Agreed re the cultural phenomenon. I think one of the things that makes people vulnerable to this is that it’s hard to “ask for the sale” and by extension, to a

Agreed re the cultural phenomenon. I think one of the things that makes people vulnerable to this is that it’s hard to “ask for the sale” and by extension, to ask for payment ahead of time, or even on time, when you’re starting out. Most of us have this inner sense of “How dare I?” ask for money. Even when it’s earned and perfectly honest or in direct payment for your directly contributed labor. This is what makes raising money hard and it’s what makes sales hard. And it is what allows people like this to take advantage of those who work hard without paying them for a surprisingly long time.