8 logos with real numbers by month 4 is the part that got me. I always said hire your way out of it, because firing clients felt like turning down money. But 22 clients means you're spread thin and nobody gets your best work. The Dallas shop didn't just cut, they made those 8 prove they were worth keeping, and that's the move. Hiring someone just adds payroll to a mess you haven't fixed yet. Cut first, then hire when the 8 are running smooth.

How big is it and does the chipping go all the way around the edges or just on one side? Plow damage usually looks random, but if the flakes come off in a pattern like a fan, that's a good sign someone made it on purpose.

Blanching at 300 for 4 minutes was a game changer for me too.