Every business owner knows the sick feeling of an unpaid invoice. The work is done, the relationship was good, and then the payment simply does not come. Zakia Khalid recovers that money for a living, and she does it without the baseball bat. This conversation is about asking for what is yours, and why doing so is not the thing that damages a relationship.
Let's Dive Into the Highlights
- It takes two hands to clap: Chasing an invoice four times does not make you the one harming the relationship. The party who stopped honouring the agreement took the first step.
- Are they really your best client? A customer who places lots of orders but never pays on time may not be the asset they appear to be.
- The compounding cost: An unpaid bill costs twice: once for the work already done, and again for the time and energy spent chasing it.
- The missing S: One client chased payment for ages with no reply. She had been sending invoices to an email address missing a single letter. Once corrected, the payment came through.
- Pay the small businesses first: Aditi shares her own early policy of letting a large telecom bill default before ever leaving a small supplier waiting, because the small business feels it and the giant does not.
Behind the Breakthrough
Zakia Khalid is an independent solicitor, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, specialising in debt recovery and litigation from pre-action conduct through to enforcement. Her model is built around accessibility and affordability, giving small and medium-sized businesses the kind of legal support that larger firms often price out of reach.
She is a trusted partner to finance companies, debt collection agencies, and businesses across the UK and internationally, known for clear, commercially sound advice that favours resolution over the courtroom. She also hosts the podcast Calm the Conflict: The Art of Resolution.
The Guest Said It Best
“It takes two hands to clap.”
“Are they actually your best customer if they are not paying you on time?”
“Time is energy. So give it, put it in the hands of a specialist.”
“It can be done with compassion. It can be done with grace, debt recovery. It doesn’t have to be all ugly.”
“Don’t be afraid to ask for what is yours.”
“Every business deserves to be paid for the work that they do.”
Key Takeaways
- Reframe who is harming the relationship: If you have chased politely and repeatedly, you are not the one putting the relationship at risk. The non-payer already did.
- Build a one-page credit control process: Write down when invoices go out, when reminders follow, and the point at which you escalate. Most digital invoicing tools can automate the reminders for you.
- Make payment terms and methods crystal clear: Put your terms, any late penalties, and your bank details plainly on the invoice or in a signed contract. Vague or unsigned agreements make recovery slower and harder.
- A formal demand signals seriousness: A solicitor’s letter before action shows the other side you are ready to take the next step, and it often moves you up a long line of waiting creditors.
- Pick up the phone before sending another email: When a larger client stalls, the finance team is often detached from the work. Speaking directly to the people you work with moves things faster than another reminder in the inbox.
A Question for You
Think about the invoice you have been putting off chasing. What is really stopping you from picking up the phone today, and what would it take to ask, plainly, for what is already yours?
Take the Next Step
Zakia helps businesses recover unpaid invoices and trains credit control teams across the UK, including those contracting with parties abroad. She also hosts the podcast Calm the Conflict: The Art of Resolution, on mediation and alternative dispute resolution, available on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms.
Website: www.zakiakhalidlaw.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zakiakhalid/
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/40xJaA8cXxnLhHWkvCJT9U?si=c1256d6870214eaf
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Connect with Making of an Empire
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Website: https://www.plentitudestrategy.com/
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