In August 2019 I started IDConsult with three things:
- helping fellow expats in Denmark navigate tax questions
- absolutely no idea what my prices should be
- and the naive belief that “being helpful” was a business model
In the first years, I didn’t fully understand my value or why I was answering messages at 22:47.
I overdelivered, undercharged, and told myself it was “good for relationships.” It was also excellent training for chronic stress.
Fast-forward:
In 2024, I served 47 full-time clients.
In 2025, I wanted fewer clients and more growth. I served 36.
And the business still grew +12.3%.
And no, I did not unlock a secret tax loophole. I simply upgraded the business model from “please accept my low prices” to “these are the offerings, this is the price.”
Lesson 1: More clients is not the same as more growth
More clients can also mean:
- more WhatsApp messages
- more “quick questions”
- more “it’ll only take 2 minutes”
Growth happens when you learn to price, package, and protect your time. Because if your calendar is full but your margins aren’t, congratulations, you’re running a very efficient charity.
I also realized that the fastest way to kill profitability is to be “nice” to clients who aren’t nice to my margins. And if I don’t learn to say “NO,” I won’t have a business, I’ll just have an unpaid internship in my own company.
Lesson 2: Client quality beats client quantity (and my nervous system agrees)
With fewer clients, the average value per client increased by 46.6%.
That didn’t happen because I manifested harder or because Mercury stopped being in retrograde. It happened because I:
- set clearer boundaries
- stopped discounting my expertise
- realized that being “nice” is not a pricing strategy
I could still be kind and still have standards. In fact, standards are often the kindest thing you can offer, especially to yourself.
Lesson 3: TIME was the most important KPI in 2025
In 2024, I hit burnout. So in 2025, I retired the idea that “doing everything myself” is a badge of honor. I delegated. I outsourced.
In 2025, I worked 645 hours.
Tracking hours changed everything, because suddenly:
- every “quick question” had a cost
- I could see which clients were profitable, and which ones were politely eating my margins
- every unclear boundary showed up somewhere, usually on my skin
Time tracking isn’t restrictive. It’s clarifying.
If you’re building a service business, stop asking, “How do I get more clients?”
Start asking, “Which clients deserve my attention?”
Because sustainable growth isn’t a marketing achievement.
It’s a pricing model, a boundary system, and the discipline to enforce both, especially when you’re tempted to people-please.
