Not all clients are good for business.

Yes, I said it.

Just because someone is paying you doesn’t mean they’re profitable.
Or energising.
Or aligned with where you’re trying to go.

In fact, some clients despite being “nice”, are silently keeping you stuck.

Here’s the hard truth:

You can’t grow a premium business if you’re still serving misfit clients out of guilt.

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I once kept a client for 18 months too long because they “weren’t that bad.”

They underpaid, over-expected, missed deadlines, and stressed my team.
But I justified it:

“At least it’s money coming in.”
“We need the work right now.”
“We’ll fix it after this next big pitch…”

Spoiler: We didn’t.
And it cost us way more than it earned.

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3 Types of Clients That Keep You Small

1. The Scope Creeper

Starts with a small ask. Ends with “Can you just quickly…”

They blur boundaries, avoid upgrades, and expect VIP treatment without the VIP price.

✅ Solution: Productise your services. Set crystal-clear deliverables, timelines, and revision limits. Then enforce them.

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2. The Always-Negotiator

Wants a discount every time. Questions your rates. Makes you feel guilty for charging what you’re worth.

You lower your prices to land them and end up resenting every minute of the project.

✅ Solution: Set a minimum engagement rate. Stick to it. If they can’t afford you, they’re not your client.

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3. The Energy Vampire

Not rude. Just draining.
They don’t trust your process. Need constant reassurance. Want to “think about it” forever. And they keep you stuck in proposal purgatory.

✅ Solution: Qualify harder. Trust your gut. If they drain you before you’ve been paid, it won’t get better after.

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Here’s The Mindset Shift You Need

Letting go of bad-fit clients isn’t about being rude.
It’s about being respected.

Every time you say yes to the wrong client, you’re saying no to the right ones.

Make space. And they’ll show up.

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Imagine trying to build a LEGO set…
But instead of using the right bricks, you keep forcing random ones that almost fit.

Eventually, the whole structure is unstable. You’ve worked twice as hard for half the result.

That’s what working with misfit clients feels like.

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My Client Red Flag Audit

This week, review your current and past 5 clients. Ask:

Client Name	Did I enjoy working with them?	Were they profitable?	Would I work with them again?	Red Flags?

If you’re saying “no” more than “yes”… you know what to do.

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I help business owners build lean, scalable, high-value offers and attract the kind of clients they actually want to work with.

We’ll clean up your offer, your boundaries, and your client base.

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Which of these 3 clients have you dealt with the most and what did you learn?