From solo
This skill should be used when the user asks to 'manage retainer', 'retainer utilization', or 'retainer status'.
npx claudepluginhub jamon8888/cc-suite --plugin SoloThis skill uses the workspace's default tool permissions.
Retainers are the most valuable revenue type for a solopreneur: recurring, predictable, and relationship-deepening. But unmanaged retainers become liabilities — you over-deliver (working for free), under-deliver (risking cancellation), or let them renew on autopilot without renegotiating scope that has crept beyond the original value.
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Retainers are the most valuable revenue type for a solopreneur: recurring, predictable, and relationship-deepening. But unmanaged retainers become liabilities — you over-deliver (working for free), under-deliver (risking cancellation), or let them renew on autopilot without renegotiating scope that has crept beyond the original value.
This skill makes every retainer relationship visible and proactively managed.
For each retainer, maintain a record at data/1-Projets/clients/[client]-retainer.md:
# Retainer: [Client Name]
**Status:** Active / At Risk / Renewal Pending / Paused
**Monthly Fee:** €[X]
**Contract Period:** [Start date] → [End date or rolling]
**Renewal Date:** [Date]
**Auto-Renewal:** Yes / No / 30-day notice required
## Retainer Scope
[What is included each month — hours or deliverables]
- [Item 1]
- [Item 2]
- Monthly hours (if hours-based): [X] hours/month
## Monthly Utilization Log
| Month | Hours Used | Deliverables | Health | Notes |
|-------|-----------|--------------|--------|-------|
| [Month] | [X]h | [list] | 🟢/🟡/🔴 | |
## Relationship Health
- Last conversation (outside deliveries): [date]
- Satisfaction signals: [positive / neutral / negative]
- Expansion signals: [any mentions of more work?]
- Churn signals: [budget reviews, reorganization, reduced responsiveness?]
## Renewal Notes
[What to discuss at next renewal]
Track monthly against the agreed hours:
| Utilization | Signal | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| 90–110% of included hours | 🟢 Healthy | Client is getting full value |
| 70–90% | 🟡 Under-using | May question value at renewal |
| <70% for 2+ months | 🔴 Under-using | Renewal at risk |
| 110–130% | 🟡 Over-delivering | Working for free |
| >130% | 🔴 Severe over-delivery | Address immediately |
Under-delivery action: When utilization drops below 70% for 2 months, proactively contact the client:
"I've noticed we haven't used your full retainer capacity recently. I want to make sure you're getting full value. What are you working on right now where I could be most useful?"
This shows care, prompts work, and prevents silent non-renewal.
Over-delivery action: When utilization exceeds 130%, flag immediately:
"I've gone over this month's included hours. Let me know how you'd like to handle this: I can invoice the extra [X] hours separately, we can roll them forward, or we can discuss adjusting the retainer scope."
Never silently absorb over-delivery — it trains clients to expect unlimited work.
Track what was agreed vs. delivered:
| Month | Agreed Deliverables | Delivered | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Month] | [list] | [list] | ✅ / ⚠️ / ❌ |
Flag any month where agreed deliverables were not fully delivered — and communicate proactively before the client notices.
Score each retainer monthly (0–10):
| Signal | Weight | Green | Yellow | Red |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment on time | 2pts | Always | 1-7 days late | 8+ days late |
| Utilization level | 2pts | 80-110% | 60-80% or 110-130% | <60% or >130% |
| Communication responsiveness | 2pts | <24h reply | 1-3 days | 4+ days |
| Proactive engagement | 2pts | They initiate requests | Passive | Radio silence |
| Renewal timeline | 2pts | 90+ days away | 30-60 days | <30 days |
Score interpretation:
Track all retainer renewal dates in a single overview:
# Retainer Renewal Calendar
| Client | Monthly Fee | Renewal Date | Days Away | Risk Score | Action |
|--------|-------------|-------------|-----------|------------|--------|
| [Name] | €[X] | [date] | [X] | 8/10 | Prepare renewal proposal |
| [Name] | €[X] | [date] | [X] | 5/10 | Schedule check-in this week |
| [Name] | €[X] | [date] | [X] | 3/10 | At risk — intervention needed |
The goal is not to sell the renewal — it's to understand whether the retainer is still serving both parties.
Your questions:
What you're listening for:
Subject: [Client] Retainer Renewal — [Period]
Hi [Name],
It's been [X months] working together, and I wanted to make sure the retainer
still makes sense for what you need.
**What we've done together:**
[Brief bullets of value delivered — use specific outcomes, not just tasks]
**What I'd propose for the next period:**
[Adjusted scope if anything has changed, or "same terms" if stable]
- Monthly fee: €[X] [same / adjusted from €X to €X because Y]
- Included: [scope items]
- Term: [period]
**Why I've adjusted [if applicable]:**
[Transparent reason — usually rates, scope expansion, or value delivered]
Let me know if you'd like to discuss before I send the updated agreement.
[Your name]
When a repeat client comes back for another project, present the retainer option:
When to propose a retainer:
Retainer pitch script:
"I've noticed we've done [X] projects together over [period]. At this point, it might make more sense for both of us to structure this as a monthly retainer — you get priority access to my time and a lower effective rate, and I get predictability. Here's what that could look like: [€X/month for Y hours or Z deliverables]. Want me to put together a retainer proposal?"
invoice-generator: Monthly retainer invoices should be auto-templatedfinancial-health: Retainer MRR feeds revenue forecastingclient-lifecycle-agent: Triggers renewal action at 60 daysbusiness-health-advisor: Retainer coverage is a key health dimensioncapacity-planner: Retainer hours are baseline committed capacity each monthreferences/retainer-types.md: Four retainer models (hours, deliverables, access, advisory) with pros/cons and ideal client profilesreferences/renewal-negotiation.md: Scripts for rate increases, scope adjustments, and difficult renewal conversations