You've Grown. Your Client Mix Should Too.

When you started your business, you probably had a clear sense of who you wanted to work with. You weren’t flying blind. You had an idea of your “ideal client” and the kind of work you wanted to be doing.

But you also needed revenue. So, like most business owners, you took on some folks who didn’t perfectly match that vision. Not bad clients. Not mistakes. Just people who said yes when you needed them to.

Fast forward a few years. Your business is stronger. Your reputation is solid. Your process is tight. And you’ve learned a lot about who you actually love working with.

The question now is simple: Does your current client mix still reflect the business you want to run?

This post isn’t about cutting people out. It’s about refining—making small adjustments that align your time and attention with the clients, problems, and work that you’re best equipped to serve now.

Because your definition of “ideal” has evolved. And your book should evolve with it.

Your “ideal client” isn’t theoretical anymore. It’s specific and lived-in.

Today, ideal might mean:

• They value your insight and take your advice
• They show up prepared and on time
• They have real problems you’re excited to solve
• And they pay you well for work that plays to your strengths

If that’s true, then continuing to work with folks who don’t meet that profile takes a toll, even if they’re lovely, loyal, or long-standing.

It’s not about whether you can help them. It’s whether continuing to do so is helping you build the business you want now.

A fictional example

Angela is an experienced accountant who built her firm over the past 12 years. She’s steady, respected, and genuinely loves the work.

In the early days, she served anyone who needed solid accounting help: contractors, freelancers, early-stage founders, sole proprietors. She knew her “ideal” client at the time: honest, collaborative, responsive. But she also took on clients who were none of those things, because she needed to get established.

Today, her favorite clients look a little different. They’re usually:

• Running businesses between $750K and $3M in annual revenue
• Managing real complexity: multiple LLCs, real estate plays, partner structures
• Eager to think strategically, not just file on time

When we reviewed her book, we found that around 20 percent of her clients no longer aligned with her current direction. They weren’t problematic. They were polite, punctual, and paid their invoices. But they weren’t the kind of clients who challenged or energized her.

Angela didn’t overhaul her business overnight. She:

• Refreshed her messaging and referral conversations
• Gently let a few misaligned engagements wind down
• Made room for the kind of clients she truly wanted more of

The math

Let’s say Angela phased out five clients paying $4,000 per year. That’s -$20,000.

She replaced them with three new clients paying $15,000 per year. That’s $45,000.

That’s a $25K net increase in revenue and more time for higher-value work.

You can also look at it through the lens of time. If you shift 10 percent of your working hours from lower-fit to higher-fit work, and your effective hourly rate increases by $100, that could easily add $30,000 or more to your bottom line over the course of a year.

This is what small shifts in mix can do.

What to do next

Start simple. Pull your current client list and ask:

• What does “ideal” mean for me now?
• Who fits that definition today?
• Who did in the past, but doesn’t anymore?
• Who might fit better with a different level of service, or benefit from a referral to someone else?

You’re not looking to burn anything down. You’re looking to make space.
Space for the kind of client relationships that give you energy, profit, and growth.

Want help figuring out where your next $25K might be hiding?

Download the Double Your Profit, Halve Your Chaos checklist. It’ll help you spot the small shifts that can unlock a stronger, simpler business, starting with the book you already have.

And if you want to talk to someone about it instead of working through it alone, just reach out. This is a great way to get to know each other.