A client threatened to “ruin my reputation” unless I refunded a non-refundable deposit. Then came the one-star Google review and the plot twist that made my reputation stronger. Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie! In this episode I share the whole story, how I responded, and what to put in place so one angry client can’t tank your business. If you’re a website designer or dev who’s ever ignored red flags (yep, me too), this one’s for you.Skip to the good bits:00:00 "Client Conflicts and Resilience"06:15 "One-Star Reviews Often Misleading"09:00 "Responding to a 1-Star Review"11:39 "Phoenix Program: Transform Your Career"When a client threatens to ruin your reputation, here’s the exact playbook to protect your brand and flip the narrative—fast.For web designers/developers dealing with scope creep, 1-star bombs, and refund pressure.Handle non-refundable deposits without panicWhat to write under a 1-star reviewTurn a bad review into social proof on LinkedInRed flags: endless meetings, too many stakeholdersBoundaries in contracts & terms that actually holdChapters:00:00 When a client threatens your reputation (nightmare setup)02:00 ‘Go-away pricing’, red flags & endless meetings05:00 Stalemate, terms, and the non-refundable deposit06:15 The threat + the 1-star review hits08:18 Posting it on LinkedIn—community flips the script10:00 Why it strengthened my reputation12:00 Lessons: boundaries, meetings, and saying no13:00 Phoenix Programme can help with thisMy site: https://websitesmadesimple.co.ukPhoenix Programme: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/phoenix-programmePodcast page: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/podcast