The clause that changed everything
The way I stopped chasing payments and started sleeping better
I used to hate month-ends. Because that’s when the chasing would start.
We’d finish a contract. Deliver the work. Send the final invoice. And then silence.
Follow-up emails. Awkward reminders. Wondering if I was being “too pushy” or “not professional enough.”
Sometimes payments would come through after a few days. Other times, it would be weeks. And in a few bad cases, never.
At first, I thought this was just normal. That this is what service providers do — chase after what they’ve already earned.
But deep down, I knew something was off.
I didn’t want to build a business where I was anxious about cash flow every month.
I didn’t want my team to work hard only to be paid late.
And I definitely didn’t want to resent clients because I was scared to send a reminder.
So I went looking for answers. I started studying how other lawyers and consultants were structuring their payment terms.
And that’s when I noticed something that felt obvious — but I had never tried.
Milestone-based payments.
No more 100% at the end. No more “we’ll pay after delivery.” Instead, we split the project into clear stages — and tied payments to those stages.
Onboarding done? First payment.
Contract draft ready? Second payment.
Final delivery? Final payment.
And the game changed.
I could finally predict my cash flow. Clients knew exactly what they were paying for and when. There was less anxiety, fewer follow-ups, and no resentment.
But the surprising part? Clients appreciated it too.
When payments are tied to visible progress, there’s less ambiguity. Less stress for them. They know what’s coming. We know what’s coming. Everyone can breathe a little easier.
And now, every time someone tells me they’re exhausted from chasing payments — I tell them this:
Your problem isn’t bad clients. Your problem is bad structure.
You don’t need to get better at following up. You need to get better at setting terms upfront.
I know how scary it feels to change the way you charge. Especially when you think it might scare off a few leads. But I promise — the right clients will respect you more for it.
Because clear structure is a sign of clear thinking. And clear thinking builds trust.
Try this:
Open your current contract template. Find the payment section. And ask yourself — does this give me peace of mind?
If the answer is no, it’s time to rewrite it. Your sleep is worth more than a late invoice.
Let me know if you’d like a sample milestone clause — happy to share the one I use.
— Akhil
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