Is who you serve serving you?

It’s goal-setting season and you’re probably busy determining how to make the most of 2026 for your business. In the midst of studying performance metrics, analyzing the competition, and creating your go-forward marketing plan, I have a question:
Is who you serve serving you?

For business owners with a “client service first” mindset, this probably seems like an odd thing to ask. That’s exactly why it’s such an important reframe, especially if you’ve been doing the work you do for a long time. When was the last time you took a long pause and really thought about your purpose? You need paying clients and customers but of course there’s a much deeper motivation. It can be what you do, how you do it, who you serve, or any combination of the three, but it’s so important get back in touch with your purpose – your why. When you’re very clear about this it will build and serve your business by guiding you to the people who feed your soul instead of the ones who suck you dry.

A few years ago, a very large company with whom I had a contract suddenly announced a huge layoff and I found myself shipping my company-issued laptop back to headquarters. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, and it made me wonder why I kept signing up for more. Being buried layers deep in an org chart was never going to give me one-on-one time with business owners, which is what I crave. Feeling like a cog in a great big money-making machine wasn’t awesome either. So, I decided to focus on serving small businesses where I could create meaningful relationships and results. Was it scary? Absolutely. Staying the course, especially in this weird climate, feels safe and easy. Then again, nobody grows in their comfort zone.

It was a slow shift but the kinds of companies I really wanted to work with took notice and my business has grown. Here’s why. When you know who you want to serve it clarifies how you talk about and market the work you do. You’re speaking your dream clients’ language now and they hear you loud and clear. You will also show up differently. How could you not? When you do work that fuels your purpose it feels great, but when you do that work for people who align with your purpose, it feels even better. That energy is undeniable and it’s contagious.

And all this brings us back to goal setting. It’s infinitely easier to put solid strategies in place when you know your purpose, when you can clearly see your dream clients, and when you’re genuinely excited about doing good work for and with them.

Ready to give it a try? Give yourself a running start by asking these questions:

• How is my why visible in my business?
• When I think about my best work, what kind of clients brought out my why the most?
• What qualities do my dream clients have in terms of their business, mindset, and approach?