90: The Fear of Losing Clients When You Speak Your Values

This episode is a little different. In a time that feels heavy, confusing, and deeply human, John speaks honestly about the fear many business owners carry when it comes to speaking their values.

This conversation is not about shouting online or debating politics. It’s about alignment. It’s about understanding why neutrality still communicates something, why your business is never separate from you, and how to live inside your values without performing or burning everything down.

Using a simple what, why, how framework, John shares three grounded actions you can take this week to bring your values into your business in a way that feels steady, intentional, and human.

In this episode:

• Why neutrality still sends a message
• The fear of losing clients when you speak your values
• The difference between opinions and misaligned values
• Why creatives feel this moment so deeply
• The concept of the “golden thread” of values
• How to practice quiet alignment in your business
• Creating boundaries and client alignment without confrontation

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Transcript

Hey, friend. Before we get started today, I want to say something.

This episode is a little different than what I normally do here on the podcast. It’s still me, but it has a different feel because of a lot of what’s going on in the world right now.

I’m not going to be loud.
 I’m not going to be angry, even though I am.
 But I am going to be very, very honest.

What we’re talking about today may feel political to some people, and I understand that. Truly. But for me, and for many of you who’ve reached out, this stopped feeling political a long time ago.

Welcome to The McClain Method, the podcast for interior designers who are ready to stop hiding and start shining. I’m your host, John McClain, designer, business mentor, author, and your branding bestie.

This is not about paint colors or pendant lighting. It’s about building a business that’s visible and profitable, inside and out. From marketing and messaging to mindset, systems, and visibility, we cover the front stage and the backstage of your design business.

Because your brilliance deserves the spotlight, and your business deserves to run like a dream behind the scenes.

Alright. Let’s get into it.

I had another episode scheduled to go live today, and I paused it. I recorded this instead because of the conversations I’ve been having with people in DMs, text messages, and real life.

This might come across as political to some, but I promise you, that is not what this is. This is about humanity. It’s about love. It’s about understanding where your voice fits when things feel heavy, confusing, and honestly, scary.

I’m not here to convince you of anything.
 I’m not here to debate you.
 And I’m definitely not here to perform.

I’m here to help business owners navigate what it looks like to live inside your values when things feel uncertain.

We’re going to walk through a very simple framework: what, why, and how. And at the end, I’m going to give you three specific things you can do this week to bring your values into your business in a way that feels grounding, not reactive.

Take what resonates. Leave what doesn’t. But stay with me.

The What

Right now, in the United States, people are being detained. People are being harmed. People are dying.

I’m not interested in policy language today. I’m not interested in debating intent. I’m interested in the fact that real human beings are being impacted. Families are being impacted. Fear is becoming part of everyday life for people who have done absolutely nothing wrong.

When harm becomes normalized, something inside you shifts.

For me, that shift became personal very quickly.

My husband, Pete, traveled to Florida yesterday. He’s Asian. His mother is from Thailand. He was born here in the United States. He is a U.S. citizen, and his mother has been a citizen for over forty years.

Before he left, we had to sit down and have a conversation I hope no one ever has to have. But I know many of you already have.

We talked about his safety. We packed pepper spray. We talked through what he would do if something escalated.

That’s not politics. That’s planning for survival based on skin color. And that is devastating.

When I shared this on Instagram, the responses confirmed what I already knew. People are scared. People are angry. People are grieving. And a lot of business owners don’t know what to do with all of those feelings.

So let me say this gently but clearly.

Being neutral right now is not invisible. Silence still communicates something, whether we intend it to or not.

That doesn’t make you a bad person, but it does make this moment worth examining.

The Why

Why does this matter for business owners?

Because your business is not separate from you.

Let me say that again.
 Your business is not separate from you.

You don’t walk into your office and suddenly become a value-free version of yourself. Your decisions, your boundaries, your policies, your client relationships, all of it reflects what you believe is acceptable.

Even if you’ve never named your values, they’re there.

I talk a lot about what I call the golden thread of values. Imagine a golden needle with a long, flowing thread. On that thread are the values you don’t compromise on. Not because of trends. Not because of money. But because without them, you can’t rest.

This doesn’t mean you only work with people who think exactly like you. That’s unrealistic and unhealthy. I’ve worked across the political spectrum my entire career.

But there is a difference between different opinions and misaligned values.

That difference comes down to respect, dignity, safety, and compassion.

If you speak up, you may lose clients.
 If you speak up, you may lose business.

That is not failure. That is filtering.

What you gain are clients and collaborators who trust that when you say you care, you actually mean it.

Success, to me, is not purely financial. Success is laying your head on your pillow at night knowing you didn’t abandon yourself just to keep the peace.

Creatives and Sensitivity

I want to speak to creatives for a moment.

Creative people often process things differently. There’s research behind this. We tend to have higher emotional sensitivity and empathy. We don’t just notice what’s happening. We feel it.

That doesn’t make you weak. It makes you perceptive.

That same sensitivity that makes you good at what you do also means injustice lands harder in your body.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, distracted, more emotional than usual, or torn between wanting to speak up and wanting to disappear, nothing is wrong with you.

This is your nervous system responding exactly how it’s wired to respond.

Values give emotion structure. They move you from raw feeling into intentional action.

Asking a creative to separate their values from their business is like asking water not to be wet.

The How

Speaking up does not mean shouting.

Alignment is usually quiet. It’s consistent. And it doesn’t require performance.

So here are three things you can do this week.

First: Define your golden thread of values.
Write down three to five values you will not compromise on. These are not slogans. These are standards.

Ask yourself:

• What behavior crosses a line for me?
• What would I never excuse if it happened to someone I love?
• What do I want my business to quietly stand for?

These values are not for public consumption first. They are decision filters.

Second: Build values into your business infrastructure.
If your values only live in your head, they disappear under pressure.

Your website language.
 A thoughtful blog post.
 A short values statement in your onboarding materials.

Quiet signals matter.

And hear me clearly: you do not owe the internet your nervous system.

Quiet alignment is still alignment.

Third: Create a checks and balances system for client alignment.
You don’t need ideological agreement, but you do need value compatibility.

Use discovery calls to listen.
 Be clear about boundaries.
 Address behavior when it crosses a line.

You can say, “This doesn’t work for how we operate,” or “This may not be a good fit moving forward.”

That is allowed.

Closing

You can acknowledge complexity without abandoning your values.
 You can be kind without being silent.

Your business will always tell a story, especially when you say nothing.

The question is whether that story reflects who you really are.

I know this was heavy. I know many of you are tired. But choosing alignment over comfort matters.

Take this one step at a time. You are doing the best you can.

I’m proud of you.

I’ll see you next time, friend.