“ Focus on people you have a spark with. ” How do you follow up with people and create relationships with them without bugging them? Today I am answering that question from a viewer and I'm so excited about it. Spoiler alert: It’s all in the spark. What you’ll learn in this episode: How it's traditionally taught to follow up, and why I think that might feel gross and not aligned for you. How I teach to follow up instead, and what is really working for me and for my clients. BTW, you definitely w...
May 07, 2024•15 min•Season 18Ep. 209
“I want you to think of referrals as a bonus - a gift from the Universe. They’re a gift from people who are around you.” Season 18 is all about answering your questions. I really enjoyed this one: “My frustration is growing referrals without hounding my clients. I ask annually or immediately after we hit a success milestone. I still need more referrals. Surprisingly, they do not provide many. I send them a list of their connections on LinkedIn to generate initial ideas, but they seldom turn out ...
Apr 30, 2024•16 min•Season 18Ep. 208
“Objections are ways a person is letting you know, here's what I need to overcome in order to make this work for me. It's actually good news if you think of them as buying signals.” What do you do when you get objections during the sales process? Freak out, get nervous, get insecure – maybe all of the above? You’re not alone. What should you say if they say I can't afford it, or if they wonder if it will really work for them? I’m asked about objections pretty often so I created this episode to h...
Apr 23, 2024•22 min•Season 18Ep. 207
There was a time when I thought there was a huge dichotomy between consulting and coaching. What's the difference between coaching and consulting? Is there any? I've always ignored this question really, because … so what? I just didn't think it was that important. But today I'm answering it because (a) so many people ask me about it, and (b) there are some exciting developments in both professions that we should be talking about! So which am I: A coach or a consultant? For years, I always said c...
Apr 16, 2024•17 min•Season 18Ep. 206
The biggest barrier to earning $100,000 per engagement is simply your belief that it's possible. Are there consultants who are really earning $100,000 per engagement? Believe it or not, that is one of the most frequently asked questions that I get from pretty much everyone. And the answer is 100 percent YES. In fact, most of my clients earn a hundred thousand dollars per engagement. Today I'll share what they're doing, what you're not doing, and what you need to do in order to earn $100K per cli...
Apr 09, 2024•14 min•Season 18Ep. 205
“ What do other consultants do to build and grow their businesses? ” That's the number one question I get from clients and podcast listeners. Other questions include: Are your clients really getting paid a hundred thousand dollars per engagement? What do I need to do to make that happen? How do they handle objections on a sales call? What’s the best way to avoid scope creep from clients? I love answering your questions and helping you to build a consulting business that thrives beyond your wilde...
Apr 02, 2024•51 sec
“ The relentless pursuit of more and more and more growth can actually destroy your consulting business and your health. ” What would you say if I told you the key to growing your business is actually slowing down? This season we’ve been talking about expansion: landing perfect clients, charging more money, and building the most profitable, joyful consulting business possible. But not today. Today, we’re talking about the importance of integrating all of the changes that happen in your business ...
Mar 26, 2024•13 min•Season 17Ep. 204
“ I want you to be closing more sales and helping those people who should be working with you .” What’s the first thing that pops into your head when I say the word sales? Do you cringe? Want to retreat into a cave or ball yourself up in the fetal position? I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be so scary or difficult. In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, I’m going to teach you what you need to know to improve your sales and to actually not hate it as much as you might right now. ...
Mar 19, 2024•20 min•Season 17Ep. 203
“What is in your business that your clients are paying you for? Is there a method, training or workshops that you bring? Whatever it is that your client is paying you for, that is the asset in your business.” -- Erin Austin Imagine a world in which your business continues to thrive while you take a step back to rest and relax. If you’re a consultant, that might feel like a dream, but it’s absolutely within reach – and maybe even closer than you think. In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consult...
Mar 12, 2024•36 min•Season 17Ep. 202
Here’s how to write posts that get your perfect clients to take action. Wish you knew how to get your writing to be irresistible and unputdownable? How would you like for your LinkedIn posts to get you leads, or your email newsletters to reactivate past clients or activate potential new ones? In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, I'm sharing how you can communicate your value in writing so that it works to get you results. You’ll learn how to differentiate your work from any competito...
Mar 05, 2024•16 min•Season 17Ep. 201
“Women need to claim our power. We need to prioritize leading and not just serving.” Some people need to learn things the hard way. You might be surprised to hear I’m one of those people. :-\ When I first started my consulting business, I made more than my share of mistakes. But it’s the lessons I’ve learned through those mistakes that have carried me – and my clients – through the challenges and into profitable, joyful consulting businesses. In today’s episode, I'm sharing what I wish I knew wh...
Feb 27, 2024•31 min•Season 17Ep. 200
One of the fastest ways to get to a million and beyond is by expanding your team. Does the idea of adding team members stress you out? Do you immediately imagine managing difficult personalities or chasing down late deadlines? Fear not. In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, I’m sharing why expanding your team is one of the fastest ways to expand your business, and it’s more manageable than you might think. If the very idea is triggering your control freak ways, you’re in luck! Press p...
Feb 20, 2024•24 min•Season 17Ep. 199
You want to know what your potential partner is going to be like when they're at their worst. – Samantha Hartley Last week, you heard all of the reasons you should not consider forming a partnership in your consulting business. I shared some of the dreadful reasons women seek partners and what causes those relationships to crash and burn. Listen here If you heard those real-life cautionary tales from my personal client files and you’re still considering a partnership, you’ve come to the right pl...
Feb 13, 2024•38 min•Season 17Ep. 198
Partnership can be a really difficult and risky route to take if you are a woman consultant. Have you been considering forming a business partnership in your consultancy? Sure, that’s one way to expand your business, but is it the right way? I feel so strongly about this topic that I’ve created a two-part series to provide you with all the information, so you can move forward with your eyes wide open. In this episode, I am sharing the top reasons why no t to seek a partner in your business. You'...
Feb 06, 2024•25 min•Season 17Ep. 197
Perfect clients’ is not about value judgements about anybody here. It's really about who is best suited to receive from you. What if you could expand your services without requiring any more of your precious time or energy? Oh you can. When you focus on perfect clients - perfect in size and needs - and provide just the right value, business expansion is almost inevitable. In this episode, we’ll assess clients' needs and how to align with the level that suits your expertise. You’ll learn how to f...
Jan 30, 2024•23 min•Season 17Ep. 196
“Scope creep isn't always a bad thing; it sometimes can be scope expansion.” Did you know that acquiring a new client can cost five times more than retaining an existing one? It’s true! What if you could learn how to make way more without adding a single new client? It’s time to end the chase and relax with better relationships and more profits. In this episode, you’ll learn the secrets of strategic client growth. In a world obsessed with acquiring new clients, I urge you to challenge the status...
Jan 23, 2024•16 min•Season 17Ep. 195
“ As consultants, we can't even grow the business unless we expand as people.” It’s impossible to dive into the topic of business expansion without understanding the importance of growing personally. And no one knows that more than my first guest of 2024. In this insightful episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, we delve into the fundamental truth that as consultants, our business growth is intricately tied to our personal expansion. You’ll hear directly from my client, Leslie, who has doubled...
Jan 16, 2024•40 min•Season 17Ep. 194
“What identity do you need to have to expand into that next thing?” A new year, a new season of Profitable Joyful Consulting, and a new theme. This season, we’re tackling all things expansion, the challenges, the downsides and how to determine if expansion is right for you. In this first episode of the season, we’ll explore the very real fear that pops up when we even think about expanding in our lives and business, help you get more intentional about how and where you want to grow, and I’ll eve...
Jan 09, 2024•21 min•Season 17Ep. 193
“ We're going to talk about expansion and the ways that when you expand yourself, you can grow and expand your business as well.” New year, new season! In this brand new Season 17 of Profitable Joyful Consulting, we’ll explore sustainable ways to expand business without burnout, focusing on the 10 Drivers of Success for consulting businesses, emphasizing transformational engagements that add value to clients. We’ll dive into leveraging tools like Chat GPT and AI to increase efficiency without co...
Jan 03, 2024•3 min
“ When we do a vision statement like this, we tell the universe quite specifically how we want that intention to be fulfilled.” What do I want? That seems to be hardest question for many people to answer, including me. What do I want? Well, what are my options? What lights me up? What is the universe offering to me? You (yes, you) can have what you want , that is possible for all of us. How do we do it? With intention. My intention in this bonus episode of Profitable, Joyful Consulting is to pro...
Jan 02, 2024•18 min•Season 16Ep. 192
“You are going to feel that universal connection. You're going to feel something sacred. You're going to feel the change and transformation that happened.” Throughout history, fire has been a symbol of healing, used to mark rites of passage, commemorate key events, and serve as a symbol of clearing the old to make way for the new, connecting us with the cycle of life. In this episode, we explore the concept of burning rituals and their significance, and dive into the power of a ritual and how th...
Dec 26, 2023•18 min•Season 16Ep. 191
“Looking at your wins tells you what's working in your business.” I always kick off my weekly client meetings with a simple, yet incredibly effective question. It orients my clients toward success and starts our meetings on a high-vibe note. But what I love most about this question is it’s like a switch that activates a success-seeking mindset for the entire week. Asking this powerful question of your clients is a great way to indoctrinate them in succeeding with the work they’re doing with you ...
Dec 19, 2023•18 min•Season 16Ep. 190
“Make a master list of every area in your business where you're asking, "How do I...?" and then write the names of those who can help with that problem.” Highly capable women are achievers. They’re used to doing IT ALL on their own. And looking good, while they’re at it. Sound familiar? It’s probably how you’ve gotten through most of your business and personal life. That can be a blessing and a curse. Yes, you’re capable. Yes, you’re better than almost everyone else at doing all.the.things. But ...
Dec 12, 2023•14 min•Season 16Ep. 189
“When you have someone who owes you money and the only obstacle is you providing an invoice or payment link, then THAT is your highest priority right now.” You just returned to your office after a week away working on-site with clients. You take one look at the “to-dos” waiting for you and feel overwhelmed with no idea where to begin. That ☝️ happened to one of my clients. And she asked for my help isolating what to prioritize at that moment in her business. So I created a framework called “What...
Dec 05, 2023•13 min•Season 16Ep. 188
“Base your brand language in actual language that clients use.” The most consequential question for you as a business owner is: What do you want to be known for or known as in your business? The answer is the foundational piece from which your brand identity will emerge. And while it may seem backward, it’s important that you first have clients before you create your brand. Why? Because your clients show you who is attracted to your work. You hear how they talk about you. How they introduce you ...
Nov 28, 2023•25 min•Season 16Ep. 189
“The problem is where the value is.” Consultants often struggle with two critical questions: How do you decide whether to work with a particular client? And, once you’ve decided you want to, how do you figure out what to charge them? The answers to these questions are found in the discovery session. When you ask powerful questions, you unlock a wealth of information. This information not only helps you understand your client's needs but also empowers you to make informed decisions about whether ...
Nov 21, 2023•15 min•Season 16Ep. 186
“This question puts you in touch with what you really want to be doing.” Do you ever look back on the week and wonder where all your time went? Do you have projects and passions you want to pursue but can’t because you don’t have enough time? Where does all that time go? This week I’m exploring two questions that are SO informative - and frustrating! Informative because they reveal something that should be obvious: where you’re wasting time. And frustrating, because it’s much harder to do someth...
Nov 14, 2023•30 min•Season 16Ep. 185
“What if we could take all of the behaviors that we have in our lives and do them with the intention as a gift for our future selves?” For decades, I associated the idea of making my bed every.single.day. with external discipline. It felt like something pointless and imposed on me, and that caused me to rebel against that point of view. Then I heard a mind-blowing question that completely changed my behavior. The longer I sat with the concept, the more I realized that my behaviors today would ei...
Nov 07, 2023•18 min•Season 16Ep. 184
“The root of this question is a scarcity versus an abundance mindset.” As a consultant, do you ever feel like you’re giving away too much? Worried that people could just figure out everything for themselves from what you freely share? I hear these concerns from consultants a lot. And sure, if you’re naive, giving away too much can inadvertently hurt your consulting business (and in some cases, your clients’ results). But when you’re strategic about what you share, you can trust that your ideas a...
Oct 31, 2023•17 min•Season 16Ep. 183
“The answer to this question tells you what is working for you in your marketing.” Ready for more clients? What if I told you that you already know exactly what to do to get more of them? It’s so much easier to replicate success than it is to pioneer a new path. But how do you know what “success” to replicate? Ask good questions. True to the theme for this season, I share in this episode a powerful question I use all the time to simplify marketing planning and help consultants get clients faster...
Oct 24, 2023•16 min•Season 16Ep. 182
