How To Fire That Client (And Why It's The Most Profitable Decision You'll Make This Year)

The one who makes your stomach drop when you see their name in your inbox. The one who turns everything in late, moves deadlines like they're suggestions, and somehow makes every project feel like you're dragging a boulder uphill in flip-flops.

Yeah. That one.

Last week, my friend finally did what she'd been avoiding for months. She fired him. Thank God.

The Setup: A Monthly Nightmare

My friend is a designer. A really good one. The kind who creates work that makes you stop scrolling and actually pay attention.

But she had this one client who was slowly destroying her soul one late asset delivery at a time.

Here's how it would go down every single month:

She would send the project brief with clear deadlines, built-in buffer time so she could actually, you know, DO THE WORK without having a panic attack. She'd set the deadline two weeks before the actual due date because she'd learned the hard way that this client operated in his own special timezone.

And every. Single. Month. He'd blow past her deadline and buffer!

She'd follow up. Crickets. She'd follow up again. More crickets. Then, three days before the REAL deadline, he'd dump everything in her lap at once with a casual "Hey, here's what you need!"

Which meant her carefully planned buffer? Gone. Her creative process? Rushed. Her stress levels? Through the roof.

This went on and on and on. Monthly retainer, monthly chaos, monthly resentment building like plaque on your teeth.

Then came Christmas.

The Final Straw: Christmas Edition

Same pattern. Same late delivery. Same scramble.

Except this time, it was right before the holidays when she had planned to actually take time off, spend time with her family, maybe even enjoy herself like a human being instead of a content-producing machine.

She texted me, venting about how she did not want to end up rushing again fixing his mess, working late, feeling like crap about a project that should have been easy.

And I said what every good friend should say: "Girl, you need to fire this dude."

Her response? Pure gold. I think she was having an epiphany moment.

"You know what? I feel like firing this client energetically is going to shift something really good for me. Like, I should definitely do it. I just tend to be blunt. My impulse is to write something like, 'Hey [client], I love that you run your organization and you're a lovely person, but you are unresponsive, I do tons of work and you drop the ball and nothing gets past the goalpost, I'm sick and tired of it and you're unprofessional and a little bit chauvinistic, and I just don't want to work with you. It's not worth my time.' But obviously I can't say that." We of course laughed because it was the reality of what was happening.

I mean, she's not wrong. That's EXACTLY what she wanted to say. And honestly? Valid.

But that's not what we sent.

The Letter: Short, Clear, Done

Instead, we crafted something professional, clear, and completely non-negotiable:

Hi [Client],

I wanted to follow up and be clear with you.

After some consideration, I've decided to end our working relationship effective immediately. The way this project has been unfolding isn't the right fit for how I work and I won't be continuing on the engagement.

I respect the mission behind your organization and wish you continued success moving forward. Thank you for the opportunity to collaborate.

Warmly,

[Name]

No drama. No over-explaining. No "I'm sorry but..." Just a clean, respectful exit.

She sent it.

And then? Magic.

The Transformation: From Resentful To Radiant

Two days later, we jumped on a Zoom call and I watched this woman LIGHT UP.

She was giggling. Actually giggling. Like a kid who just got away with something deliciously rebellious.

"Oh my god, Jen, I feel SO GOOD. This is fun! I feel empowered!"

That's what honoring yourself looks like. That's what integrity with yourself sounds like.

She'd been carrying around the weight of this client for months, letting him dictate her schedule, shrink her creative process, and steal her joy. And in one email, she took it all back.

The Lesson: This Is A Premium Boss Move

Here's what most people don't talk about when it comes to firing clients: it's not just about getting rid of someone annoying. It's about honoring your word to yourself.

You can't keep promises to others if you can't keep them to yourself.

Every time my friend let this guy blow past her deadlines without consequences, she was breaking a promise to herself. 

Every time she accepted his late work and scrambled to fix it, she was telling herself "your time doesn't matter, your boundaries don't matter, your creative process doesn't matter."

And that? That's expensive. Not just financially, but energetically, emotionally, mentally.

Firing a bad client is a premium boss move because it says: "I matter. My work matters. My peace matters more than your retainer."

The Business Case: Why This Makes You More Money

Now let's talk about the part that really matters: your bank account.

You've probably heard of the 80/20 rule, the Pareto Principle. 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. In client work, this often means 80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your clients.

But here's what people don't talk about enough: 80% of your stress, drama, and energy drain ALSO comes from about 20% of your clients.

Michael Kitces, one of the top voices in financial planning, talks about this explicitly. He teaches financial advisors about A/B/C client segmentation:

• A clients: The ones you love serving, who drive the most profit, who respect your process

• B clients: Solid, profitable, bread-and-butter relationships

• C clients: Marginally profitable (at best), energy drains, may need to be eliminated to grow

And here's the kicker: a C client for your firm can still be an A client for someone else.

That means when you fire them, you're not ruining their life. You're redirecting them to someone who can serve them better, while you free up space to serve YOUR A clients at the highest level.

This isn't just theory. This framework is exactly what I come back to when I’m tempted to tolerate behavior I know doesn’t align. Fire the C clients, double down on the A clients, watch your revenue and sanity both increase.

The Real ROI: Energy, Space, And Better Clients

But here's what really happens when you fire a bad client - and this is the part nobody tells you:

You free up massive amounts of energy.

Think about how much mental space this client was taking up in my friend’s head. The dread every time his project came around. The resentment building every time he was late. The stress of scrambling to fix his messes.

All of that? Gone.

You create emotional and energetic space for clients you actually want to work with.

Nature abhors a vacuum. When you clear out the dead weight, you make room for better clients to show up. And they will. Because suddenly you're not operating from a place of desperation and resentment. You're operating from a place of choice and standards.

You start enjoying your work again.

This is the part people underestimate. When you're constantly serving clients who drain you, you start to resent the work itself. You forget why you started your business in the first place. You lose the joy.

Fire the energy vampires, and suddenly you remember: oh yeah, I actually love what I do.

And yes, you make more money.

Because you're not wasting time on low-profit, high-maintenance clients. You're spending that time attracting, serving, and delighting clients who pay well, respect your process, and refer other great clients.

The math is simple: better clients = better money = better life.

So what are you going to do about the client you already know you’re done with?

If you're reading this and thinking "oh geez, I have one of those," here's your action plan:

1. Identify your C clients.
Who makes your stomach drop when you see their name? Who consistently disrespects your process? Who takes up 80% of your stress for 20% of your revenue?

2. Decide you're worth more.
This isn't about being mean. This is about honoring yourself and your work. You can't serve your A clients at the highest level if you're constantly putting out fires for your C clients.

3. Write the letter.
Keep it short, professional, and clear. No over-explaining. No apologies. Just: "This isn't the right fit, I'm ending our working relationship, I wish you well."

4. Send it and don't look back.
The relief you feel? That's your body saying, "Thank you for finally listening."

5. Fill that space with better clients.
Update your positioning, raise your rates and get clear on who you actually want to work with. Then go find them.

Because here's the truth: you can't attract premium clients while you're tolerating budget behavior.

Fire the client. Reclaim your energy. Make more money. Enjoy your work again.

That's the premium move.

Here's to getting clear and getting paid.

With appreciation and gratitude,

Jen
Premium Business Strategist for Creative Entrepreneurs
Speaker at Cre8tive Con 2026 | Chicago
Author of 4-time award-winning “The Creative Code: A Creative Professional’s Way to Happiness, Wealth and Joy"