Rethinking Client Meetings: Embracing Flexibility and Empathy
Our first guest post from Harriet Formby
Ever since I started my Substack I’ve wanted to add in a juicy extra or two so that my lovely subscribers (thank you for being here!) get even more value!
So, each month I’ll be sharing a guest post from a fellow service pro getting their perspective, learnings and approach to client experience - all with the aim of inspiring you as to what’s possible with yours.
I put the request for contributors out to my newsletter pals first of all, and was delighted when Harriet offered up her idea and expertise, as it’s something, if I’m being honest, I hadn’t thought about in much detail before.
Before I share Harriet’s insightful post, let me in introduce her properly to you….
Harriet Formby is a Chartered Accountant, Fractional CFO and Business Mentor. She partners with mission-led businesses with micro to £1m+ budgets, to grow their profits ethically and build finances that do good and feel good. With a radically passionate, empathetic, and trauma-informed approach, Harriet brings the human side to finance, empowering business owners to feel confident and proactive with money. Based in the Somerset countryside, Harriet works from a cosy off-grid office in her meadow, surrounded by retired racehorses, dogs, Dartmoor ponies, pet sheep, and a variety of birds.
Many will be familiar with the exhaustion of racing from one back-to-back meeting to the next, leaving little room for truly meaningful work or to even gather your thoughts. As a fractional CFO and business mentor, I regularly meet with business owners to discuss some heavy topics. Over the years, I’ve noticed these conversations can bring up a lot of emotions, especially around money and clients would often be joining meetings feeling rushed, disconnected and not in the best headspace.
Have you ever struggled through a meeting when you weren’t fully present but persevered to honour the dairy commitment? I have, and it’s never that productive. As I explored further, learning about trauma responses and polyvagal theory (how our nervous system reacts to stress), I realised overly rigid structures aren’t always good for well-being and the power of pausing and autonomy. This led me to discover the concept of polychronic time, which promotes flexibility and presence.
Instead of sticking to rigid meeting times, I started 'bending time' to fit the natural flow of life and work. If a client feels rushed, overwhelmed or simply not in the right headspace, they are encouraged to reschedule or adapt the meeting to align with their energy - even up to last minute. This approach gives clients permission to advocate for themselves, over being a martyr to schedules.
Here are some changes I’ve made to help founders engage more meaningfully with meetings:
Flexible Scheduling: Meetings can be booked at 15-minute intervals to encourage breaks.
Rescheduling Options: Clients are encouraged to reschedule or adapt the meeting if other pressures arise or they’re not feeling in the right frame of mind.
Expanded Meeting Space: Limiting daily bookings and blocking time around appointments ensures I myself have time to delve deep without rushing, if things overrun.
Life-Friendly Environment: Welcoming life’s distractions during sessions so clients feel comfortable to pause to let the dog out, attend to their children, and other commitments.
Initially, I worried this approach might leave me constantly playing catch up and at risk of being messed around. But the reality has been the opposite. We’ve broken down the traditional hierarchy of daunting CFO meetings to a human level, honouring work-life balance. This approach resulted in more autonomy, better communication, deeper relationships and better financial outcomes.
Clients feel more at ease opening up about their fears and worries, allowing us to tackle these issues more effectively. I’m also intentional about my availability, being mindful of my own needs. I’ve moved away from the finance industry’s obsession with deadlines and rigid cycles. Sure, I still meet all filing dates, but my focus is on meaningful conversations about clients’ financial health and goals.
It’s all about connecting deeply with thoughts, feelings, and emotions, which is incredibly beneficial for making sound financial decisions. I honour each client’s unique story, shaped by dreams, fears, and beliefs about money. To me, finance is more than just numbers. It’s about what really matters to my clients—their well-being, values, and dreams for their business. By 'bending time,' I’m not just challenging old norms; I’m taking a stand for a more personal and empathetic way to do business.
I believe this approach resonates especially well since I focus on working with creative and often neurodivergent business owners who can struggle with time management. The majority of whom are women, juggling complex lives and caring, who were often conditioned to put their needs last.
Taking a more flexible, empathetic approach has transformed my work in a traditionally hierarchical and rigid industry to become much more human-centric and responsive to the real needs of business owners. Creating space for us to be full beings, within the entrepreneurial journey.
If you’re feeling curious and would like to explore how you could potentially apply Harriet’s approach to the client experience, here’s a question to reflect on:
»Knowing what you do about your clients (or ideal clients) what “life stuff” might be happening for them (ie what’s going on inside their head) when they hop on a 1:1 call with you? Is there a way (that suits you too) that you could offer more flexibility bearing this in mind?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic, please do share them using the comment button below.
Fran x
There’s loads of places where you can find Harriet if you’d like to learn more about what she does:
She also has her own Substack called Profits Reimagined
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