How I Lost a Great Designer Over $2,000

I still remember the email. Short. To the point.
“Hey, I really wanted to work with you, but I’ve decided to take another offer. They matched my expectation.”

Just like that, a designer I’d been wooing for weeks slipped away. Over $2,000.

The Setup

It was a perfect match. The designer was exactly what my client needed—sharp thinker, strong portfolio, great cultural fit. The company was equally great—a fantastic team, a product that excited the designer, and solid long-term career growth. The offer was fair. Good, even.

But the designer wanted $2,000 more.

The company said no.

The Stakes

I knew how this would play out.

The designer wasn’t bluffing. Another company had already met their ask. But I also knew the hiring manager’s reasoning: “We don’t want to start a precedent.”

I pushed back. “$2,000 isn’t a precedent. It’s a rounding error. You love this candidate. They love you. Let’s not lose them over a number you won’t even remember in three months.”

The hiring manager held firm.

The designer walked.

The Aftermath

A month later, the company still hadn’t found another designer. The hiring manager emailed me: “Can we reach out to them again?”

I already knew the answer. The designer was thriving in their new role. They weren’t coming back.

And the company? They ended up hiring someone three months later—at a salary $5,000 higher than what the original designer had asked for.

The Lesson

Salary negotiations aren’t about winning. They’re about alignment. If you find someone great, don’t nickel-and-dime them. The cost of losing them is almost always greater than the cost of paying a little more.

I learned that lesson the hard way. Hopefully, you won’t have to.