Why Being Flexible With Clients Is Costing You Money

If you’ve ever bent over backward to make a deal happen — Today we’re talking about how being too flexible with your clients is costing you real money. And more importantly — I’ll show you the exact clauses that would’ve saved two of my clients thousands of dollars… and how to start using them yourself.

I'm Acacia Thornton, founder of CEO Legal Coach and creator of Aligned Clients, Paid with Purpose™. In this article and video replay from the Aligned Business Series, we’re covering one of the most common patterns I see in service-based businesses: overgiving without value exchange

What Actually Makes You Money?

• Your time

• Your brain (strategy, expertise, creative input)

• Your deliverables

• Your energy and your youness

As a business owner, your #1 job is to protect what makes you money. Because without it — your business doesn’t scale, and your margins don’t survive, and your energy and confidence drain. 

Common Ways Business Owners Get “Too Flexible” (and Pay the Price)

Overgiving isn't about one thing, one act, or one thing. It stems from lots of areas: 

• Accepting last-minute redlines without evaluating the cost

• Removing protective clauses to keep a client “happy”

• Adding extras without updating the scope or pricing

• Letting scope stay vague to avoid seeming difficult

• Agreeing to unlimited calls, edits, or reschedules

• Delaying invoices to accommodate cash flow issues

• Starting work without a signed agreement or payment

• Leaving “completion” undefined — no acceptance clause

• Holding space for disorganized clients who drain your energy

• Stretching timelines to “be nice” — and losing momentum + revenue

Let's explore two real-world stories how this impacts business owners and what we did to turn these heart-centered styles into revenue makers. 

Real Client Story #1 — The Redline That Cost Her the Contract

• Client: Consultant who landed a multi-year contract

• She accepted one last redline from the client — a termination clause that seemed "small."

• 6 months later, the client walked away. No warning. No payment.

• She lost months of customization work and expected revenue.

What went wrong?

• The clause gave the client full exit rights — with no protection for her.

• What would’ve fixed it? Customized Termination Clause with:

  • Minimum commitment periods

  • Early-exit penalties

  • Cost recovery language

   

  Real Client Story #2 — The Overgiving Coach & Creative Designer

  • Solopreneur offering business coaching + brand design (logo & website)

  • Signed client for a 3-month package: coaching + full website + logo

  She showed up prepared:

  • Built custom questionnaires

  • Prepped each session

  • Offered real insight and support

  But the client didn’t hold up their end:

  • Constant excuses: “I didn’t get to it,” “Things got crazy,” “Maybe next week”

  • Didn’t provide branding clarity, copy, or direction

  What happened:

  • All 3 months of coaching calls were used up with no progress on the design deliverables

  • Website and logo still unfinished — client hadn’t done their part

  • My client offered extra calls and support

  • 9 months later, the coach/designer finally canceled the project

  • And refunded 80% of the payment — after nearly a year of extra effort

  What went wrong?

  • A client- friendly agreement that never held the client accountable

  • No client responsibility language

  • No definition of what counted as “completion”

  • No billing triggers for extra time or delays

  • And a statement that said a refund was due, despite the time ,effort and deliverables that were completed on the coach's end. 

  What would’ve fixed it? 

  Acceptance Clause → Defined when deliverables were considered complete (even if the client went silent)

  Scope Creep Clause → Turned extra calls and stretched timelines into billable support

   Watch the Full Video Training for more story details:

What These Stories Have in Common

Both business owners:

• Were generous, capable, high-integrity service providers

• Wanted to be easy to work with

• Ended up losing money, time, and energy because of vague or one-sided terms

This isn’t about being rigid. It’s about being resourced. Clarity is love. Structure protects your creativity, income, and client experience.

Every single one of these stories could’ve had a different ending — with just a few intentional lines in the contract.

Want to Keep Serving With Heart — Without Getting Drained?

That’s exactly what we do inside Aligned Clients, Paid with Purpose™.

The program that helps service-based business owners:

• Stop overgiving

• Set boundaries with love

• Use simple contract clauses that protect time, energy, and income

Inside the program: the real world sentence we use- you can copy/paste them into your agreements. 

- The Acceptance Clause → Closes open loops and defines what’s "done."

- The Scope Creep Clause → Draws a clear line between generosity and unpaid labor.

- The Termination Clause → Ensures your business doesn’t absorb the cost of someone else’s change of heart.

Bonus Q&A From the Live Replay

Q: Can I still offer a flexible vibe but keep my contracts firm? Yes. The key is communicating the value of your structure. When clients understand how your contract protects their outcomes, they’ll feel more supported, not restricted.

Q: How do I add a Scope Creep Clause without making the contract feel cold or transactional? Frame it around client care: "This helps us keep momentum, protect your timeline, and make sure you always know what to expect."

Q: I feel bad pushing back on redlines. Won’t that scare off good clients? Try this: "Let’s talk through this part to make sure we’re aligned." Clients often request changes simply because they don’t understand the impact. When you explain how the clause supports them too, the concern usually disappears. 

If the client really is wanted to get an exit clause, best you know this up front when you can discuss it with heart. 

Q: How do I know which contract changes are okay to accept and which aren’t? It begins with understanding whats in your own template- most importantly how key areas of it impact you and you business. You don't need to become a contract expert,  but even a basic understanding can help you make informed decisions about edits. 

Q: Do I need a lawyer to add a termination clause, or is the program enough? You don’t need a lawyer to implement the frameworks we teach. Inside Aligned Clients, Paid with Purpose™, you’ll get contract-ready clauses, plus guidance on how to personalize and explain them.

Ready to stop draining your energy with vague boundaries? Start protecting your income and your relationships.

Join us inside Aligned Clients, Paid with Purpose™ today.

{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I still offer a flexible vibe but keep my contracts firm?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. The key is communicating the value of your structure. When clients understand how your contract protects their outcomes, they’ll feel more supported, not restricted." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I add a Scope Creep Clause without making the contract feel cold or transactional?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Frame it around client care: 'This helps us keep momentum, protect your timeline, and make sure you always know what to expect.'" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "I feel bad pushing back on redlines. Won’t that scare off good clients?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Try this: 'Let’s talk through this part to make sure we’re aligned.' Clients often request changes simply because they don’t understand the impact. When you explain how the clause supports them too, the concern usually disappears. If a client really wants an exit clause, it's best to know that early so you can discuss it with heart." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I know which contract changes are okay to accept and which aren’t?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "It begins with understanding what's in your own template—most importantly how key areas impact you and your business. You don’t need to be a contract expert, but even a basic understanding can help you make informed decisions about edits." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need a lawyer to add a termination clause, or is the program enough?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "You don’t need a lawyer to implement the frameworks we teach. Inside Aligned Clients, Paid with Purpose™, you’ll get contract-ready clauses, plus guidance on how to personalize and explain them." } } ] }