New Dawn Scope Conflict — $5k Contract Reallocation

Overview

A scope conflict surfaced during a February 2026 marketing and website call between Asymmetric (Sebastian Gant, Melissa Cusumano) and A New Dawn Therapy (Katie Geiser). The two parties hold materially different understandings of what the original $5,000 contract covers. The conflict was not resolved on the call; Sebastian committed to consulting AAG leadership and delivering a written proposal.

The Conflict

Client's Position (Katie Geiser)

The $5k contract covers the full scope: website build + SEO optimization + Google Ads strategy.
KG has already delivered all copy, images, page structure, and template layouts — she views the remaining work (build, SEO, ads) as AAG's responsibility under the original agreement.
She has not been informed of any scope change and pushed back directly: "I thought the keywords and the SEO optimization was already a part of the original scope."

Agency's Position (Sebastian Gant)

The $5k budget was reallocated to cover the unexpected Elementor rebuild, which consumed the project's remaining capacity.
SEO and Google Ads are now considered post-project retainer services, not deliverables within the original contract.
SG acknowledged he cannot make final commitments without consulting AAG leadership, as scope and contract decisions are above his authority.

Key Exchange

KG: "Along with that pricing too, because it sounds like through the original scope, it's with like the Google Ads, the SEO kind of like optimization."

SG: "I think that initial five grand for the initial project, I think that's just shifted into like the website build… any other stuff, kind of the strategy, the SEO, the whatever that comes after will kind of fold into… a retainer."

KG: "No, what do you mean by that?"

Contributing Factors

Elementor rebuild was presented as complimentary. KG understood the switch to Elementor as a no-cost convenience upgrade, not a reallocation of budget. SG confirmed the build portion is complimentary, but the design of new pages is not.
Design vs. build distinction was not clearly communicated. The rebuild covers building pages from existing designs. Pages without a template require either paid AAG design work or client-provided layouts — a distinction KG was not aware of.
Client has done substantial work. KG wrote all copy, formatted all pages, and created templates. She reasonably expected the remaining deliverables (SEO, ads) to be fulfilled by AAG.
SG lacks authority to resolve unilaterally. Contract and scope decisions sit with AAG leadership, creating a communication gap on the call.

Resolution Path

SG committed to the following before the next meeting (February 27th):

[ ] Consult AAG leadership to clarify what the original $5k contract covers
[ ] Deliver a written proposal that defines:
Agreed-upon project scope going forward
Whether SEO and Google Ads remain in scope or move to a retainer
Pricing for AAG to design new pages (pages without existing templates)
Recommended tools/process for KG to provide design layouts herself (as a lower-cost alternative)

Operational Lessons

Scope Changes Require Written Acknowledgment

When a project pivots (e.g., unexpected rebuild consuming budget), the client must be notified in writing and asked to acknowledge the change. Verbal discussions in recurring calls are insufficient — especially when the client is managing significant personal and business demands and may not register the implication.

"Complimentary" Needs a Clear Boundary

Describing the Elementor rebuild as complimentary without specifying what it excludes (new page design) created a false expectation. Any complimentary service offer should include explicit scope limits in writing.

Retainer Transitions Should Be Scoped Proactively

If the plan was always to move SEO/Ads to a retainer post-build, that transition should have been documented in the original contract or communicated as a formal amendment — not surfaced mid-project when the client asks about deliverables.

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