Career Entrepreneurship

You Don’t Need Every Client or Job—Just the Right One

FOMO is a real thing in every area of life! Whether you’re freelancing, building a startup, or searching for your next job, that fear of missing out can feel very real.

We tell ourselves that more is better. More leads, more interviews, more clicks, more chaos. We adopt the “machine gun approach”—spraying bullets in every direction, hoping one eventually hits a target.

Even though “casting our bread on many waters” can be wise in some situations, here’s the uncomfortable truth:You still do need to be calculative about it. You do not need every job offer. You don’t even need every follower. You do not need every opportunity.

You only need the right ones.

If you are trying to speak to everyone, you end up speaking to no one. And if you are trying to work with everyone? Well, that is a one-way ticket to Burnout City, population: you.

 

The High Cost of the Wrong Fit

 

In my years consulting under Dejamedia Company, businesses would come to me worn out after pouring too many resources into doing too much with no clear payoff—or worse, ending up with more problems than solutions.

You know the type. The ones who want Amazon-level success on a lemonade stand budget.

The same logic applies to your career. Desperation smells like cheap cologne. When you apply for roles that don’t align with your values or skill set just to “get a foot in the door,” you aren’t building a career; you’re digging a hole.

Quality over quantity isn’t just a cliché; it is a very healthy strategy.

Preparation: The Silent Partner of Opportunity

There is a misconception that landing a massive client or a dream job is a “lucky break.”

Let me debunk that. “Luck” is just what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that it often takes just one good opportunity to change the trajectory of your life or business. But—and this is a big but—that opportunity will walk right past you if you aren’t ready for it.

Some of my biggest breakthroughs didn’t come from a viral tweet. They came from years of:

  • Consistency: Showing up and delivering high-quality work even when no one was watching.
  • Flexibility: Knowing when to switch from a generalist to a specialist.
  • Movement: Putting myself in new rooms, meeting new people, and not staying stagnant.

Because I focused on honing my craft rather than chasing every low-hanging fruit, I was positioned correctly when the big players came knocking. This approach is exactly how I ended up working with organizations like the IFC (part of the World Bank Group), Total Sports, Digify Africa, Jenna Clifford, African Agri Council, Energy Capital and Power and more.

I didn’t trick them into hiring me. I was simply the right fit at the right time because I had put in the work beforehand.

 

How to Stop Chasing and Start Attracting

 

So, how do you pivot from the “machine gun” approach to a “sniper” strategy?

1. Define Your “Non-Negotiables”

If you are a business, create an anti-persona. Who do you not want to work with? If you are a job seeker, list the red flags in a job description that make you swipe left. Knowing what you hate is just as important as knowing what you love.

The Hidden Truth Behind Today’s Job Market: Why Your Job Hunt is So Hard

2. Upskill with Intent

The market changes fast. If you want high-quality opportunities, you need high-quality skills. This is the core philosophy behind Skillapreneur. I created the courses on there not to teach skills for the sake of a certificate; but so you get practical, hands-on digital skills that make you undeniable to the right employers and clients.

3. Be a Specialist (With Generalist Range)

The “Jack of all trades, master of none” is a myth. You can be a master of one, with a working knowledge of many.

Example: I run a fashion brand, Filosofee. To make it work, I had to be a specialist in brand identity, but a generalist in supply chain and e-commerce. The advantage is that, over time, you can become a specialist where you are a generalist in which will allow you to then branch out to learn new things at a general level, and the cycle keeps going.

The Takeaway: Be flexible enough to pivot, but specialized enough to be valued.

4. Audit Your Output

Are you putting out work that attracts the top 1%? Or are you churning out mediocrity to feed the algorithm? Focus on consistency. One incredible case study is worth fifty mediocre blog posts. One deep, strategic conversation is worth a thousand blind LinkedIn connection requests.

The Bottom Line

A firm does not need every customer. It needs customers who pay on time, respect the process, and value the outcome. A professional does not need every job. You need an employer who recognizes your worth and challenges your intellect.

Stop trying to catch the ocean with a spoon. Build a spear, sharpen it with preparation, and wait for the right fish.

FAQ: The Art of Finding the “Right” Fit

 

Q: Won’t turning down customers (or job offers) hurt my bottom line?

A: In the short term? Maybe a little. In the long term? It saves you. “Bad money” costs more than no money. The time you spend managing a low-paying, high-maintenance client (or working a job that drains your soul) is time stolen from finding the opportunities that actually pay your worth.

Q: How do I know if I am “prepared” enough for a big opportunity?

A: Preparation isn’t a feeling; it’s a track record. If you have been consistent with your output, actively upskilling (even when no one is watching), and refining your craft, you are ready. Imposter syndrome loves to tell you otherwise, but your consistency is the evidence that you can handle the big leagues.

Q: Can I really afford to be a specialist in a volatile market?

A: You can’t afford not to be. But here is the trick: be a specialist with a generalist’s toolkit. Deep dive into one niche where you can charge a premium (like UX design or targeted SEO), but keep your peripheral skills (like business strategy or copywriting) sharp so you can pivot when the market shifts.