At a recent event, I met the owner of one of the top PR agencies in the region.
She was brilliant — sharp, strategic, and respected by everyone in the room.
But she was also afraid.
One of her biggest clients had crossed the line.
Constant demands. Late-night messages. Screaming at her staff.
And she let it slide — because that client paid the biggest bill.
She looked at me and said,
“If we lose them, George, half my revenue disappears.”
I told her the story of another client — the owner of a media-buying agency who’d been in the exact same trap.
Her “top” client also bullied her team and told her,
“You’re responsible for our business — without you, we’d collapse.”
So, we did the math.
That one client consumed almost 80% of her time but brought in thinner margins than her smaller accounts.
Then I asked her one question that changed everything:
“If you fired this client, how many could you take on instead?”
She paused, did a quick calculation, and said, “Three.”
I didn’t need to say another word.
She fired the client.
It hurt for 6 weeks or so.
Then she replaced that one bully with three great clients who respected her team, paid better margins, and didn’t drain her soul.
Now her business is bigger, more profitable — and far more enjoyable to run.
The lesson?
Fear makes you protect what’s holding you back.
Courage frees you to build what you actually want.
That’s the kind of shift we help owners make inside the Q4 Lab.
Join here for priority access.
———————————
P.S. I’m not the “systems,” “finance,” or “fix your processes” guy.
I help you fall in love with your business again—Because it finally gives you the life you want today
While setting you up to exit on your terms tomorrow.
Join my list for blunt insights and practical strategies to build a business that gives you your life back – and the power to walk away, when you’re ready, on your terms