Before bed, I opened the contract again.
I still hadn’t decided whether to end the deal that was costing me money. I’d opened just one contract under the covers, but it wasn’t the only thing I…
A counselor and a small business owner unsure whether to end a money-losing contract look together at costs they hadn’t considered.
At eleven at night, Minseo opens the contract again in bed before falling asleep. Ever since silently accepting the terms set by the other party, the losses have been adding up month after month. At their session the next day, Minseo worries that ending the contract could also end the relationship with the client. Haewol points out how the costs attached to both paths overlap, like two routes on one map. Minseo falls silent and presses down on the corner of the contract. The story hasn’t reached a decision yet.
When you’re unsure whether to end a money-losing contract
Looking at the costs of staying and leaving one at a time can make the choice feel a little less heavy.
Which part of the contract do you keep turning back to?
The silence as Minseo presses down on the corner of the contract stays with me. Ending the losses and ending the relationship with the client seemed to overlap on the same page. If there’s a paper you find yourself opening again and again at night, tell me about that story too. I’ll look through it with you.
Scenes
- 01 · Changing the terms The afternoon the terms changed — The client contact says they’re raising the fee in the contract. Minseo looks down at the paper, pen in hand. Client Contact: We’ll raise the fee starting this month. The rest of the contract stays as is. Minseo: Okay… I’ll do that.
- 02 · Profit and loss, night after night The losses add up — After that, whenever losses piled up, Minseo opened the contract and profit-and-loss sheet again before bed.
- 03 · What’s left if I end it I’m afraid we’ll lose touch — Minseo worries that ending the contract could also end the relationship with the client. An unsent termination notice lies beside the contract. Minseo: I keep losing money, but I’m scared that if I end it, I’ll lose the client too. Haewol: Minseo, there are costs on both paths: stopping the losses and keeping the relationship going. Which part of the contract feels heaviest to you?
- 04 · The paper left at the end of her words Still unable to close it — Instead of answering, Minseo presses down on the corner of the contract. The losses began the day they accepted the terms set by the client contact. Haewol: The losses started piling up the day you accepted the terms. What keeps drawing you back to the contract, even after that day? Minseo: ……
Stories by Haewol
- Haewol
- When I turn out the light and lie down, I think again about the personal information I shared.
- After the meeting, when I get back, I start second-guessing the habit I wanted to change.
- Thinking about a new customer base wakes me before dawn.
- Even after the funeral, I’m still unsure whether to leave the group or stay.
- Sitting in the parked car, I try not to call Mom first.
- In the hospital waiting room, she imagines welcoming new customers.
- Even while shopping, I can't bring myself to say it.
- By the rainy window, I’m unsure whether we should manage our money together.