Not every signed client should become an active client. The onboarding period is your last low-cost exit window, and most service businesses blow right past the warning signs because they are too focused on being helpful. In this article, I break down the 7 red flags that reliably predict nightmare engagements: the client who wants to skip your process, the one who cannot stop badmouthing their last provider, the decision maker who vanishes after signing, the scope creep that starts before setup is done, the silent treatment after the first task, the boundary pushback, and the budget renegotiation that surfaces after the ink is dry. I also share a framework for what to do when you spot one, because not every red flag means you should walk away. Sometimes it just means you need to adjust.