If you want to do advisory work, you need mutual trust with your clients.
The trust has to go both ways.
If a client doesn’t trust you, you’ll end up trying to convince them of everything and nothing will get done.
If you don’t trust the client, take that as a serious red flag and protect yourself accordingly.
Advisory work is not a low-touch business. You’re almost partnering with your clients if you do it right.
If trust on either side is in question, either address it head on with the client or move on to greener pastures.
It’s not worth the stress you’ll face nor the unhappy endings.