The problem is custom one-offs aren't always profitable
by MarkT
The work Doc and Punisher do is mostly custom one-offs and if you aren't good at estimating the more customers you have the more money/time you lose. I used to write custom software on fixed-priced contracts. I got out of it because I was always being too nice to the customer in my estimates and having to put way more time into the product than I had estimated. I made money, but when you looked at how much I made per hour it was more profitable to just get a job.
As to dwindling customer base, I wasn't a good marketer either so I can't offer any help there. I do know that referral only doesn't work.
