It’s Not You, It’s Definitely You: Breaking Up With a Client That’s Just Not a Fit
We’ve all been there. You’re one meeting deep, the vibes are off and suddenly you realize: this client relationship feels less like a collaboration and more like an awkward blind date that someone set up as a prank.
At first, you try to make it work. You nod. You smile. You start using phrases like “circling back” and “just to verify.” But deep down, you know you’re not aligned. You’re not synced. You’re not even in the same operating system.
So, what do you do when the client fit just isn’t there?
1. Run a Gut Check
Do you dread their emails like they’re IRS notices? Do meetings leave you Googling “can stress cause spontaneous combustion?” That’s your intuition begging you to reevaluate. Listen to it.
2. Don’t Gaslight Yourself
They might be a great client…for someone else. That doesn’t mean you’re not good at what you do. It means you're not good together. Like oil and water. Or fonts and Comic Sans.
3. Set the Boundaries and Then Reinforce Them (With Barbed Wire)
If you’re not ready to end it just yet, at least make expectations crystal clear. Boundaries are your friend. So is the gentle reminder, “We might have different visions here,”—especially when every piece of feedback feels like a rewrite of your entire work or the client’s micromanaging reaches Olympic levels.
4. The Elegant Exit
When it’s time to part ways, don’t ghost. Be the professional grown-up you are. A polite, honest “this doesn’t feel like the right fit” goes a long way.
5. Laugh (Then Learn)
Every misfit client is a lesson wrapped in a calendar invite. Were the red flags there from the start? Did you try to push through and fight like the battle-hardened veteran you are? File that under: Never Again.
Bottom line? Not every client is your client. And that’s okay. Because when the fit is right? It’s magic. The projects flow, the collaboration sings, and no one cries in the parking lot after a touch base call.
And that’s the dream, isn’t it?