I want to vent and consult others on how they navigate desperate situations.

I develop inventory systems for companies and small businesses. Over the last three weeks, I spoke to someone interested in my service. I had a call where I explained what system to implement, how to calculate replenishment costs for their business, travel time costs, and what technology to use, covering all the critical points to consider. He told me he appreciated my genuine interest in his business and mentioned that the agencies he’d consulted didn’t show the same level of effort to understand his needs.

Currently, I’m in a situation where I need to find clients, so I started searching for opportunities on UpWork. I came across a project that sounded like something I would have come up with myself. I sent a message to the client, and to my surprise, it was the same person who had previously praised my service. He had published the project using phrases directly copied from our chat.

How do you handle situations like this? My approach to finding clients has always been about offering value, showing them my expertise, and genuinely helping. But honestly, I’m in financial need, and this experience has really lowered my mood.