I've been doing client-facing Fortune 500 and startup tech consulting for about 30 years. If you're good, be choosey about clients and only work with the ones w

I've been doing client-facing Fortune 500 and startup tech consulting for about 30 years. If you're good, be choosey about clients and only work with the ones who will pay by the week, or preferably, by the milestone. You want to know your time is going to good use and that they're not going to get resentful or have any question about delivery. Keep them apprised of progress, manage expectations, issues and demonstrate progress consistently... toiling away head-down doesn't mean anything on its own. You want to deliver as fast and with quality as you reasonably can... non-blocking, get-it-done, tempered impatience work-ethic. Also, a master agreement is a good idea. And then each contract is a short and simple diff off that. Makes it less painful for both parties.