If you've seen Braveheart, there's a part where the English cavalry is charging, and a gritty Mel Gibson yells, 'HODL! HODL!' before finally screaming, "Now!" (which sounds suspiciously like 'No' in that thick Scottish accent). Learning to hold and say 'no' is crucial. Now, you don't have to scream it in your client's face or impale them with long spears while chaos erupts. A well-timed 'No' is valuable to the client, the project's success, investor resources, and everyone's time. It's far better to face the discomfort of an awkward conversation now than to be six months deep, promising the next "Ethereum killer."

When clients demand unrealistic blockchain features or timelines, it’s important to set clear, achievable expectations early. I once had a client who expected instant scalability on a public blockchain without accounting for transaction fees or delays. By breaking down the technical challenges and providing detailed projections, we realigned the project goals. Use data and real-world examples to explain potential limitations, and suggest phased implementations to gradually achieve their vision. This approach fosters trust and keeps the project on a realistic path.

Setting expectations about what blockchain can and will do for the clients involves effective communication. Highlighting the benefits and limitations of the technology, casing studies in a demonstration, and emphasizing the importance of going with a phased approach so that a proper understanding of achievable goals and timeframes is had by the client.