I'd make a lot more money if I accepted every project on the table. But there'd be consequences.

pantone leavesPantone leaves by Chris Glass

Each project would get less of my attention.
The quality of my work would suffer.
Clients would be less satisfied.
I wouldn’t get as many future offers.

So it’d be a short-term gain for a long-term loss.

Because I often say "no" to potential clients, I place more value on my time and build a stronger foundation for my business. And the clients I do work with get a higher quality of service.

Don’t feel that you need to say "yes" to everyone who comes your way.

It pays to say "no."

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Update:
Self-employment advice for designers.