Every single business owner I know has a story like this. Mine included. You take on a client you’re excited about. The scope is clear. The price feels fair. You’re ready to dive in. But slowly, things shift. You say yes to a few extra meetings. You pick up work that wasn’t originally agreed upon. You want to be helpful. You want to prove your value. You want to be seen as indispensable. Before you know it, you’re carrying a workload double what you priced for and doing it quietly.

This post isn’t theory. It’s a deeply personal reflection on what happens when advisors, consultants, and fractional leaders find themselves overdelivering and underpaid. It includes the wake-up moments, the hidden cost of silence, and the exact steps to reset the relationship with clarity, confidence, and professionalism. Whether you’re in the middle of scope creep or trying to avoid it next time, this is the conversation we all need to have.