Let’s explore ideal client from the perspective of what happens when you cultivate your non-ideal client. Remember Amanda? (Click here to be introduced to Amanda.) Amanda is now in the process of filling her practice. She is contacted by a potential client who was referred to her by a friend. Amanda did her due diligence by talking to the potential client twice before they started working together. On the surface, everything seems to be right in Amanda’s world.
Fast forward one month. Amanda is tearing her hair out wondering why she agreed to work with this particular client. What do you think went wrong? Let’s start with the initial conversations Amanda had with the potential client. There were red flags that Amanda chose to ignore during these conversations. One red flag was a disregard for Amanda’s standards and boundaries. The other red flag was an attempt to exercise control along with unreal expectations.
Consequently, this relationship is strained, unpleasant, and unproductive. This is typical of a relationship with a non-ideal client. If a relationship is this hard, is it really worth keeping? Amanda should have adhered to her standards and boundaries and politely declined the offer to work together.
Filling your practice with non-ideal clients is worse than no clients at all! Who wants to hate what they do every single day? By listening to her intuition, or honoring the red flags if you will, Amanda could have saved not only herself, but the client a lot of frustration.
So, dear reader, do you have non-ideal clients in your business? What would your business look like if all your clients were ideal clients? 
