Shiny New Clients! – Episode Summary
Episode Title: Fire your clients! (why your business thrives when you let people go)
Host: Jenna Harding (Warriner)
Date: October 13, 2025
Episode Overview
Jenna Harding explores why letting go of problematic clients (or, as she provocatively puts it, “firing” them) can actually help service-based business owners thrive. By sharing her personal stories and insights, Jenna unpacks the psychological and operational downsides of hanging on to difficult clients and encourages listeners to prioritize serving their best-fit clients. The episode balances tough love, humor, and hard-won advice for entrepreneurs who feel stuck with clients that drain their energy or cross boundaries.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Fear of Letting Go: Why We Hold On
- Jenna acknowledges that narrowing your client focus and being specific about your “perfect client” is intimidating for many business owners, especially when starting out.
- "People get scared to niche... They fear that if they're leading for the most perfect people, then other people aren't going to work with them and then they're not going to have enough clients. Like, it's all valid fears." [02:06]
2. The Cost of Bad-Fit Clients
- Jenna walks listeners through a scenario: At maximum client capacity (20 clients), even one problematic client can throw the whole system out of whack.
- Bad clients cause:
- Emotional drain, affecting how you show up for your best clients
- Extra admin work (e.g., chasing late payments)
- Decreased service quality for clients who ARE a good fit
- “Now you're spending all this extra time on your squeaky wheel on the problematic client. And where is that time coming from? That time is coming from all those other perfect people who you love working with." [06:53]
3. Rethinking the Language of “Firing”
- Jenna distinguishes between “firing” and parting ways with a client, preferring a softer, more respectful approach.
- "I don't like that language because nobody wants to get fired... Going their separate ways is better. Having a candid conversation with somebody you respect is better." [08:55]
- Even with tact, some clients perceive it as firing. Jenna shares a story where a client responded, “Are you firing me as a client?” and she had to affirm it directly. [10:35]
4. Protecting Yourself and Your Team
- Jenna recounts a difficult agency client whose communication style was so hostile that her team became afraid to open Slack.
- Decision: Part ways with the client to protect her team and company culture.
- "If they're having a problem with somebody... I don't blame my team, I don't think it's their fault. And there were a lot of reasons why I felt like we ultimately were not a good match for this person." [09:58]
5. The Role of Boundaries & Self-Growth
- Jenna stresses that early business struggles often stem from a lack of boundaries and communication skills – not solely bad clients.
- “When you don't have boundaries... you let people communicate with you all the time in every way... you burn out. That was me. That was my fault that I burned out because I wasn't running things in a streamlined way.” [12:53]
- As she gained experience, her agency put clear systems for communication, feedback, and client expectations.
6. The Nuanced Approach to Letting Clients Go
- Jenna warns against hastily firing clients before your systems and boundaries are mature: “If I would have gone into the first couple years of my business with the idea of like, yeah, just fire anyone you don't get along with, then that would have been a problem. I would have not had any clients.” [15:54]
- Summing up: Only after building strong boundaries, clear communication, and experience can you confidently filter out bad-fit clients for the sake of everyone’s success.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On the hidden costs of bad clients:
"You're not showing up as perfect as you can. So now, perfect person 20… is not getting the best you because you're drained from person 19." [05:48]
- On the agency's tough client story:
"One of my team members was like, yeah, I've been scared to open Slack because I'm worried that she's going to be there and she's going to say something to me… and like, again, this person, not a bad person." [09:35]
- On maturity and boundaries:
"There is a journey here of learning how to communicate with people and learning how to set boundaries and having a ton of clarity when you start working with somebody new so they know what they can ask for and how to ask for it and all of those things. And that takes time as well." [13:37]
- On what firing really means:
"I just really think that you would get what you need from someone else. Which is true. It's better for her, it's better for me, it's better for my team, and it's better for everyone else on my roster..." [11:03]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00–01:40 — Jenna introduces the central question: is firing clients ever responsible?
- 01:41–03:10 — Why niching and seeking perfect clients feels scary
- 03:11–07:30 — The emotional & practical downsides of keeping bad-fit clients
- 07:31–09:50 — Redefining “firing a client” and a real-life breakup story
- 09:51–12:10 — Protecting your team and making the tough call
- 12:11–14:12 — Jenna’s personal journey: From boundaryless to streamlined
- 14:13–16:07 — The evolution of good client communication and systems
- 16:08–End — Final thoughts on the right timing & nuance of letting clients go
Tone and Takeaways
- Jenna’s tone is friendly, candid, and self-reflective with a dash of humor (“What a sassy title!”).
- The episode encourages listeners to reflect on the true cost of bad-fit clients and to bravely prioritize serving their best-fit roster—but only once they have strong systems and boundaries.
- Her closing message: Letting people go isn’t selfish if it helps everyone (including your perfect clients and your team) thrive.
Ideal for: Service-based business owners, freelancers, and agency leaders seeking to level up client relationships and protect their business health.