“My goal is that by the end of 2026, I will have 100 clients.”

 My client proudly declared at the start of our conversation.

I was curious. “What does 100 clients actually mean to you?”

He explained: “This means fulfilling orders from 100 individual clients.”

“If you achieve this goal, what will it mean for you professionally and personally?”

 “Six years ago, I stepped away from an industry I’d worked in successfully for 30 years to be the full-time carer for my partner, who was dying from cancer. She died about 12 months ago. I relaunched my business at the start of the year. Achieving this would be affirmation that my personal, caring approach with customers is still relevant in this tech-focused world.”

 I pressed harder. “What would it mean for you personally?”

He leaned back in his chair, stroked his chin, and stared out the window.

Quietly, he answered. “I don’t know.”

I held the silence.

“There’s a hole in my heart since my partner died. I don’t know how to fill it. If I work hard and hit my goals, it distracts me from the pain. Maybe it fills the hole.”

 “But will it?”

Silence again.

“It’ll help me professionally. Not personally.”

 He leaned forward, an excited look in his eye. “Here’s the funny thing. After she died, Cancer SA reached out to see if I’d become a counsellor for people who have a family member dying from cancer. I pushed them away.”

“Why did you push them away?”

 He was quiet for a moment. “I wasn’t ready. I still don’t know if I am.”

“How does 100 clients feel against helping one person through what you went through?”

 He sat with it.

“Inconsequential, actually. I’ll ring Cancer SA.”