“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

I was out with my father, the person who I consult for most things related to work. He might not be from advertising, but his skills and common sense is truly valuable. We were driving to the supermarket I think, can’t really recall. When I started talking about my latest client.

A job that I had been pitching for since October 2018. I was still super jet-lagged from my recent trip to the UK and hit the ground running. I needed this, I needed it so bad. Sleep is for the weak anyways right?

The pitch kept ding-donging, I provided a full Marketing Plan for a year, a timeline for the prelaunch because suddenly the retainer included a launch. I provided them with a 12 months overview that includes – Awareness, Engagement and Sustenance phases. Campaigns were included that required photography and videography to happen before their shop launched.

Sadly there was no sense of urgency to respond from their end. The timeline was not even honoured. Emails that I had sent with questions were ignored until the very last week of the launch of the “Pandora” for slippers. A lot of things were kept ambiguous, so most of the price that was already invoiced was left in ballpark cause key details could not be given till the very very last moment.

The biggest frustration would be the payment. Generally, payments for jobs require a minimum of 50% to execute/mobilise work. But no. The client wanted their own payment structure would thoroughly impact my company’s work execution. But because we believe in good faith, we did move things around to be done at the next phase. Plus the person who introduced me to this particular client felt trustworthy.

My rates are very reasonable compared to my days in my previous 4A’s agencies. All the 4A’s that I had worked for are also international agencies – Leo Burnett, JWT aka J Walter Thompson, Euro RSCG and Bulb Communique. I love structure and some agency offers that. Workflow is so detailed that you have to go through it to ensure deliverables are done well.

So the launch of the “Pandora” for slippers happened despite manic changes less than 3 days for me to change all that had been agreed, purchased and paid. Talk about major stupidity, this is it. I lost money along the way and truth is, profit was so minimal as they had a tight budget for a year’s worth of campaign. I am so embarrassed by the fee if you were to know it.

I work on my own most of the time because I can do a lot of things on my own. I’m rather multitasking for my own good. But when I know I require an additional hand or so, I have no qualms to outsource work.

For instance, I collaborated with Echopunya Studios for Influencers. Designs are a team effort between my company and Fadli Studio. Work was confirmed so last minute that I needed to outsource some task so I could focus on the bigger picture. No, despite the fee that I was getting I was not stingy nor selfish to want to earn more.

I am not in the business to milk people. I want to help and grow businesses. I would have thoroughly appreciated if the client could have been more transparent with their budget and what they wanted. If they wanted just a launch, they should have just said it then beating around the bushes.

Despite the budget, the last minute flip to all things planned, the launched happened smoothly. Let’s save the launch story for another day. You can check it out here at my Instagram

Even the Brand’s Principal congratulated the launch and said it was a job well done. I believe so too. I even had a random buyer from abroad DMing me asking if I was the owner. Damn! My marketing must have been totally lit that she thought I owned it. My cousins thought it was a business of the bf’s and mine. Hehe. I’m just humbly doing my work.

After the launch, things got even messier. Replies took even longer. I followed up but to no avail. I had things set for next phase – photoshoot, DIY Workshop and more. Everything was pending. I knew and I had a hunch stating that all they wanted was just launch and not a retainer. They insisted I did not send the invoice to them. To my amusement, that’s not how it works. A Cost Estimate is sent out, they issue a PO and I send an Invoice before they could pay. Yup, I checked! I did send. They were trying to pick on everything despite my overly achieving KPI.

It saddens me, why do people lie? Why do people breach the contract? Do they not know how “berdosa” it is to not pay someone for their work. It is wrong to delay payment too. They kept it ambiguous.

I cried buckets to my dad, questioning why do people dare do such things. I was hired to advise them based on my experience but if they aren’t even able to comply with their responsibilities as per stated in the contract. How do we even do our best to deliver work? I even raised this matter in emails when they kept negotiating my fee.

I’m sad. I am truly disappointed at how young rich Malays work. I know I don’t have much as you do. But my intent was set right since day one.