I fired a client yesterday.

I fired a client yesterday. Gone. And so is the revenue.

Here’s what I didn't expect.

I feel great. I feel liberated, in control, and at peace.

Hard as it can be, saying no is an act of self-care, boundary-setting, and prioritizing well-being.

This client had the budget but didn't have a clue. After an initial engagement to develop his company’s positioning and messaging for two core segments under a unified brand architecture, he simply couldn’t understand how to leverage the work and drive alignment across his enterprise to build equity. He could only think tactically. He was stuck inside the bottle.

Every conversation was a battle.

It became clear that he would never get it. He wanted more work, and he wanted it quick and cheap, all without leveraging the foundational work we completed. Constantly trying to explain the value and critical importance of the work fueled my stress and anxiety. It was bringing me down. 

But I have standards.

So I said no. I explained there is a right and wrong way to do the work, and I could only approach it in a manner that aligns with my commitment to quality and professionalism. Yes, I saw it coming, and yes, I should have known it would come to this. Often, we see the dysfunction long before we act on it. Sometimes, we ignore it because the check is good. But inevitably, you pay the price. Instincts are usually solid; listen to those little voices.

So, I’m done.

Clients like this strip you of your worth and reduce you to a price point. They make you fight for every little thing. They exploit your time and want your experience for nothing. You become a vendor, not a partner.

Clients like this suck the Qi right out of you.

You see, good leaders know what they know and know what they don’t know. They know how to delegate and surround themselves with talent. They listen. They take full advantage of talent. 

Could I have suffered through the bullshit for the income? Probably. Would I have sacrificed my emotional well-being, peace, and integrity? Without a doubt.

I want to work with people with whom I am aligned. I love my work, and I’m damn good at it. I want to enjoy it. Been around too long to do it any other way.

Anything else is exhausting.

So, if you got one of those, set yourself free. Fire them.