TWR Podcast 67: Dawn Brolin on Losing Clients to Generate Wealth

In episode 67 of The Woodard Report podcast, host Joe Woodard interviews Dawn Brolin, a CPA and business advisor, about her strategy of losing clients in order to focus on generating more wealth for fewer, ideal clients!

Brolin starts by explaining that after 24 years in business, she realized she was spreading herself too thin by servicing over 250 clients. This led to average work and constantly putting out fires. After hearing thought leader Ron Baker speak about subscription pricing models, she decided it was time to implement changes in her own firm. 

The first step was asking her team how much money they wanted to make, then reverse engineering the pricing and services needed to reach those goals. They looked critically at their client list, keeping only the ones they truly enjoyed working with. This resulted in a portfolio of just 16 clients that now run the practice. 

According to Brolin, the key differentiator of a subscription model versus value pricing is the focus on regular proactive communication and asking questions to understand client needs and goals. It's about helping clients move their business in the direction they want, not just providing information the advisor thinks is valuable. 

The subscription model allows advisors to package the unique value they provide, such as outsourced CFO services, into a pricing structure. This gives clients clarity on what they are paying for. In return, advisors can command much higher profit margins to provide flexibility for unexpected client requests within the scope of services. 

A key mindset shift Brolin made was from rescue mode to firm first. This means structuring the practice to benefit the team's quality of life first, not just pleasing clients. Part of this is referral relationships to handle specialized needs outside the core services. It also includes "firing" clients who don't align with the ideal client profile or treat the team poorly. 

Brolin stresses that firms earlier in their lifecycle can save themselves years of frustration by starting with a subscription model and ideal client focus from the beginning. It provides the freedom to do great work instead of just being compliant. She urges advisors to have the courage to make a change in their practice and celebrate small wins along the way. The goal is transforming firms to generate wealth, not just track hours and push paper. 

To hear more about Dawn’s journey, listen to this incredible episode by clicking below, and don’t forget to subscribe to The Woodard Report Podcast on your favorite podcast platform! 

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