68. Why Your Business Boundaries Are Repelling High-End Clients (And How to Fix It)

Ever feel like your business is running you instead of the other way around? You’re not alone. 

If you’ve ever answered a late-night client message, squeezed in a last-minute favor, or felt guilty about enforcing your boundaries, this episode is for you. 

Most entrepreneurs think that being available and accommodating makes them valuable, but in reality, weak boundaries are keeping them overworked, underpaid, and stuck in a cycle of burnout. 

The truth is, premium clients expect and respect strong boundaries, and when you structure your business accordingly, you’ll not only protect your time and energy but also position yourself as the high-value expert clients are eager to work with. In this episode, I’m breaking down the biggest boundary mistakes service providers make and how to fix them, so you can build a business that feels both peaceful and profitable.

Key Points Covered:

✨ Why weak boundaries repel premium clients—and how to fix it

 ✨ The biggest boundary mistake that’s keeping you overworked and underpaid

 ✨ How to stop feeling guilty about enforcing boundaries in your business

 ✨ My response reset protocol to prevent last-minute “urgent” requests from hijacking your schedule

 ✨ The connection between boundaries, self-worth, and scaling your business sustainably

If you’re tired of scope creep, endless last-minute client demands, and feeling undervalued, this episode will shift everything for you. It’s time to structure your business so that boundaries aren’t just rules, they’re built into the way you work.

💫 Grab my free Peaceful Profits Vault for premium trainings at dancingleafsolutions.com/resources

💌 DM me “Boundaries Template” on Instagram @soulfulbizcoachandrea for my scripts and templates

Thank you for being a part of the Soulpreneur Scaling Stories community!

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Andrea Elibero: Andrea here, your host and passionate business coach and scaling strategist for Soulful Service Providers and Coaches. Welcome to another episode of Soulpreneur Scaling Stories. Have you ever wanted to look behind the curtain of your fellow entrepreneur's business to see what actually went into scaling it?

[00:00:22] Well, you are in for a treat because that's exactly what we are doing here. In each episode, we will be uncovering the truth the lessons and the stories behind what it truly takes for solepreneurs to scale their businesses intentionally. I'm hoping that their stories will help you to unlock the true potential of your business so you can create your own soulful, abundant, and aligned laptop lifestyle through intentional Scaling.

[00:00:46] So whether you're just starting out on your scaling journey or you're a seasoned entrepreneur seeking inspiration, this episode has something incredible in store for you. Are you ready to rise, grow, and create a business that fully supports your dream life? Well, let's [00:01:00] dive in. Before we begin, make sure to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an empowering episode filled with real stories and soulful insights.

[00:01:10] Hello. Hello and welcome to the solo episode of a soulreneur scaling stories. This episode, I'm really excited because we are going to dig into boundaries and particularly into some things that are a little bit unexpected and different. So let's dive in. What if I told you that every time you say yes to that quick question at 9:00 PM, you actually making it harder to attract premium clients who value your expertise and respect your time. I know this might sound counterintuitive. Especially if you've built your business on your.

[00:01:42] Value of being helpful and available. 

[00:01:45] But today I'm going to show you why the strongest client boundaries actually attract the best clients and how this transforms, not just your business, but your confidence and your sense of self worth as well. So today we're [00:02:00] going to talk about why most boundary advice actually makes it harder to attract premium clients and what to do instead. 

[00:02:06] How strong boundaries naturally position you as the expert that clients are dying to work with. With the surprising connection between boundaries and self-worth that transforms your entire business. And my complete framework for creating boundaries that feel good and attract better clients. This is not just about protecting your time, even though that is definitely important. 

[00:02:26] This is about creating a business that is both peaceful and profitable. Okay. So let me paint a picture for you that might feel familiar. It's 9:00 PM on a Thursday. You're finally sitting down to relax when a slack notification pops up. Quick question.dot dot. You know that it's never actually a quick, right, but this client pays you well and you want to be helpful. 

[00:02:48] So you open your laptop for quote unquote, just a minute. An hour later, you are knee deep in an emergency project that somehow needs to be done by tomorrow. Does this sound familiar to you [00:03:00] or something like it? I am sure I have been there myself. Here is the thing. It is not just about that one late night. 

[00:03:07] A slack message. It's about all the boundary crosses that add up. The small additions to projects that are not actually small the Sunday night prep work, that's become your routine. The constant context switching when clients need quote unquote, just one thing and the guilt about charging for these little extra tasks. Each of these moments seems innocent enough after all you were just being helpful. 

[00:03:31] Right. But they're actually costing you way more than you realize. So what is really going on?

[00:03:37] These boundary crosses are like tiny cracks in your business foundation. Each one drained your energy through you being constantly available. Each one decreases your work quality, the Ru endless context, switching. They build a silent resentment that affects your client relationships and they erode your expert positioning. So I'm going to share with you a quick story about my [00:04:00] client S she's amazing OBM online business manager, and she was drowning in these constant and random client demands. Every time a client asks for a quote unquote, quick favor. 

[00:04:09] She said yes, because she thought that's how she would be the best OBM around. And she didn't want to seem difficult. She wanted to support her clients. She was working like 60 hour weeks, but stuck at these 5k months because she had accidentally trained her clients to see her as an always on employee. Rather than a strategic expert. I want to reiterate those words because they're so important and always on employee instead of a strategic expert. So does this resonate with you? 

[00:04:39] I feel like it might with a few of you.

[00:04:42] And the thing that changed everything. Is having boundaries because strong boundaries don't just protect your time. They're actually the key to attracting premium clients and scaling your business with ease. Most service providers have this totally backwards. They think that being always [00:05:00] available, it makes them more valuable when actually it's diminishing their expert status. 

[00:05:05] So I'm going to share with you three powerful truths that flip everything that you've been taught about client boundaries on its head. The first truth. Is the boundaries worth connection. This goes way deeper than just managing your calendar. When you consistently honor your boundaries, you are rewiring your entire relationship with your business and your self-worth.

[00:05:27] Every time you say an aligned? 

[00:05:29] No. You're teaching your clients to value your expertise.

[00:05:34] You're strengthening your professional confidence. You're building unshakable. Self-trust. And you're demonstrating your commitment to you. Quality work. My client and Jay struggled with this until she realized something really profound. Her weak boundaries were not just affecting her schedule. They were keeping her stuck in a cycle of self doubt. 

[00:05:53] She was saying yes to everything because deep down she worried that if she wasn't constantly available, her clients would leave.[00:06:00] 

[00:06:00] But here's what happened when she started treating her time as a malleable.

[00:06:03] Not only did her clients stay. They actually started respecting her more. Her confidence grew, she raised her rates. 

[00:06:10] And the most surprising thing that happened to her is that her client's results improved dramatically because she had the space both actual time and mental space to do her best work.

[00:06:21] Truth number two is the premium paradox. So here's something that might actually surprise you. Premium clients expect and respect strong boundaries. 

[00:06:30] In fact, weak boundaries can actually repel the exact high quality clients that you want to attract. So think about this. When you book a high-end service, do they let you text them at midnight? No. When you work with a premium provider, did they drop everything for your quick question? No. When you invest in luxury services, are they always available for you? 

[00:06:51] No. Of course not their boundaries are part of what makes them premium. They understand that true excellence requires focused work time, [00:07:00] clear processes, protected energy. And professional standards. The most successful online service providers I know are not the most available. They're the most structured, their boundaries are not just rules. 

[00:07:14] They're the foundation of their premium positioning.

[00:07:18] And truth. Number three is the structure solution. This is where most boundary advice falls short.

[00:07:24] They tell you to just say no set office hours and that's it. But these willpower based boundaries always fail. Why? Because I put all the pressure on you to constantly enforce them. So what's the real solution.

[00:07:39] Building boundaries into your business structure itself. So the real solution is having boundaries of built into your business. 

[00:07:47] And this means. Having a clear service framework that naturally creates boundaries, creating systems that guide a client behavior. Developing processes that protect your energy and establishing [00:08:00] structures that support premium delivery. Because when you have the right systems and framework in place, you don't have to constantly enforce boundaries. They're just part of how you deliver amazing results. 

[00:08:10] Your entire business becomes a container that naturally commands, respect. That supports consistent excellence that attracts premium clients. And that creates sustainable success. This is why trying to set boundaries without changing your business structure is like trying to fill a leaky bucket. You can keep adding more and more rules, but without the right container, they're going to keep slipping through the cracks. So now I want to transition a little bit. And talk about a transformation that nobody expects from having strong boundaries. 

[00:08:42] And this is the deeper and profound impact that this has on your self-worth and your competence. Every time, you honor your boundaries. You're building unshakable confidence in your expertise. You are practicing radical self respect. You're growing into your next level business [00:09:00] owner identity. So, let me tell you about what happened with the claim. 

[00:09:03] My client E she started by simply stopping her habit of checking client messages after 6:00 PM. I know that can be hard. Even at the beginning. Right. But within weeks she noticed something fascinating. She was showing up differently. In sales calls, her confidence was magnetic. She started attracting clients who never questioned her rates because their energy clearly communicated her value. And this is not just about time management. 

[00:09:28] It's about becoming the kind of business owner who naturally attracts premium clients and growing your confidence. And self-trust is just as important to do this as any business strategy when you are growing your business.

[00:09:41] Now, let me give you some immediate ways that you can start strengthening your boundaries today. 

[00:09:46] So we'll start with some practical things. Number one is the response reset protocol. So instead of jumping to respond to every message, use a simple template. Thanks for your message. I have noted this and we'll address it during our next scheduled check-in on whatever [00:10:00] day for urgent matters. Please follow our emergency protocol and your welcome pocket. I'm going to give you a quick example of what an emergency protocol looks like first clearly define what constitutes a true emergency. Usually, this is something that would result in a significant rent revenue loss for the client. It involves systems being completely down or affects the client's ability to serve their clients. Then create a specific process. 

[00:10:23] Like maybe the client emails you with urgent in the subject line. Include cleared a clear description of the emergency itself. Your response will be within two hours during business hours, and then there'll be an additional rush fee of whatever. And then you are limited to X emergency requests per month. Everything is handled during regular business hours and through normal channels. 

[00:10:45] Anything else? That's not an emergency. And by the way, if you want this template and then a couple of more that make boundary setting fill and natural and professional DM me on Instagram at soulful. All biz coach Andrea. And the show notes, boundaries template, and I will send it over to you. The second [00:11:00] thing is the scope shield. Start every client relationship by clearly documenting what's included. 

[00:11:06] And more importantly, what's not documented and tell them this prevents scope creep before it starts highly recommend. And I'll have it isn't writing, like I said, but stating it out loud on the first call with your client. And the third thing is the hours honor system. Create a simple system for tracking all of those quick favors for two weeks. 

[00:11:26] This is for you because you'll be shocked at how much time they actually take. And this Wolf spur you into action. So those are the practical things. So now let's move on to some of these inner work exercises. The first one is the value of visualization. Spend five minutes each morning, visualizing yourself as the premium service provider that you are becoming. 

[00:11:44] How does she handle client requests? What are her natural boundaries? Visualize your future self as if it is happening now. And number two

[00:11:53] is the worth of work. Every time you feel guilty about enforcing a boundary, ask yourself what my next [00:12:00] level, self struggle with us boundary. Make it a game, challenge yourself where every time you stick to a boundary, you reward yourself. Make it fun. So those were some of the quick things that you can do to set boundaries, but here's the truth while I wish I could tell you that those quick wins are the key to solving all of your business problems, trying to fix boundary issues. 

[00:12:18] One by one is like playing whack-a-mole with your business. You fix one another one pops up, right? Think about it. You said office hours, clients still message you late. You create email templates, scope still creeps. You raise your rates. Somehow you're still feeling overworked and undervalued. Why? 

[00:12:32] Because these surface level fixes they help, but they don't address the real issue. This is like putting bandaids on a broken foundation. They might hold for a moment, but they're not going to solve the underlying problem. The real transformation happens when you build boundaries into the very structure of your business. And now this is not about creating more rules. 

[00:12:53] It's about designing your business. So boundaries happen naturally. I'm going to show you what this looks like.[00:13:00] 

[00:13:00] This comes in the form of number one, having a strategic core offer because when you have a strategic core offer, clients will understand exactly what they're getting and what they're not getting. When you have a strategic core offer your processes, create natural limits on scope and availability. When you have a well-designed strategic core offer your framework guides, the entire client experience. And when you have a strategic core offer, your expertise is built into every touch point. And then when you have systems that support premium delivery. Work flows through established channels. Communication happens at designated times. Projects follow clear timelines and expectations are managed automatically. 

[00:13:46] It's beautiful. And the third piece, when you have a framework that positions you as the expert, clients respect your processes because they trust your expertise. They follow your lead because they naturally see you [00:14:00] as the authority. They value your time because they understand your worth and they refer others who are going to do the same thing. And then when you have clear processes that clients happily follow there's no confusion about how to work together. 

[00:14:14] Everyone knows what happens when and why success becomes a predictable and repeatable excellence becomes your standard. Then boundaries become automatic. You stop having to enforce them because they're just part of how you deliver your amazing results. Your business becomes a weld oiled machine that naturally attracts the right clients, but automatically filters out the wrong ones that consistently delivers excellence. 

[00:14:40] And that scales without draining you. This is the difference between constantly playing defense with your boundaries and creating a business that naturally protects your time, your energy and your expertise. So, can you see how having strong boundaries have built into your business actually makes it easier to attract premium clients who value your work. And can you [00:15:00] see how creating the right business structure eliminates the need to constantly enforce boundaries? Can you see how stepping into your expert identity naturally attracts clients who respect your time and expertise. I'm so curious, what resonates the most with you?

[00:15:15] Chat with me on Instagram. 

[00:15:16] Let me know. Because that's really good with really good training. Um, so I want you to imagine for a moment, what it would feel like to never again, feel guilty about enforcing your boundaries. To have clients who respect your processes without pushback, to feel totally confident in your expert status, and to run a business that energizes you instead of drains you. Now, this is exactly what I do with my one-on-one clients in my three-month program called expansion. If this is something that you're like, Ooh, I'm kind of interested in learning more about this. 

[00:15:47] DM me email. You have all my information at the bottom. Get in touch with me and I'm happy to chat about it. If not, or, and, and not, if not, and if you want to hear some premium trainings, [00:16:00] I have a brand new. Peaceful profits Balt that has a bunch of trainings that I normally reserve for my pain clients. 

[00:16:07] And this is free. That link is in it's under the reef dancing, leave solution.com/resources. It is in the show notes as well. I invite you guys to go there and dive into all of those trainings. And I am super excited.

[00:16:20] for all of the boundaries that you are going to create and build into your business. 

[00:16:24] So you can have this peaceful, profitable business and scale sustainably. So that is all for today until next time I will see you guys later. 

[00:16:33] Thank you so much for joining us today. I really hope you found inspiration and insights from today's episode. You know, scaling your business intentionally and from the inside out is a transformational process, but I'm here to support you every step of the way. Head on over to dancingleafsolutions. com slash resources for free tools to help you do just that.

[00:16:59] And thank you again [00:17:00] for being a part of the Soulpreneur Scaling Stories community. Your presence and dedication to growth inspire me every day.