Breaking the Anchor Client Dilemma: How to Rebuild When That One Client Leaves

Oct 17

Written By Monica

A few weeks ago, a coaching client came to me absolutely terrified.

She’d just lost her anchor client—the one responsible for 80% of her income. The one she’d built her entire schedule around. The one she thought would always be there.

That single email ended it all.
No warning. No backup plan. Just a “we’re going in a different direction.”

And just like that, her business felt like it collapsed overnight.

She wasn’t just grieving lost income. She was grieving identity. Because when one client makes up your entire workload, they become your comfort zone—and your cage.

She had structured her days around their meetings.
Her content around their projects.
Her goals around their revenue.

So when they left, she didn’t just lose money—she lost momentum, confidence, and clarity.

And here’s what most VAs don’t realize until they’re in that same spot:
It’s not the loss that breaks you.
It’s the dependence you built around one source of income.

That’s what I call the Anchor Client Dilemma.

You anchor your business to one client because it feels safe. You tell yourself it’s loyalty. Stability. Partnership.

But in reality, it’s dependency dressed as security.

You stop marketing. You stop networking. You stop building new offers. You tell yourself you’ll “diversify later.”

Until later shows up as a goodbye email.

I’ve seen it too many times—and I’ve lived it too. That’s why I tell every VA who comes into The Glow Lab: gratitude is beautiful, but overreliance is dangerous.

Because no matter how good the relationship is, no client should have the power to break your business.

Step 1: Control the Spiral

First, we acknowledged the fear. It’s real. It’s valid.
But panic doesn’t pay bills.

We shifted her energy from emotion to execution—a 30-day plan focused on immediate opportunities: reconnecting with warm leads, refreshing her offers, and getting visible again.

No blind job applications. No begging for gigs. Strategic action only.

Step 2: Audit the Assets

We pulled everything she already had: testimonials, deliverables, client results, systems, and templates.

She wasn’t starting over—she was repositioning.

The foundation was already there. We just needed to build from it, not burn it down.

Step 3: Diversify the Strategy

Diversification doesn’t mean chaos. It means control.

Here’s how we rebuilt her income engine:
→ New retainer clients (but not the only answer)
→ Digital products like templates and SOPs
→ Lead magnets that actually generate income
→ Mini-courses teaching her signature skillset
→ Affiliate partnerships aligned with her niche

When one door closes, you open five more.

Step 4: Shift the Mindset

She went from “I lost everything” to “I’m building something better.”

A business that couldn’t be taken away by a single client’s decision.

Because here’s the magic: when you have multiple income streams, losing one client is a setback—not a catastrophe.

You’re not starting over. You’re pivoting with purpose.
You’re not desperate—you’re in demand.
You’re not broken—you’re building differently.

The Anchor Client Curse Breaks When You Stop Anchoring

→ One door closing means it’s time to open the ones you’ve ignored.
→ Diversification isn’t greedy—it’s smart business.
→ Resilience is the real flex.

If you’re in that season right now, I see you.
Take the hit. Feel the fear. But then rebuild like a CEO.

And if you’re not there yet? Build your safety net now—before you need it.