In this behind-the-scenes coffee hour, Riley and Ped unpack what’s really happening inside the business right now.

They talk openly about experimenting with a new giveaway, living with mistakes and typos, and why clarity in business rarely comes from thinking harder. It comes from doing, noticing, and adjusting.

This episode is for coaches, consultants, and facilitators who feel stuck trying to “figure it out” before taking action — and who want a more honest, human path to building momentum.

You’ll hear why imperfection isn’t a liability, how real clarity emerges through experimentation, and what they’re learning as they test new ideas inside the Leverage Accelerator ecosystem.

Newsletter for stories, tips and resources: [leverageaccelerator.co](http://leverageaccelerator.co/)

Community to create more sales opportunities using relationship-first business development habits: [networkandsell.com](http://networkandsell.com/)

Timestamps:

00:00 – A very human mistake and why it matters less than you think

02:00 – Building a giveaway as an experiment, not a tactic

04:20 – Typos, credibility, and showing you didn’t outsource your voice

09:30 – Wabi-sabi, broken mugs, and the beauty of imperfection

12:10 – Why experiments are the real path to business clarity

17:10 – Designing incentives that reward relationships, not hype

20:10 – Clean shoes, messy paths, and how progress actually happens

24:20 – Why clarity only comes after you talk to real people

26:20 – Action, redesign, repeat: how we actually find our way

In this episode of Change Champions, we spotlight Carolina Poll, a Strategic Digital Product Designer who partners with early-stage SaaS founders to turn complex product ideas into intuitive, user-centered experiences. With over 17 years of experience across branding, UX, and product leadership—including leading teams of 25+ designers—Carolina shares how design goes far beyond visuals. She unpacks how startups can avoid costly missteps by aligning their product strategy with real user needs. Whether you're a coach supporting founders or a consultant building your own productized offer, this conversation is packed with insights on how design thinking drives traction, clarity, and growth.

When you first went solo, you probably thought it would mean more freedom. But somewhere along the way, “being your own boss” started to feel more like working harder for less — lurching from one big project to the next, stuck in that feast-and-famine cycle, and trying to be everything to everyone just to keep the pipeline alive.

In this episode of Change Champions, Ped and Riley unpack what they call the freedom paradox: the belief that keeping your options open is what keeps you free, when in reality it’s often what keeps you stuck. Drawing on decades of experience building coaching and consulting businesses, they break down why resisting a niche dulls your “axe” and how choosing a lane can actually become the fastest route to creative and financial freedom.

In this episode you will learn:

• Why “I don’t want to box myself in” leads to burnout and the feast-and-famine cycle
  

• How the fear of missing out on opportunities keeps you stuck as a generalist
  

• The simple psychology behind why people need a clear label for you to refer you
  

• A real example of a generalist who narrowed her niche and unlocked a referral flywheel
  

• How treating your own business as your best client creates true creative and financial freedom

If this conversation hits home and you’re tired of swinging a dull axe in every direction, make sure you’re on the newsletter. That’s where Ped and Riley go deeper into stories, systems, and tools to help coaches and consultants build focused, relationship-driven businesses with more leverage and less hustle.

Learn more and join the newsletter: leverageaccelerator.co

Timestamps:

0:00 – The Freedom Paradox

0:28 – Keeping Options Open

1:05 – Early Solopreneur Struggles

2:16 – Serving Everyone

3:41 – Fear of Niching Down

5:14 – Sharpen Your Focus

6:35 – Faulty Beliefs

8:04 – Why Labels Matter

9:55 – Feast-and-Famine

11:45 – Signs You Haven’t Chosen a Lane

12:59 – Past Success vs. Strategy

14:33 – Niche Example

16:18 – When Clarity Opens Doors

17:46 – Letting Others Define You

19:19 – Creativity After Niching

21:00 – Compounding Focus

22:08 – Building Leverage

24:40 – Less Effort, Better Results

26:06 – Final Takeaway

#BusinessGrowth #EntrepreneurMindset #CoachingLife

In this episode, Ped and Riley tackle the real reason so many great coaches and consultants struggle with marketing: it’s not a strategy problem, it’s a language problem. Through personal stories and client experiences, they unpack how to move from “invisible” to “understood” by seeing your business through your clients’ eyes. From mirror moments to “flashlight vs. headlight” marketing, they show why clarity and conversation always beat volume and vanity.

In this episode, Ped and Riley tackle one of the biggest time-wasters for coaches and consultants — friendly conversations that never convert. They share the five simple yet powerful questions that transform casual chats into meaningful, client-building conversations. Through real examples and insights from their own experience, they show how to shift from “relationship building” to structured, intentional dialogue that deepens trust and drives business growth.

In this episode of Change Champions, Riley and Pedram take on one of the most misunderstood skills in business: sales. They dismantle the myths that keep coaches, consultants, and service professionals stuck—like the idea that sales is only for pushy extroverts or manipulative personalities. Instead, they reveal how sales, when reframed as service, becomes the key to confidence, control, and career freedom. With stories from their own journeys and practical shifts anyone can make, Ped and Riley show that learning to sell is less about slick pitches and more about creating real options in your work and life.

In this episode of Change Champions, Riley and Pedram take on one of the most misunderstood skills in business: sales. They dismantle the myths that keep coaches, consultants, and service professionals stuck—like the idea that sales is only for pushy extroverts or manipulative personalities. Instead, they reveal how sales, when reframed as service, becomes the key to confidence, control, and career freedom. With stories from their own journeys and practical shifts anyone can make, Ped and Riley show that learning to sell is less about slick pitches and more about creating real options in your work and life.

Ped and Riley tackle the lie that keeps many coaches broke: thinking the fix is to work harder, shout louder, or charge less. They show how “curse of knowledge” and feature-heavy proposals create admiration without commitment, then walk through a four-part offer that clients can instantly say yes to. Ped shares how reframing a program from modules to outcomes turned a struggler into a premium offer without changing the actual delivery. You’ll leave with a simple structure to shape your brilliance into something clients understand—and buy.

Ped and Riley puncture the industry lie that the “perfect offer” attracts clients on its own. Ped shares how a six-month drought in 2019 humbled him into building a real pipeline instead of waiting on referrals. Riley walks through why common “fixes” (new branding, funnels, paid ads, mass outreach) either don’t fit most solo businesses or demand resources they don’t have—and offers a simpler path: have strategic conversations that surface real demand, then track it. The result is confidence, consistency, and control over your income.

In this episode of Change Champions, co-hosts Ped and Riley pull back the curtain on why even great offers often get ignored—and what to do about it. They unpack the silent conversion killer that causes discovery calls to go nowhere: a lack of relevance in your message. If your audience is still wondering, "Is this for me?"—you've already lost the sale. Using relatable stories, sharp metaphors, and their Big Five Framework, Ped and Riley show you how to make your messaging land with clarity, urgency, and emotional connection. You’ll learn how to answer the three unspoken questions every client is asking: Is this for me? What do I get? And why does it matter? Whether you're a coach, consultant, trainer, or facilitator, this episode will help you shift from being scrolled past to being sought out.

Are you a coach or consultant?

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