YES! We Decline Making Money for Checking Boxes | Success is not always saying yes to King Client

Long term and authentic sustainable success is knowing when to say no

You’ve built something real. A business, a service, a vision that matters. But now, the calls come in—clients, contracts, opportunities. Some feel right. Others? They come with a quiet discomfort, a subtle compromise. A request to deliver something that doesn’t align, to check a box rather than create impact. You feel the pressure. Say yes, secure the revenue, keep things moving. But deep down, you wonder—what does saying yes to the wrong things truly cost?

The Hard Reality

And yet… bills have to be paid. Teams rely on you. Growth doesn’t happen without revenue.

Some entrepreneurs I’ve coached have faced this moment—the gut-wrenching tension between staying true to their purpose and taking on work that simply keeps the machine running.

They ask me, “Should I take this deal? Should I say yes even when it doesn’t fully align?”

And my answer is always the same: “Your answer is within.”

Because it’s not about what I would do. It’s about what you are willing to live with.

The Pros vs. The Cons: The Real Trade-Offs

Let’s strip away the illusions and put the real choices side by side.

Do you have to make these kind of decisions?

Saying Yes to the Wrong Work

? Immediate cash flow

? Keeps the business moving

? Builds short-term relationships

? Drains energy and passion

? Reinforces the habit of compromise

? Distracts from long-term vision

? Can weaken your brand’s integrity

Saying No to the Wrong Work

? Protects your vision and values

? Creates space for the right opportunities

? Strengthens trust in yourself and your business

? Delayed revenue

? Fear of missing out (FOMO)

? Uncertainty about when the right opportunity will come

So, what’s the real risk? And what’s the cost of sacrificing short-term comfort for long-term alignment?

Tools for Better Decision-Making

You don’t have to rely on gut instinct alone. Here are three strategic tools to help make these tough calls with clarity:

1?? The Opportunity Filter – Set clear criteria: Does this align with my values? Will it move my mission forward? Will I be proud of this work?

2?? The 5-Year Rule – Ask yourself: If I take this on, will I regret it in five years? If I say no, will I regret it?

3?? The “@#$%&- Yes” Test – for me personally if it’s not a @#$%&-- YESSSSS, BRING IT ON!!! then it’s a real no. Passion fuels success—does this opportunity ignite that fire or just keep the lights on? BUT ARE YOU ALSO READY TO WORK WITH THE LIGHTS OFF? I have been there 4 times... I am willing to pay this price for my passion... the real question is not what I (would) do... the real question is what will you do and what are you willing to sacrifice both for yes -short term profit and no-willing to pay the price with no bread on the table?

Back to the Get!T Story: Walking the Talk

At Get!T, we’ve faced these same dilemmas. Opportunities that looked good on paper but felt hollow in purpose. Clients who needed a service we could provide—but only to check a box rather than create real transformation.

We’ve been asked to run trainings that wouldn’t change anything. To consult without true engagement. To deliver projects that looked great in reports but lacked real impact.

The Commitment We Stand By

? We integrate and align at all levels—strategic, tactical, and operational.

? We only take on work that leads to authentic, sustainable development.

? We keep our promises—because empty programs don’t build a better world. Which means that EVERYONE has to commit to be part of the change, including the leader.

Many times, we’ve worked without financial gain—sponsoring entire processes because we believe in what we do. Not because we don’t want to make money—but because money is not the goal. Impact is. We DO UNDERSTAND our added value. and yes we want to be valued for bringing added value. but if Success is measured purely by financial gain, Get!T should have been closed at least 4 times. If success is measured by accomplishing your mission, as non-profit organizations do, then we are highly successful. If you lead your organization as a Social Enterprise then it is really different then a for-profit enterprise.

(And still the dilemma's remain)

When We Say No, It’s for the Right Yes

So if someone calls us to check a box, we will decline. Even if they tell us: "Then you have a foot in the door". Not out of arrogance. Not because we don’t care.

because we care too much to waste energy on anything that doesn’t drive real change.

At Get!T, we don’t train, consult, or manage projects just to check a box. We cultivate authentic, sustainable development—because transformation isn’t a product, it’s a process. This has brought us a couple of challenging years with declining (financial) good offers, during times of (financial) crises, but in hindsight were the best decisions we made as we stayed healthy in mind, heart and spirit.

And if you’re here to build something that truly matters—to create lasting transformation—then we are ready.

Get!T. Because real change isn’t imposed. It’s facilitated.

P.s.

most of the ones we declined would (years) later applaud us for that, and find us trustworthy to come back for advice. A question you may ask in your case: are you in business for a sprint or a marathon?

P.s. 2

will you measure profit in years or in decades? In purely financial gains or in other profitability?

P.s. 3

Cahsflow is really important. By no means we imply that you can overlook your organization's cashflow, because then you will undermine your people and your whole organization. Cashflow is key in survival.

In another article we will talk about recognizing when one invites you to check a box, while pretending to change the world.