Websites Made Simple: How to have a successful website design business20 Okt 2025

How to handle those 'pain in the arse' website clients

Let's talk about the challenges that every website designer and developer has faced at one time or another: those “pain in the arse” clients who constantly try to override your creative process, push for shortcuts, or ignore the boundaries you’ve set.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie!

I’m getting honest about what it feels like when a project just isn’t sitting right—when your heart drops at another problematic email and you start questioning your own approach, especially as everyone else seems to be breezing through perfect testimonials and happy launches.

I’ll share my practical strategies for protecting your boundaries, saying a firm “no” to unethical requests (like copying someone else’s design), and managing difficult clients who want you to queue-jump or abandon your process.

You’ll hear some real stories from my own experience, including how to handle disagreements over design decisions, document your advice, and know when it’s time to offboard a client altogether.

If you’ve ever lost sleep over a challenging project or wondered how to keep your business running smoothly without sacrificing your sanity, this episode is especially for you.

Listen in and let’s talk about how to thrive as a web designer, even when you’re dealing with the trickiest clients.

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 Dealing with Overbearing Clients

04:36 Client Feedback During Design Process

07:23 Client Boundaries and Collaboration

10:15 "Importance of Client Communication"

13:40 Avoid Problem Clients' Retainers

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Resources

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(69)

Why Web Design Stopped Being Fun (And How to Get It Back)

If you've started to fall out of love with web design, it's usually not the design that's the problem.It's the invoices, the contract wording, the awkward client emails, and all the other bits that cr...

7 Sep 13min

Website Designers - Your Clients Could Be Getting Sued Over This

If accessibility has never really come up in your work, it isn’t because you’re careless — it’s because almost nobody teaches it. Not the courses, not the diplomas, and definitely not the platforms we...

24 Aug 29min

The Website Manual Hack That Ends "How Do I Log In" Forever!

If your clients keep coming back with “How do I log in?” and “How do I change an image?”, it isn’t because they’re difficult.It’s because nobody ever handed them a manual for the thing you just built ...

10 Aug 18min

Want to build a sustainable website design business? Here's how.

If you’re overworked, underpaid, and doing every single part of your web design business alone, the problem usually isn’t your skills.It’s that no one ever showed you how to build the business around ...

27 Juli 24min

You're Not Doing Web Design Wrong — You Just Weren't Told This

Nobody handed most of us a manual for this.Web design is a self-taught industry, so we all arrive from different angles, with different tools, and it's far too easy to decide you're "doing it wrong" t...

13 Juli 20min

How to sign off a website project properly: a free checklist

A messy sign-off leaves a messy memory — and it’s one of the easiest things to fix with the right checklist in place.Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.Check ou...

29 Juni 20min

Stop Tech Shaming: What Actually Matters in a Website Build

If you’ve ever been made to feel that your tech stack is wrong, or that using a page builder makes you less of a “real” developer, this episode is here to give you a reality check.Welcome to another e...

15 Juni 11min

Why you need to outsource in your website design business

If you're putting in the work, showing up, doing everything you can — and still turning over the same amount of money year on year — this episode is for you.Check out my popular group mentoring progra...

1 Juni 16min