The clients you can't let go of are the ones holding you back

Are you still the person every client comes to, even though you know it's holding your firm back? Do you find yourself saying you'll delegate more, but somehow you're still reviewing every piece of work and answering every client question? If the thought of handing over your longest-standing clients feels genuinely terrifying, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned about finally letting go of client work. In this episode, I talk about why holding on too tightly is the single biggest thing killing your firm's growth, and the three steps that actually make delegation work in the real world.What you'll learn in the podcast episode:- How to honestly assess whether it's the right time to hand over clients- Why a proper handover takes more time upfront than just keeping the client yourself, and how to structure a transition process that actually works (including shadow sessions, reverse shadowing, and ongoing check-ins)- The three self-sabotaging behaviours that undermine everything you've set up - and how to stop doing them even when it feels uncomfortable- Why the bottleneck in your firm isn't your team's capability, it's your mindset - and what shifting that actually looks like in practice- The real cost of hanging on too long, including the specific example of how I held onto a client relationship past its natural end and what it cost meRelated episodes:The real reason you keep hiring the wrong people https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/177715994?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2FpublishedWhat to do when your team wouldn't step up https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/173099328?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2FpublishedThis question could solve your frustrations with scaling your business https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/this-question-could-solve-your-frustrationsHow to deal with your firm's dysfunctional star (without losing your sanity) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/how-to-deal-with-your-firms-dysfunctionalWhy that small voice of doubt is holding your business back (and how to quieten it) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/why-that-small-voice-of-doubt-isUseful links:- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown UpWelcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth ClubEach episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again. Get full access to Start Up To Grown Up at startuptogrownup.substack.com/subscribe