Crack the Client Code: How to Discover the Hidden Wealth in Each Client

by Mike McDerment, Donald Cowper

A book for freelancers explaining the power of client relationships.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

122 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Mike McDerment is the co-founder and CEO of FreshBooks, the #1 cloud accounting solution designed for small business owners. In 2003, Mike built FreshBooks for his own small design firm and then moved into his parent’s basement for 3.5 years to get the business off the ground. Since then, over 5,000, 000 people have used FreshBooks to save time billing and collect billions of dollars—without ever having to learn accounting.

Before co-founding FreshBooks, Mike felt he was on a treadmill with his design firm. He was billing by the hour and not earning as much as he was worth. So he rethought everything. As a result, in 2004, he worked just 19 days and made over $200,000, helping to fund FreshBooks. His first book, Breaking the Time Barrier, was written so Mike could share with other small business owners just how he did that.

Bestselling authors Tim Ferriss, Michael Gerber and Daniel Pink have all offered their praise for Mike’s first book.

Follow Mike on Twitter or check out the FreshBooks site to see what keeps Mike busy.

Reviews

[Dominique · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free as marketing handout for FreshBooks. At first I was apprehensive of business fable format, and how it is along winded approach to explaining a few bullet points of knowledge. Also, they chose "This book shows you how to work smarter, not harder, and grow a thriving business." as the cover review. Can it get any more clichéd? Still, within a few pages —this is incredibly light reading by the way— I quickly found myself immersed and wanting to continue. The format does engage you into thinking about the concepts more than their acknowledged "common sense" nature could achieve as a list.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book on a "Creative morning" talk, because Fresh Books were sponsors at this time. This is a small book about how to improve your relationship with your clients, easy to read and very practice, almost the writer makes a list of the steps you have to do, like a recipe.

It´s possible that you aren´t going to learn anything new, but the power of this book is the way that the story is told, not the topic. The message engage me to think about how I build my business relationships on the past, and let me think how I want to build them in the future.

It´s a very inspiring reading, I highly recommend it.

[Osvaldo Vargas · Rating 5 out of 5]

the best book

[Christian Jespersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like breaking the time barrier, Mike has written an easy to read, but hugely impactful book, based one strong ability - writing a relateable story.

Though in a completely different industry and different skill set, I could one 100 % percent relate to the situation the main protagonist was going through. Struggling to find new and enough clients as a freelancer or independent worker.

But via a storyttelling coaching session, you learn about a better approach vicariously through the eyes of someone, who's in the same shoes.

I finished the book yesterday, and the approach seems so incredible simple (as the author also states), yet very powerful.
And I will, already from today, start to implement it.

Thanks for writing this book, Mike McDerment, and sharing it for free.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much from this little book that I read it every few years.

[Hugo Ferreira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply GREAT!

[Juanma]

Love the way he the author tells a story while embeding his teachings