Such a simple concept. Such an underutilized tool for transformation.
The neglected plant on your bookshelf? It withered away from lack of attention. The client who once emailed occasionally but now texts you at all hours? Your responsiveness trained them to expect unlimited access. The price increase you’ve been avoiding? It’s silently eroding your profitability.
We live in a reactive world, but reaction strips you of control. As a business owner, your success hinges on your ability to stay in command—of your pricing, your service levels, and your overall strategy. Without intention, a few demanding clients or unchecked expenses can derail your business before you even realize what’s happening.
The Slippery Slope of Reactionary Business Practices
It starts with the best of intentions—delivering exceptional service, being responsive, saying “yes” to clients. When you first launch, every new client and revenue stream fuels excitement. I remember that moment in my bookkeeping practice when I thought, Wow! I have a real business, and I’m making real money! That enthusiasm drove me to keep clients happy and to keep growing.
But I made a crucial mistake.
I didn’t intentionally design systems to support my growth. I had no structured way to manage clients, adjust pricing for additional work, or to recognize when I was at capacity. Instead, I found myself reacting—accommodating every request, adding costly new apps without fully utilizing them, and hiring staff without clear training systems. The quality clients I had worked so hard to attract quietly left as they no longer felt valued.
Reclaiming Control with Intentional Focus
One day, I looked around and realized: This isn’t the business I envisioned. This isn’t the lifestyle I want.
So, I stopped pouring energy into the areas draining my time and profits. Instead, I refocused on the aspects of my business that truly mattered:
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Client Alignment: I personally reached out to my valued clients, listening to their needs. If our values aligned, I committed to improving their experience. If not, we planned a smooth transition.
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Profitability Over Activity: I examined my expenses and canceled every underutilized subscription, resisting the temptation to hold onto tools I wasn’t actively leveraging.
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Systematic Growth: I built processes to ensure service levels, pricing adjustments, and team training were proactive—not reactionary.
This shift didn’t happen overnight, and I didn’t do it alone. But by being intentional, I transformed my business into one that serves me as much as I serve my clients.
Your Business, Your Focus, Your Success
Profitability isn’t just about increasing revenue—it’s about intentional decisions that protect and grow your business. If you feel like you’re constantly reacting instead of leading, take a step back. Where is your attention going? Are you nurturing what truly drives success?
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About the writer:
Jennifer has been successfully innovating her business and countless others throughout her entire career—from ledger paper bookkeeping in the 1990s to today’s cloud-based, real-time financial solutions. Now, she guides business owners to improve their decision-making and to fuel a profitable retirement. She can be found leading conference breakout sessions, delivering her message via webinar or working with 1-1 her clients.
- Certified Profit First Professional
- Certified Fix This Next Advisor
- Intuit Global Firm of the Future Runner-Up
- Top International ProAdvisor (2019) & Multi-Year Top 100 ProAdvisor Awards
- Alumni of the Intuit Trainer Writer Network
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