Spot the misaligned prospects, deal-breakers, and personality clashes BEFORE they cost you time, money, and morale."

HOW TO USE THIS═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
For each behaviour/attitude below, rate how much it bothers you:
1 = Doesn't bother me at all (totally fine)2 = Minor annoyance (bearable)3 = Noticeable issue (would prefer they don't do this)4 = Real problem (drains our energy / time)5 = DEALBREAKER (we won't work with someone like this)
Rate honestly. Rate what actually gets under your skin.

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════SECTION A: SCOPE & TIMELINE BEHAVIOURS═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
How much does each of these frustrate you?

SCOPE CREEP"They keep adding 'just one more thing' without discussing impact or cost"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

VAGUE BRIEFS"They can't articulate clearly what they actually need"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

IMPOSSIBLE TIMELINES"They demand work by Friday when it needs 2 weeks"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

LAST-MINUTE EMERGENCIES"Everything is always urgent and rushed"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

GOAL POSTS MOVE"They constantly change what they want mid-project"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

UNCLEAR DECISION-MAKER"We don't know who actually makes decisions"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

SLOW DECISIONS"They take forever to approve anything or decide direction"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

REVISION DEMANDS"They want unlimited revisions or free changes beyond scope"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════SECTION B: COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOURS═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
How much does each of these frustrate you?

GHOST THEN PANIC"They disappear for weeks, then suddenly demand immediate action"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

POOR COMMUNICATION"Their requests are confusing, contradictory, or unclear"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

SLOW FEEDBACK"They take weeks to review work / give feedback"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

OVER-COMMUNICATION DEMANDS"They expect daily check-ins, constant updates, or 24/7 availability"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

DOESN'T LISTEN"They talk the whole time, don't listen to what you're saying"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

DISMISSES IDEAS"They immediately shoot down recommendations without considering them"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE"They're indirect, sarcastic, or make digs instead of being direct"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

LATE TO MEETINGS"They're often late, or sometimes cancel meetings"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════SECTION C: RESPECT & TRUST ISSUES═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
How much does each of these frustrate you?

DOUBTS YOUR EXPERTISE"They constantly question what you recommend or why"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

"MY NEPHEW DOES THIS""They mention cheaper/faster alternatives constantly"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

MICROMANAGES PROCESS"They want to control every step instead of letting you do your work"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

BLAMES YOU FOR THEIR PROBLEMS"When things go wrong, they immediately blame you instead of looking at facts"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

WANTS FREE WORK FIRST"They want you to do free work/consultation before committing"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

HIDES INFORMATION"They don't tell you upfront about budget, timeline, or constraints"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

WON'T GIVE FEEDBACK"They keep saying 'something's off' but can't tell you what"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

BLAMES PREVIOUS VENDORS"They constantly complain about how bad their last vendor was"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════SECTION D: FINANCIAL & PROFESSIONALISM ISSUES═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
How much does each of these frustrate you?

HAGGLING OVER PRICE"They constantly try to negotiate your rates down"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

SLOW PAYMENT"They're often late paying invoices"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

DISPUTES INVOICES"They constantly argue about what they owe or refuse to pay"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

BUDGET NOT DISCUSSED"They won't tell you upfront what they can spend"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

SCOPE BUT NO BUDGET"They have big scope ideas but no realistic budget to match"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

WANTS DISCOUNT FOR VOLUME"They expect you to drop your rates 'because of ongoing work'"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

WANTS SPEC WORK"They want you to 'try out' before giving you a real project"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT"They're rude, dismissive, or disrespectful in interactions"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════SECTION E: RED FLAGS & ATTITUDE ISSUES═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
How much does each of these concern you?

ENTITLED ATTITUDE"They act like you should be grateful to work with them"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

NEVER SATISFIED"No matter what you deliver, they complain or find fault"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

INDECISIVE ABOUT EVERYTHING"They can't decide anything - keeps asking you to do extra options"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

NO VISION / CLEAR GOALS"They don't know what they want, just 'try things'"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

WANTS YOU TO READ THEIR MIND"They expect you to know what they need without telling you"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

WRONG PERSON AT THE TABLE"You're talking to someone without authority to make decisions"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

FLAKY / UNRELIABLE"They say they'll do things, then don't follow through"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

DISHONEST / EVASIVE"Something feels off - they seem like they're hiding something"
☐ 1 = Doesn't bother me☐ 2 = Minor annoyance☐ 3 = Noticeable issue☐ 4 = Real problem☐ 5 = DEALBREAKER

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════YOUR DEALBREAKER THRESHOLDS═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Circle any item above you rated as 5 (DEALBREAKER).
These are your hard stops. If a prospect shows this behaviour,you will not work with them, regardless of money.

YOUR DEALBREAKERS:_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

SELF-AWARENESS AUDIT (COMPLETE)```═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════YOUR FIRM'S DREAM CLIENT SELF-AWARENESS AUDITComplete Assessment Workbook═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
FIRM NAME: _____________________________
ASSESSMENT DATE: ____________ YEAR: __
COMPLETED BY: _______________ TITLE: __
TEAM INVOLVED IN ASSESSMENT:☐ Solo (just me)☐ Small team (2-3 people)☐ Full team meeting
TEAM MEMBERS: _____________________________________________________
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════OVERVIEW: WHY WE'RE DOING THIS═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

This isn't about industry best practices.This is about YOUR firm. YOUR team. YOUR energy. YOUR money.
We're going to:
Get brutally honest about what DRAINS youGet crystal clear about what FUELS youCreate YOUR decision framework for every prospectThis becomes your compass. Your permission. Your protection.
Let's start.
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════PART A: THE DRAIN EXCAVATIONWhat Actually Depletes You?═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Be specific. Be honest. Use real examples.
QUESTION 1: THE BEHAVIOUR THAT DRAINS YOU───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"What behaviour in a prospect makes you dread seeing their name in yourinbox?"
Don't say "difficult clients." Show us what difficult looks like.• Do they micromanage every decision?• Do they ghost for weeks then demand emergencies?• Do they dismiss your expertise constantly?• Do they change scope every week?• Something else?
WRITE YOUR ANSWER (be specific):
QUESTION 2: YOUR WORST CLIENT EXPERIENCE───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"Describe your worst client experience. What made it so awful?"
Get specific:• What did they do?• How did it impact your team?• What did it cost you? (Money? People? Time? Reputation?)• How long did it take to recover?
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 3: REQUESTS THAT SINK YOUR HEART───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"What types of requests make your heart immediately sink?"
Examples to consider:• "Can you do this by Friday?" (when you know you can't)• "My nephew/brother-in-law can do this cheaper"• "Can you do this for free/pro-bono?"• "Can you just quickly…" (followed by huge scope)• "I saw a competitor do it differently"• "Can you match their price?"
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 4: WORKING STYLES THAT DRIVE YOU MAD───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"What working style drives you absolutely insane?"
Examples:• Hovering/micromanaging every decision ("Can we hop on a call?")• Complete ghosting, then emergency demands ("WHERE'S MY PROJECT?!")• Zero clarity on priorities or decisions• Constant pivots and scope changes mid-project• Takes forever to make simple decisions• Makes decisions without your input, then blames you• Wants daily check-ins / wants to be copied on everything• Wants zero communication / leaves you guessing
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 5: WHEN YOU IGNORED YOUR GUT (AND REGRETTED IT)───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"When have you ignored a red flag about a prospect and later regretted it?"
This is important. It shows where you're vulnerable.
What was the red flag you missed or overrode?Why did you ignore it? (Fear? Revenue pressure? Hope they'd change?)What happened?What would you do differently now?
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 6: THE ACTUAL COST OF BAD CLIENTS───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"What has a bad client actually cost you?"
Be specific with numbers/impacts:• Lost team members? (How many? How much training/hiring cost?)• Unpaid/disputed invoices? (What amount?)• Your own health? (Stress? Sleep? Burnout?)• Damaged reputation? (Lost referrals? Negative reviews?)• Lost opportunities? (Turned down other work to accommodate them?)• Team morale? (People wanting to leave?)
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 7: DEALBREAKERS YOU'VE ACCEPTED (AND SHOULDN'T HAVE)───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"What's a dealbreaker for you that you've accepted in the past andregretted?"
Examples:• You said "no scope creep" but accepted it• You said "only respectful clients" but took a rude one• You said "50% upfront" but accepted 0% upfront• You said "no unpaid revisions" but gave them anyway
What dealbreaker did you violate?Why? (What were you thinking at the time?)What would you do differently?
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════PART B: THE DREAM CLARIFICATIONWhat Actually Fuels You?═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
This is about recognizing the conditions where you do your BEST work.
QUESTION 8: THE PERFECT CLIENT INTERACTION───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"What does a perfect Monday morning client call look like?"
Describe it in detail:• How long? (15 min? 30 min? 1 hour?)• What's the tone?• What gets discussed?• How prepared are they?• How do you feel during the call?• How do you feel AFTER the call?• What makes it feel like a good use of your time?
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 9: WHEN YOU FEEL MOST VALUED───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"When do you feel most valued by a client?"
Examples to consider:• They ask your opinion and actually listen to it• They implement your suggestions without questioning• They pay invoices on time, every time• They refer other business to you• They publicly acknowledge your work• They give you autonomy to do your best work• They trust your expertise• They respect your boundaries• They communicate clearly• They're excited about the work
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 10: YOUR FIGHT-FOR CLIENT───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"Describe a client you'd fight to keep. What makes them special?"
Think of a client you genuinely enjoy working with.
What makes them different?• How do they communicate?• How do they treat your team?• What values do they share with you?• How much revenue/growth do they bring?• What kind of work do they give you?• How do they handle problems?• What's the partnership like?
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 11: WHEN YOU DO YOUR BEST WORK───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"What type of client brings out your BEST work?"
When are you most creative? Most energized? Most proud?
Examples:• Clear, detailed briefs (so you're not guessing)• Creative freedom (you can recommend solutions, not just execute)• Strategic partnership (they listen to your expertise)• Collaborative process (you work together, not in silos)• Trust in your expertise (they don't second-guess you)• Time to do it right (no insane deadlines)• Good budget (you're not cutting corners)• Long-term relationship (not one-off projects)
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 12: WHAT RESPECT LOOKS LIKE───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"What does respect look like to you in a client relationship?"
Be CONCRETE, not abstract. Not "they're nice" — what does respectactually SHOW UP as in behaviour?
Examples:• They ask before demanding ("Is this timeline possible?" vs "I need thisFriday")• They meet their commitments on time• They listen more than they talk• They ask your opinion and actually want it• They pay what they promised, when they promised• They say thank you / acknowledge your work• They don't copy you on emails to vendors comparing you• They defend you if others criticize your work• They don't make you wait for feedback• They don't demand unpaid revisions
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
QUESTION 13: YOUR IDEAL WORKING RHYTHM───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
"How do you prefer to work with clients?"
Get specific:• Daily check-ins or weekly? Or less?• Hands-on or hands-off?• Collaborative or autonomous?• Formal meetings or casual Slack chats?• Email or phone calls or video?• How fast do they need to turn around decisions?• How involved should they be in the process?
WRITE YOUR ANSWER:
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════PART C: SYNTHESIS - YOUR DECISION CRITERIA═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Now use your answers above to complete these profiles.
You'll use these profiles in EVERY prospect assessment.
💎 OUR DREAM CLIENT PROFILE━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
(What we ACTIVELY SEEK)
BEHAVES LIKE:(From Q8, Q9, Q10, Q11 - How they show up)
COMMUNICATES:(From Q8, Q13 - How they interact with us)
VALUES (SHARES WITH US):(From Q12 - What's important to them)
RESPECTS:(From Q12 - How they show respect)
BRINGS TO THE TABLE:(From Q10, Q11 - What they contribute)
ALLOWS US TO:(From Q11 - What's possible with them)
MAKES US FEEL:(Overall - How we feel about the relationship)
🔴 OUR DRAIN CLIENT PROFILE━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
(What we ACTIVELY AVOID)
BEHAVES LIKE:(From Q1, Q2, Q4 - The behaviors that drain you)
COMMUNICATES:(From Q1, Q3, Q4 - How they interact negatively)
VALUES (CLASH WITH OURS):(From Q2, Q5, Q7 - Values mismatches)
DISRESPECTS:(From Q12, Q5 - How they show disrespect)
COSTS US:(From Q6 - What they take from us)
PREVENTS US FROM:(From Q11 - What becomes impossible with them)
MAKES US FEEL:(Overall - The emotional toll)
⚠️ OUR NON-NEGOTIABLES━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
(What we will NOT accept, regardless of money or size)
These are dealbreakers. Full stop.
NON-NEGOTIABLE #1:(From your answers - Something you refuse to compromise on)
WHAT IT IS:
WHY IT'S NON-NEGOTIABLE:
WHAT WE'LL DO IF A PROSPECT VIOLATES THIS:☐ Walk away immediately☐ Only proceed if they agree to specific conditions☐ Premium pricing required
NON-NEGOTIABLE #2:
WHAT IT IS:
WHY IT'S NON-NEGOTIABLE:
WHAT WE'LL DO IF A PROSPECT VIOLATES THIS:☐ Walk away immediately☐ Only proceed if they agree to specific conditions☐ Premium pricing required
NON-NEGOTIABLE #3:
WHAT IT IS:
WHY IT'S NON-NEGOTIABLE:
WHAT WE'LL DO IF A PROSPECT VIOLATES THIS:☐ Walk away immediately☐ Only proceed if they agree to specific conditions☐ Premium pricing required
NON-NEGOTIABLE #4:
WHAT IT IS:
WHY IT'S NON-NEGOTIABLE:
WHAT WE'LL DO IF A PROSPECT VIOLATES THIS:☐ Walk away immediately☐ Only proceed if they agree to specific conditions☐ Premium pricing required
NON-NEGOTIABLE #5:
WHAT IT IS:
WHY IT'S NON-NEGOTIABLE:
WHAT WE'LL DO IF A PROSPECT VIOLATES THIS:☐ Walk away immediately☐ Only proceed if they agree to specific conditions☐ Premium pricing required
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════APPROVAL & IMPLEMENTATION═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Completed by: _______________ Date: ______
Reviewed by: __________________ Date: ______
Approved for use: ☐ YES ☐ REVISIONS NEEDED
Team briefing completed on: _________________________________
Next review date: _____________________________________________
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
✅ WHAT TO DO WITH THIS:
Share with your entire team (if you have one)Post in your workspace / shared driveReference it EVERY TIME you evaluate a prospectUse the Dream Client Profile to qualify INBOUND leadsUse the Drain Client Profile to

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
YOUR FIRM'S DREAM CLIENT SELF-AWARENESS AUDIT
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

This isn't about best practice. This is about YOU.

What depletes you? What energizes you? What's non-negotiable?

Complete this honestly. Use concrete examples. This becomes your
internal compass for every prospect decision.

───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
SECTION A: THE DRAIN EXCAVATION
What actually depletes you?
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

1. BEHAVIOUR THAT DRAINS YOU
"What behaviour in a prospect makes you dread seeing their
name in your inbox?"

Get specific. Not "difficult" — what does that look like?
• Micromanaging?
• Radio silence then emergency demands?
• Constant scope creep?
• Dismissive of your expertise?
• Something else?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


2. YOUR WORST CLIENT EXPERIENCE
"Describe your worst client experience. What made it awful?"

Don't settle for vague. "They were demanding" → Why? Unrealistic
timelines? Didn't trust your judgment? Values clash? Financial
games?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


3. REQUESTS THAT MAKE YOUR HEART SINK
"What type of request makes your heart sink?"

Examples:
• "Can we do this by Friday?"
• "My nephew can do this cheaper"
• "Can you do this for free/pro-bono?"
• "I saw a competitor do it differently"
• Something else?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


4. WORKING STYLES THAT DRIVE YOU MAD
"What working style drives you absolutely mad?"

Examples:
• Hovering/micromanaging every decision
• Silent disappearance then blaming you
• No clarity on decisions or priorities
• Constant pivots and scope changes
• Taking forever to make decisions
• Something else?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


5. IGNORED GUT FEELINGS
"When have you ignored a gut feeling about a prospect and
regretted it? What was the red flag you missed?"

What was your intuition telling you that you overrode? Why did
you ignore it? (Fear? Revenue need? Hope they'd change?)

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


6. THE COST OF BAD CLIENTS
"What has a bad client cost you?"

Be honest. Numbers, people, reputation, energy?
• Lost team members?
• Unpaid hours?
• Damaged reputation?
• Lost referrals?
• Your own health/stress?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


7. DEALBREAKERS YOU'VE ACCEPTED
"What's a dealbreaker you've accepted before — and regretted?"

Why did you ignore the red flag at the time? Understanding this
matters. It shows where you're vulnerable.

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
SECTION B: THE DREAM CLARIFICATION
What fuels you?
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

8. THE PERFECT CLIENT INTERACTION
"What does a perfect Monday morning client call look like?"

Be specific:
• Duration?
• Preparation level?
• Tone?
• What gets discussed?
• What doesn't?
• How do you feel after?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


9. WHEN YOU FEEL VALUED
"When do you feel most valued by a client?"

Examples:
• They ask your opinion and actually listen
• They give you autonomy to do your best work
• They recognize the work publicly
• They pay on time/fairly
• They refer others to you
• They trust your expertise
• Something else?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


10. YOUR FIGHT-FOR CLIENTS
"Describe a client you'd fight to keep. What makes them
different?"

Dig into:
• How they communicate?
• Their respect for your process?
• How they treat your team?
• Their values?
• The work they bring?
• The partnership you have?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


11. WHEN YOU DO YOUR BEST WORK
"What type of client brings out your best work?"

When are you most creative? Most energized? Most proud?
• Clear briefs?
• Creative freedom?
• Strategic partnership?
• Trust in your expertise?
• Something else?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


12. WHAT RESPECT LOOKS LIKE
"What does respect look like to you in a client relationship?"

Be concrete, not abstract. Not "they're nice" — what does
respect actually LOOK like in behavior?
• They ask before demanding
• They meet deadlines they set
• They listen more than talk
• They pay what they promised
• Something else?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


13. YOUR IDEAL WORKING RHYTHM
"How do you prefer to work?"

• Daily check-ins or weekly?
• Hands-on or hands-off?
• Collaborative or autonomous?
• Formal meetings or casual?
• Email or calls or Slack?
• How much decision-making speed?

YOUR ANSWER:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
SECTION C: YOUR PERSONAL SUMMARY
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Based on your answers above, complete these summaries:

A DREAM CLIENT FOR US:
• Behaves: _____________________________________________________
• Communicates: ________________________________________________
• Values: ______________________________________________________
• Respects: ____________________________________________________
• Brings: ______________________________________________________
• Allows us to: ________________________________________________


A DRAIN CLIENT FOR US:
• Behaves: _____________________________________________________
• Communicates: ________________________________________________
• Values: ______________________________________________________
• Disrespects: _________________________________________________
• Costs us: ____________________________________________________
• Prevents us from: ___________________________________________


OUR NON-NEGOTIABLES:
(What we will NOT accept, regardless of revenue)
1. ___________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________


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Next step: Use your answers to complete the Prospect Scorecard
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PROSPECT ASSESSMENT SCORECARD
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PROSPECT NAME: _____________________ DATE: ________________

PRIMARY CONTACT: ___________________ COMPANY: ______________

STAGE: ☐ Initial inquiry ☐ Discovery ☐ Proposal ☐ Pre-kickoff

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
SECTION A: CRITERIA SCORING
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Based on YOUR Self-Awareness Audit, score this prospect on each
criterion.

SCORING:
🔴 1 = This is exactly what we said we DON'T want
🟡 2-3 = Yellow flags / concerning signs
⚪ 4 = Neutral / unclear
🟢 5 = Exactly what we said we DO want
💎 = Not applicable to this prospect


WORKING STYLE
├─ Reference from your audit: ________________________________
├─ RED FLAG we'd dread: _______________________________________
├─ GREEN FLAG we'd love: ______________________________________
├─ Evidence from conversations:
│ ________________________________________________________________
│ ________________________________________________________________
└─ SCORE: [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5


COMMUNICATION APPROACH
├─ Reference from your audit: ________________________________
├─ RED FLAG we'd dread: _______________________________________
├─ GREEN FLAG we'd love: ______________________________________
├─ Evidence from conversations:
│ ________________________________________________________________
│ ________________________________________________________________
└─ SCORE: [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5


DECISION-MAKING CLARITY
├─ Reference from your audit: ________________________________
├─ RED FLAG we'd dread: _______________________________________
├─ GREEN FLAG we'd love: ______________________________________
├─ Evidence from conversations:
│ ________________________________________________________________
│ ________________________________________________________________
└─ SCORE: [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5


SCOPE & BOUNDARY RESPECT
├─ Reference from your audit: ________________________________
├─ RED FLAG we'd dread: _______________________________________
├─ GREEN FLAG we'd love: ______________________________________
├─ Evidence from conversations:
│ ________________________________________________________________
│ ________________________________________________________________
└─ SCORE: [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5


VALUES ALIGNMENT
├─ Reference from your audit: ________________________________
├─ RED FLAG we'd dread: _______________________________________
├─ GREEN FLAG we'd love: ______________________________________
├─ Evidence from conversations:
│ ________________________________________________________________
│ ________________________________________________________________
└─ SCORE: [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5


RESPECT FOR EXPERTISE
├─ Reference from your audit: ________________________________
├─ RED FLAG we'd dread: _______________________________________
├─ GREEN FLAG we'd love: ______________________________________
├─ Evidence from conversations:
│ ________________________________________________________________
│ ________________________________________________________________
└─ SCORE: [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5


TIMELINE REALISM
├─ Reference from your audit: ________________________________
├─ RED FLAG we'd dread: _______________________________________
├─ GREEN FLAG we'd love: ______________________________________
├─ Evidence from conversations:
│ ________________________________________________________________
│ ________________________________________________________________
└─ SCORE: [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5


═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
SECTION B: RED FLAGS INVENTORY
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Check any red flags you've observed:

PROCESS & SCOPE RED FLAGS
☐ Vague scope (keeps saying "also need..." / scope creep signals)
☐ Unrealistic timelines ("Can you do this by Friday?")
☐ Budget uncertainty or last-minute budget changes
☐ Wants free work/pro-bono suggestions before committing
☐ No clear decision-maker identified
☐ Multiple conflicting stakeholders without clear process
☐ Wants you to commit before defining the work


BEHAVIOUR & COMMUNICATION RED FLAGS
☐ Dismissive of your expertise ("My nephew does this cheaper")
☐ Micromanaging from day one
☐ Radio silence, then emergency demands
☐ Interrupts/doesn't listen in calls
☐ Takes forever to make decisions
☐ Makes decisions without consulting you
☐ Disrespectful tone toward your team


VALUES & RESPECT RED FLAGS
☐ Says they value your opinion but asks you to ignore it
☐ Wants you to replicate competitor work exactly
☐ Focuses only on price, not value
☐ No respect for your process
☐ Expects you to work outside normal hours regularly


OTHER RED FLAGS FROM YOUR AUDIT:
☐ _________________________________________________________________
☐ _________________________________________________________________
☐ _________________________________________________________________


TOTAL RED FLAGS OBSERVED: _____ out of _____ possible


═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
SECTION C: ZONE PLACEMENT
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

TOTAL SCORE: (Add up all 7 criteria scores) _____ / 35


ZONE PLACEMENT:

[ ] 🔴 DRAIN (Score 7-14)
→ Will cost us money, sanity, people
→ Recommendation: WALK

[ ] 🟡 CHALLENGING (Score 15-21)
→ Proceed with EXTREME caution
→ Recommendation: PREMIUM PRICING or PASS
→ Only if: _____________________________________________________

[ ] 🟢 DEVELOPING (Score 22-28)
→ Potential there, worth nurturing
→ Recommendation: YES — but with clear boundaries
→ Boundaries needed: ___________________________________________

[ ] 💎 DREAM (Score 29-35)
→ Fight to win this one
→ Recommendation: ABSOLUTELY YES
→ Why this is special: __________________________________________


───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
OVERRIDE SECTION
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

If your ZONE doesn't match your SCORE, note why:

"Score says DEVELOPING but we're treating as CHALLENGING because:"
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

This is your gut telling you something the numbers didn't capture.
ALWAYS trust this.


═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
SECTION D: THE DECISION
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

SHOULD WE PROCEED?

[ ] YES — This fits our Dream criteria
Next step: __________________________________________________

[ ] CONDITIONAL — If the following are clarified/changed:
Condition 1: ________________________________________________
Condition 2: ________________________________________________
Condition 3: ________________________________________________
How will we verify this? _______________________________________

[ ] NO — Doesn't fit our criteria / Recommend we PASS
Reason: _______________________________________________________
Recommendation to prospect: ____________________________________

[ ] WAIT — Need more information before deciding
What we need to know: __________________________________________
When will we know this? _________________________________________


═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
SECTION E: IF WE'RE PROCEEDING...
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

PRICING STRATEGY:
☐ Standard pricing (DREAM or DEVELOPING)
☐ Premium pricing (CHALLENGING — we need to be compensated for risk)
☐ Specific guardrails in contract needed:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________


RELATIONSHIP GUARDRAILS:
What do we need to establish BEFORE kickoff to protect ourselves?

Boundary 1: _______________________________________________________
Boundary 2: _______________________________________________________
Boundary 3: _______________________________________________________


TEAM ASSIGNMENT:
Who's handling this relationship? ________________________________
Who's the escalation point if things shift? _______________________


═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
SIGN-OFF
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Completed by: ________________________ Date: ______________

Reviewed by: ___________________________ Date: ______________

Final decision: ☐ GO ☐ NO-GO ☐ CONDITIONAL

If NO-GO or CONDITIONAL, who communicates this to prospect? _______

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