Customers
I Keep Saying Yes to Bad Business
Use an opportunity filter so you stop taking work that hurts the business.
The Challenge
Use an opportunity filter so you stop taking work that hurts the business.
Why This Happens
- Fear of losing revenue
- No criteria for good work
- Not checking capacity or margin
Questions to Ask Yourself
- 1.Is this our ideal customer?
- 2.Is this our type of work?
- 3.Can we perform it well?
- 4.Do we have capacity?
- 5.Is the margin acceptable?
- 6.Is the payment risk reasonable?
- 7.Does it distract from better opportunities?
- 8.Do we understand the scope?
What to Do First
Run the next opportunity through the filter.
Write your top three 'no' rules.
Politely decline one bad fit.
Step-by-Step Solution
- 1
Apply the opportunity filter.
- 2
Decline what fails.
- 3
Refer bad-fit work to others.
- 4
Track results.
Three Levels of Solutions
Quick Win
Do this today
Run your next opportunity through the eight questions.
Build the System
Next 30 days
Use the Opportunity Filter on every new job.
Long-Term Transformation
Where you're headed
A business full of the right work and the right customers.
Lessons From the Pass It On Library
From Fix This Next
Bad business costs profit and order.
Framework: Business Priority Pyramid: Sales → Profit → Order → Impact → Legacy
From Principles
Decide with clear criteria.
Framework: Mistake → Lesson → Principle → System
Pass It On Action
Say no to one bad-fit opportunity.
Practical Tool
Opportunity Filter
Fill it in here, then download or print. Your answers stay on your device.
Your Action Plans
Sign in to check off steps and save progress to My Growth Plan. Sign in
7-Day Action Plan
- Day 1 — Identify the problem: write down exactly how “I Keep Saying Yes to Bad Business” shows up in your business.
- Day 2 — Review the numbers: gather the facts, figures, and examples connected to this challenge.
- Day 3 — Find the root cause: answer “Is this our ideal customer?”
- Day 4 — Choose one change: Run the next opportunity through the filter.
- Day 5 — Assign responsibility: name ONE owner, a deadline, and the expected result.
- Day 6 — Implement: Write your top three 'no' rules.
- Day 7 — Review what happened: what worked, what didn’t, and what you’ll do next week.
30-Day Action Plan
Week 1 — Diagnose
- Answer: Is this our ideal customer?
- Answer: Is this our type of work?
- Answer: Can we perform it well?
- Complete the 7-Day Action Plan.
Week 2 — Build
- Use the Opportunity Filter on every new job.
- Apply the opportunity filter.
- Decline what fails.
Week 3 — Implement
- Refer bad-fit work to others.
- Track results.
- Train the people involved and assign owners.
Week 4 — Measure & Improve
- Compare results to where you started.
- Write one lesson learned.
- Adjust the process.
- Share what you learned with someone in the fellowship.
Biblical Principles
Wisdom for the journey — encouraging stewardship, integrity, and service, never a promise of guaranteed success.
#42 · Money Management
Plan before spending
Luke 14:28–30
#73 · Growth
Count the cost of expansion
Luke 14:28
#95 · Partnership
Choose relationships carefully
1 Corinthians 15:33
Related Challenges
Still Stuck? Ask the Community
Tell us what you are facing, what you have tried, and what outcome you want.
Sign In to Ask for HelpHow Others Solved This
Real lessons from Pass It On members, shared after administrator review.
No member stories yet for this challenge — yours could be the first.
Share how you solved it
Protect confidential information: no customer names, employee details, addresses, pricing, contracts, or financial records.
Sign In to ShareYou don't have to build alone.
Challenge → Diagnose → Prioritize → Learn → Take Action → Measure → Improve → Help Someone Else
Learn it. Apply it. Pass it on.