
At first, I thought custom projects made me valuable, or indispensable at times.
Clients needed me. My work was “special.”
Indeed, there’s only one of me.
The reality is that, this is what we do to make ourselves feel safe.
Find a bubble, crawl into that cozy spot to work, make money, work and make more money.
I did just that for a long time.
Every project was different.
Every client wanted something unique.
Every week felt like starting from scratch.
I was stuck in an endless loop of revisions, scope creep, and late nights.
Here’s what nobody tells you:
Custom work isn’t scalable.
Custom work keeps you trapped.
Custom work makes you the bottleneck.
I didn’t realize it at first. But the more I said yes to custom work, the more I saw myself losing my freedom, growth, and profit.
Here’s what I wish I knew earlier.
Clients Don’t Actually Want Custom Work
Clients love customization. Really?
Not so fast.
Clients don’t actually want custom work. They want to work with you.
They trust you. They believe in your skills. They know you deliver results.
So when they ask for something custom, it’s not because they need a fully unique solution.
It’s because they assume working with you = better outcomes.
I used to bend over backward creating custom everything—thinking it made me more valuable.
But one day, I tested something.
Instead of saying, “Sure, what do you need?”
I said, “Here’s what I offer, here’s the price and my team will assist you.”
Guess what? They still said yes.
Because what they really wanted wasn’t custom.
They wanted my way of doing things.
It also doesn’t matter if I was the one executing every task.
You could hand them John, Mary, Sally, so long they are under your name, they are happy.
And when I packaged my process into a productized offer, clients were actually relieved.
No more decisions.
No more “figuring things out.”
Just a simple, proven path to the result they wanted.
If you think clients need customization, think again.
What they really need is to work with you or your team for a clear, trusted solution.
Clients Need 100% Results
Here’s the truth:
Clients don’t care about custom.
They may mention the word “custom”, that’s because that’s probably the only word they know to use.
I realised they may not mean 100% what they say they want.
What I do know is they 100% care about getting results.
I used to offer everything: custom logos, websites, brand strategy, social media kits.
Clients would pick what they thought they needed.
But after dozens of projects, I noticed a pattern.
Most of them don’t really know what and who they should hire to help them.
That’s when I asked myself:
What’s the fastest way to get them results?
What’s the one thing they always ask for?
For me, one of those things is “Brand in a Week.” A high-impact brand identity.
If you are a web designer, you may offer: A one-page, conversion-optimized site in 48 hours.
For a copywriter? A done-for-you sales page that converts.
Once I productized my offer, everything got easier.
More sales. Less work. No stress.
3. Stop Being a “Yes” Machine (AKA The McDonald’s Rule)
Ever walked into McDonald’s and asked for a burger with truffle mayo, caramelized onions, and a gluten-free bun?
Didn’t think so.
McDonald’s has a menu. You pick from what’s available.
No special requests. No custom orders.
You could remove pickles, but no changing buns.
That’s exactly how your business should run.
For years, I was the opposite of McDonald’s.
Clients would ask, “Can you tweak this?” and I was flexible as Elastigirl from Incredibles.
“Can you add this one little thing?” Yes.
“Can we mix and match from different packages?” Uhh… yes?
I thought saying yes made me helpful.
But all it did was make me overworked, underpaid, and exhausted.
Worst of all, the clients remained dissatisfied, still asking for more.
So, I created a menu.
No custom requests.
No “just this one time” favors.
One clear, repeatable offer.
When clients asked for something outside the menu?
I’d say, “Here’s what I offer. Pick what works best for you.”
And you know what? Nobody pushed back.
Because just like at McDonald’s, people respect clear options.
If you’re still customizing everything, stop.
Create your menu. Stick to it.
4. How to Stop Custom Work Without Losing Clients
I thought if I stopped offering custom work, clients would disappear.
Like *poof…*gone.
So, I kept saying yes. Yes to custom projects. Yes to one-off requests. Yes to things I didn’t even want to do.
Because I was scared.
But here’s what I didn’t realize:
Clients don’t leave because you change your offer.
They leave because you don’t show them why the new way is better.
So when I decided to productize my service, I didn’t just drop a bomb like, “Hey, no more custom work. Take it or leave it.”
Instead, I made it feel like an upgrade.
Instead of:
❌ “I don’t do custom work anymore.”
I said:
✅ “I’ve refined my process to get you better results, faster.”
Instead of:
❌ “I only offer fixed packages now.”
I said:
✅ “Now you get exactly what you need—without the back-and-forth.”
Instead of:
❌ “No more custom requests.”
I said:
✅ “This new model removes delays and keeps pricing simple.”
I even let my best clients “beta test” the new offer at a special rate.
And they stayed on, happier than ever.
Nobody cared that it wasn’t custom anymore.
They just wanted a clear, fast, and proven solution.
If you’re scared to stop custom work, don’t just drop it, reframe it.
Show clients why it’s better, not why they’re losing something.
5. The Hidden Reason Clients Don’t Refer You
I used to think that if clients loved my work, they’d naturally refer me.
Makes sense, right? Happy clients = more word-of-mouth.
But then I noticed something weird…
Some of my best, most loyal clients never sent referrals.
Not because they didn’t love my work.
But because of something nobody talks about.
The “Selfish Client” Mindset:
“I want to refer you… but I also want you all to myself.”
Yep. Some clients won’t share you because they don’t want to lose access.
They love your work. They love how much attention they get. And deep down, they’re afraid that if more people find you, you’ll be too busy for them.
So, they stay quiet. They keep you as their best-kept secret.
That’s when I realized:
Referrals alone won’t scale my business.
I needed a model that didn’t depend on clients ‘sharing’ me.
I had to stop being “the go-to person” and start building a system.
The moment I productized my service, everything changed.
Clients no longer needed “exclusive access” to me—because my service wasn’t about me.
Instead of being a custom freelancer, I became a productized business.
And guess what? The clients who never referred me before?
They happily sent people my way—because they knew my business could handle it.
Lesson: If your clients are hoarding you like a secret, it’s time to systemize and scale.
What Nobody Tells You About Custom Work
Custom work feels premium. But it’s the fastest way to burn out.
If you’re stuck in endless one-off projects, here’s your way out:
Find what your clients actually need, not what they think they need.
Package it into a clear, repeatable offer.
Sell it like a product, not a service.
Stick to your menu. No exceptions.
Position it as an upgrade, not a restriction.
The moment I stopped offering custom work, my business became simpler, more profitable, and way less stressful.
If you’re tired of starting over with every project, it’s time to change.
I’ve compiled everything I’ve learned into a Cashflow Creator Playbook
It’s the exact tried and tested blueprint I wish I had when I started , no fluff, just my own true experiences, actionable strategies that have helped me get unstuck from $5000 per month and beyond.