You Have to Give Up Some People to Reach Anyone.
Starting a business is rarely straightforward. It’s a mix of fear and freedom, pressure and potential. You’re building something from the ground up, and that comes with risk and reward, excitement and uncertainty. You grind because you believe in what you’re creating and because you need to make it work.
But eventually, the grind isn’t enough. You’re not just looking for more work—you’re looking for more of the right work. The projects and clients that light you up. The kind of work you know you’re meant to do, for the people who truly get it.
And yet, if you’re like most business owners, at a certain phase you’ll feel stuck. You say yes to whoever shows up because it feels easier than trying to figure out who you really want to serve. You’re staying afloat, but you’re not steering.
The Power of Choosing
Imagine knowing exactly who you want to work with—and structuring your business to attract them. It’s not about doing more or less. It’s about doing what matters.
When you decide what kind of work fuels you, who you want to serve, and how you want to show up, you stop drifting and start steering. You build intention into everything you do.
It’s not about shutting people out—it’s about focusing on the ones who need what you bring. The ones who value what you do, who make the work worth doing. When you center your business around them, it stops feeling transactional and starts feeling transformational—because it is.
Alignment in Action
Take a Pilates studio I’ve worked with, they knew they delivered incredible results but struggled to stand out in a crowded market. When they followed the traditional playbook: offering broad services, keeping prices low, and trying to appeal to everyone, they struggled to get more of the right clients. Retention wasn’t great and marketing their offerings was difficult because they didn’t know what to show or say.
Their strength, though, wasn’t in being another Pilates studio—it was in their expertise with small groups and personalized instruction to get better performance from their clients. Their most engaged clients weren’t looking for a generic Pilates experience; they were athletes and professionals who wanted meaningful progress and focused attention.
When they owned their strengths, everything changed. No longer was a smaller space or tighter focus a negative. They refined their offerings, started being intentional about their messaging, and started speaking directly to the people who value and benefit from their unique approach. Instead of competing on price or volume, they focused on delivering transformational results for their ideal clients. They didn’t have to compete with others at all.
The impact was pretty immediate. Group sessions started out fuller than previous launches. Teachers were engaged. The studio is thriving and exciting.
This didn’t happen because they followed someone else’s formula. It happened because they leaned into what made them unique.
What Happens When You Align
When your business aligns with what makes you unique and connects with the right people, here’s what changes:
Clarity: You stop second-guessing yourself.
Confidence: You know your value and can articulate it.
Freedom: You stop chasing and start choosing.
Sustainability: You build a business that lasts by doing better work—not just more of it.
This isn’t about growth for growth’s sake. It’s about building a business that works for you and the people you serve. A business that feels purposeful and aligned.
What About You?
Who are your favorite clients or projects? What do they have in common? What lights you up about the work you’re doing, and what do you want more of?
When you lean into the answers to these questions, you’ll find your direction. It’s not about following someone else’s formula. It’s about uncovering what makes you unique and aligning everything—your services, messaging, and audience—around that.
Your business isn’t for everyone. And that’s exactly where its strength lies.
