# 02 — Client onboarding

Use before the first paid job or recurring engagement.

## Before kickoff

- [ ] Problem statement in one sentence (customer-approved)
- [ ] Scope boundaries: in / out / later
- [ ] Success metric the customer can observe in 7–14 days
- [ ] Decision-maker and day-to-day contact named
- [ ] Access, materials, site constraints documented

## Kickoff call / visit

- [ ] Restate problem and success metric; get verbal yes
- [ ] Confirm schedule, response-time expectation, and change process
- [ ] Capture billing method and invoice timing (even if unpaid trial)
- [ ] Agree on the first deliverable and due date
- [ ] Send written summary within 24 hours

## First 7 days

- [ ] Deliver first artifact or service touch
- [ ] Ask one question: “What should we change immediately?”
- [ ] Log risks that could break week 2
- [ ] Update the checklist with account-specific quirks

## Non-claims

This checklist does not replace contracts or licensed advice. Adapt to your trade.