This happens more often than you might think. For every three or four organizations that contact Kern & Turn, we end up working with maybe one. That's not because most of them are bad clients—it's because good fit matters more than good money.

When I started the agency, I thought saying yes to every reasonable opportunity was the path to growth. I learned quickly that saying yes to the wrong projects doesn't just waste time—it compromises the work, strains relationships, and ultimately serves no one well.

So I developed a framework. It's not perfect, and I adjust it as I learn, but it's helped me make better decisions about which projects to pursue and which to politely decline.

The Framework: Four Questions That Matter

Before I commit to any project, I ask four questions. If the answer to any of them is no, we're probably not the right fit.

Question 1: Does Their Mission Align With Community Impact?

This is non-negotiable. Kern & Turn exists to amplify organizations doing meaningful work in their communities. If an organization's primary goal is profit maximization without regard for community wellbeing, we're not the right partner.

I'm not looking for perfect nonprofits or organizations that have solved every social problem. I'm looking for organizations that genuinely see their success as connected to their community's wellbeing—whether that's a foundation supporting education, a business committed to fair employment, or a nonprofit addressing specific social challenges.

A few months ago, a well-funded organization reached out about a major rebrand. The budget would have been significant. But when I asked about their mission and impact, the answers were vague. Lots of corporate language about "stakeholder value" and "market positioning," but nothing concrete about who they serve or how they measure impact beyond revenue.

I said no. Not because they were doing anything wrong, but because I couldn't figure out how our work would serve anyone beyond their bottom line. That's not what gets me out of bed in the morning.

Question 2: Do They Value Partnership Over Execution?

There's a fundamental difference between clients who want a vendor to execute tasks and clients who want a partner to help them think strategically.

Vendors get instructions: "Make our logo bigger. Change this color. Add more photos."

Partners get problems: "Our donor engagement is declining. Our messaging isn't resonating. We're not reaching the communities we're trying to serve."

I'm not interested in being a vendor. I teach computer fundamentals at CIAT, and even my students know that good technology implementation requires understanding the why, not just executing the what. The same applies to marketing.

When a potential client sends a detailed RFP with every decision already made—exact color codes, specific layouts, predetermined messaging—that's a signal they want execution, not strategy. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not what Kern & Turn does well.

The best client relationships start with questions, not answers. They start with "we're trying to solve this problem" rather than "we need you to build this exact thing."

Question 3: Are They Ready for Honest Feedback?

This might sound harsh, but some organizations aren't ready for the truth about their marketing challenges.

I've sat in discovery calls where it became clear that the real problem wasn't their website or their messaging—it was their internal dysfunction, unclear strategy, or unrealistic expectations. Sometimes organizations come to me wanting marketing solutions to non-marketing problems.

A foundation once asked us to help them increase donor engagement. During our conversation, it became clear they had no idea who their current donors were, why people gave, or what happened after donations came in. They wanted better email campaigns before they'd done the basic work of understanding their audience.

I told them they needed to spend six months on research and strategy before any marketing would be effective. They weren't happy to hear it. They wanted to skip the foundation and jump to the flashy stuff.

I said no to the project. Not because I didn't want their business, but because I knew taking their money to build campaigns on a broken foundation would waste their resources and damage our reputation.

The organizations I work best with are those willing to hear uncomfortable truths. They might not like what I tell them, but they trust that I'm giving them my honest assessment of what will actually work.

Question 4: Can We Actually Help Them?

This seems obvious, but it's surprisingly easy to overlook. Just because an organization is mission-driven, values partnership, and wants honest feedback doesn't mean we're the right team to help them.

Sometimes their needs are outside our expertise. Sometimes they need a full agency team and we're a two-person operation. Sometimes their timeline or budget doesn't align with the scope of work they actually need.

I had a conversation with a small nonprofit doing incredible work in their community. Everything about them aligned with our values. But they needed comprehensive social media management, content creation, and community engagement—basically a full-time marketing person, not a strategic consulting partner.

I told them honestly: "You need to hire someone in-house, not work with an agency." I connected them with resources for finding the right person and offered to consult with their new hire once they made a hire. They appreciated the honesty, and I felt good knowing I pointed them toward the right solution, even though it wasn't us.

Knowing what you're good at also means knowing what you're not good at.

The Financial Reality of Being Selective

Here's the part most agencies won't talk about: being selective has real financial costs.

Every project I turn down is revenue I'm choosing not to pursue. In the early days, that was terrifying. Could I really afford to say no to decent money?

The answer, for me, is yes—but only because I have my teaching position at CIAT. That steady income gives me the freedom to be choosy about agency work. I don't have to take every project to make payroll or cover overhead.

This is a privilege, and I'm aware of it. Not every agency can operate this way. But for Kern & Turn, this model works. I'd rather do five great projects a year with clients I believe in than fifteen mediocre projects with clients who drain my energy.

The teaching income creates space for selectivity. The selectivity creates better work. The better work attracts the right clients. It's a reinforcing cycle, but it only works because I'm willing to accept that Kern & Turn will never be a large agency.

What We Gain By Saying No

Being selective has unexpected benefits beyond just avoiding bad fits:

Better work. When I'm genuinely excited about a client's mission, I do better work. I think more creatively. I push harder. I care more about the outcomes. That shows in the final product.

Stronger relationships. Clients who value partnership become genuine collaborators. We're not just vendor and client—we're working toward shared goals. Those relationships last years, not just through one project.

Clearer positioning. When I turn down work that doesn't fit, it clarifies what Kern & Turn actually is. We're not a full-service agency. We're strategic partners for mission-driven organizations. That clarity makes it easier for the right clients to find us.

Sustainable energy. Working with clients who drain me is exhausting. Working with clients who energize me is sustainable. I can do this work for the long term because I'm not burning out on projects I don't believe in.

How to Know If We're Right for Each Other

If you're reading this and wondering whether Kern & Turn might be a good fit for your organization, here's the honest assessment:

We're probably a good fit if:

• Your organization's success is genuinely tied to community impact

• You want strategic thinking, not just tactical execution

• You're willing to hear honest feedback, even when it's uncomfortable

• You see marketing as relationship-building, not just promotion

• You're ready to invest time in strategy before jumping to tactics

• You value partnership and collaboration

We're probably not a good fit if:

• You just need someone to execute specific tasks with minimal input

• Your timeline doesn't allow for strategic planning

• You're looking for a large agency team with specialized roles

• You need comprehensive, ongoing services rather than project-based work

• You're not open to challenging your current approach

Neither is wrong—they're just different needs requiring different partners.

Why This Matters to You

You might be wondering why I'm being so transparent about turning down most potential clients. Wouldn't it be smarter to seem more accommodating?

Maybe. But I've learned that the wrong client relationship helps no one. It wastes their resources, compromises our work, and creates frustration on both sides.

I'd rather be honest upfront about what we do well and what we don't. I'd rather have organizations self-select based on real understanding of how we work. I'd rather do exceptional work for five clients who are the right fit than mediocre work for fifteen clients who aren't.

If you're a mission-driven organization looking for a strategic partner who will challenge your thinking, push for better work, and genuinely care about your community impact, let's talk.

If you're looking for a vendor to execute your predetermined plan without questions or input, I can recommend some excellent agencies who specialize in exactly that.

Both are valuable. But only one is what Kern & Turn does best.