Every founder has their “first major failure” story.

This is mine. And trust me—it’s not pretty.

It was back when I was stepping out of the “freelancer” shadow, trying to carve a space in the agency world. 

I’d started figuring out LinkedIn, landing inbound leads, and feeling like I was on the right track.

Then he came along.

A fund manager. No mutuals. Cold inbound.

The message was flattering: “Josh, I’ve been following your content—love what you’re doing. Let’s work together.”

Biggest deal of my life at the time: $3,000/month for three months.

Zero red flags. He seemed solid. I was hyped.

Three posts a week, 24/7 support, monthly content calls—it was all set.

The first week was smooth. 

He loved the content. Calls were energising. Ideas were flowing.

Second week was when the cracks started showing.

When I nudged about the invoice, he said, “Let’s discuss it on Sunday.”

Weird. But fine.

Except Sunday came, and he didn’t show up.

He ghosted. And I mean completely. No responses to texts, emails, LinkedIn messages, or even WhatsApp.

This guy fell off the face of the Earth.

I’d delivered weeks of work. Meanwhile, my other clients were sidelined because I was all in on this deal.

The signs were there, but I ignored them.

Until it got worse.

To manage his engagement, I outsourced to an agency. Big mistake.

They overpromised and underdelivered- Spammy, AI-generated comments. Missed deadlines. Zero accountability.

It was a nightmare. I ended up babysitting their work while juggling the mess with this client.

And then, it hit me.

I’d been scammed.

What This Mess Taught Me

1/ Trust, but verify
When someone comes out of nowhere, take the time to investigate.

Who are they? What’s their track record? If something feels off, it probably is.

Skipping due diligence cost me big here, and it’s a mistake I won’t make twice.

2/ Set your terms—and stick to them.

Payment upfront is non-negotiable.

No payment, no work. Period.

This simple rule now runs my business because chasing invoices is a fast track to burnout.

3/ Slow down.
Excitement makes you overlook the cracks.

Rushing into a deal blinds you to red flags and drains your energy.

Slowing down not only gives you clarity but also ensures you’re working on the right opportunities.

4/ Work with trusted people.
Outsourcing is necessary for growth, but the wrong partners can wreck everything.

Choosing cheap or fast options without vetting their quality will always backfire.

Building a trusted team takes time, but it’s worth it.

5/ Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Putting all your energy into one client feels great—until they vanish.

Having multiple deals in progress protects your business, your focus, and your future.

A steady pipeline ensures no single client can break you.

Looking back, this failure was inevitable—and necessary.

It taught me to run Notice Me(dia) like a business, not a one-man show.

Today, I operate with systems, processes, and boundaries that protect both me and my team.

Failures like this suck. But they’re also goldmines of lessons.

So, if you’re in the trenches,

remember this: mistakes aren’t the end. They’re just the ugly, necessary stepping stones to something better.

If you’re curious about how we run the show at Notice Me(dia), I’ve spilled the tea in my latest LinkedIn posts—definitely worth a scroll. Take a peek here.

Oh, and if you missed it, I wrote a newsletter on recession-proofing your agency. Catch it here.

Here’s a little gem I snapped for you.

Catch you next Thursday,
—Josh