Twelve years into her consulting career, Rachel Hughes has built a business that attracts inbound leads, top-tier engagements, and industry recognition, without sacrificing her sanity or freedom.

In this episode, Melisa talks with Rachel about the mindset and strategy shifts that transformed her from overthinking and reactive to intentional and in-demand. Rachel opens the doors to her consulting practice, sharing how she thinks about niche, lead generation, pricing, mindset, and evolving as a business owner, especially as an independent consultant running a global business without full-time staff.

You’ll hear how Rachel made herself the go-to expert in a high-stakes niche and why building in sustainability (for her clients and herself) has been key to long-term success.

What you will learn in this episode:

[03:35] How Rachel became a sought-after consultant in the public transport and infrastructure sector

[08:22] The mindset shifts that helped her stop overthinking and start operating like a true business owner

[15:14] Rachel’s inbound lead generation process, including her approach to LinkedIn and OnePage CRM

[21:30] How Rachel landed retainer work by learning to articulate value and listen to client needs

[28:00] The surprising role of mindset coaching in building consistency, confidence, and freedom

[35:12] Rachel’s success with pricing strategy and her approach to selling outcomes, not hours

[42:18] Turning down work and why saying no has created space for her most aligned engagements

Tune in to Episode 228 to learn what it takes to build a sought-after consulting business on your terms and why the real shift starts between your ears.

Related Resources

• Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-228/
• Rachel’s recommended CRM (Quick Start Guide): https://www.melisaliberman.com/crm-quick-start
• Related Podcast Episode: Episode 224 – The 6-Figure Pipeline Playbook with Ellie Holbert, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-224/ ️
• Work with Melisa: Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call at https://www.consultmelisa.com   

Want More?

• Get Melisa’s Book: https://www.melisaliberman.com/book
• Visit with Melisa’s Website: www.melisaliberman.com 
• Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melisa-liberman 
• Get Notified When Melisa’s Products Launch: https://www.melisaliberman.com/growth-atlas-products 
• Meet Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-hughes-surbon/ 

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

If you’re avoiding thought leadership because you “don’t know what to say”, this episode is your turning point.

In Episode 227, Melisa dismantles the most common blocker independent consultants face when it comes to publishing thought leadership: not knowing what to share, or fearing they’ll just add noise. 

She introduces a powerful mindset shift and practical system to consistently generate valuable, original content straight from your day-to-day consulting work.

This isn’t about carving out time you don’t have. It’s about extracting insight from conversations and deliverables you’re already doing, so you create dual value: for your clients and your business.

You’ll walk away with a method to build a sustainable thought leadership engine, one that strengthens your positioning, generates leads, and builds your reputation as a go-to expert.

Timestamps for Key Moments:

[05:12] What’s really behind “thought leadership block” and how to move through it.

[10:28] Why consultants avoid content creation and how to stop overthinking what to say.

[17:40] The ‘Circular Value Model’, a framework for turning your everyday client work into thought leadership.

[30:18] How to capture and productize your hidden IP using a two-column strategy.

[35:26] 5 steps to operationalize your thought leadership engine without needing extra hours in your week.

Tune in to Episode 227 to simplify your thought leadership process and make it a strategic asset in your consulting business.

Related Resources

• Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-227/
• Take The Consultant's Business Health Assessment https://assessments.melisaliberman.com/consulting-health-assessment 
• Related Podcast Episode: Episode 148 – Overcoming A Thought Leadership Block, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-148/ 
• Work with Melisa: Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call at https://www.consultmelisa.com   

Want More?

• Get Melisa’s Book: https://www.melisaliberman.com/book
• Visit with Melisa’s Website: www.melisaliberman.com 
• Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melisa-liberman 
• Get Notified When Melisa’s Products Launch: https://www.melisaliberman.com/growth-atlas-products 

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

You’ve made it halfway through the year — now what?

Too many independent consultants either stay the course out of habit or abandon their goals altogether. In this episode, Melisa walks you through a five-step framework to recalibrate and intentionally design a second half that actually aligns with what you want, not just what you committed to back in January.

This isn’t just another planning session. It’s a reset opportunity: to reassess what’s working, reimagine what’s possible, and realign your goals and mindset so you don’t end the year in burnout or disappointment.

Melisa shares real client examples, powerful reflection questions, and practical tools to help you create a second-half plan that’s strategic, motivating, and sustainable.

Timestamps for Key Moments: 

[05:00] How to assess your business with precision using 5 core systems and why most consultants guess instead of measure

[10:00] Why reimagining your path (not just your goal) is the key to motivation and sustainability

[15:00] How to set second-half goals that stretch you and align with your bigger vision

[20:00] The importance of operationalizing your plan so business-owner time doesn’t get pushed aside

[25:00] How to align your mindset with your vision and think like the business owner who already hit the goal

Tune in to Episode 226 for a grounded, actionable framework to help you finish the year with clarity, confidence, and control.

Related Resources

• Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-226/
• Read Chapters 4&5 in Melisa’s book, Grow Your Consulting Business: The 14-Step Roadmap to Make Your Independent Consulting Goals a Reality, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXJBGVB
• Related Podcast Episode: Episode 200 - What's Possible for your Consulting Business, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-200/  ️
• Work with Melisa: Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call at https://www.consultmelisa.com   

Want More?

• Get Melisa’s Book: https://www.melisaliberman.com/book
• Visit with Melisa’s Website: www.melisaliberman.com 
• Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melisa-liberman 
• Get Notified When Melisa’s Products Launch: https://www.melisaliberman.com/growth-atlas-products 

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

What are enterprise buyers really looking for in 2025 when they bring in external talent? 

This week, Melisa is joined by industry veteran Brian Hoffmeyer (known as “Hoff”), who returns to the podcast to share invaluable, behind-the-scenes insights from his vantage point at Beeline, the world’s largest independent vendor management system.

Whether you're working directly with enterprise clients or supporting mid-size firms, this conversation gives you the macro trends you need to know in order to position yourself as the obvious choice. You'll hear why independent consultants are gaining momentum (despite a flat contingent labor market), and how to shift your strategy to stand out, especially if your buyers are navigating complex approval processes, rate cards, or risk-averse procurement teams.

You’ll also hear hard truths about hourly pricing, why outcome-based work is on the rise, and how to use “micro-consortiums” to expand your value and win bigger work, all without trying to mimic a traditional firm.

Timestamps for Key Moments: 

[06:50] What enterprise clients are prioritizing in 2025 when it comes to independent consultants and external talent.

[10:25] Why statement-of-work and outcome-based engagements are gaining favor and how to structure your services accordingly.

[17:14] How consultants can de-risk the buying process by becoming an internal guide, not just an external vendor.

[24:50] What’s getting approved and what’s not, inside client organizations, from project types to pricing models.

[29:45] The rise of the “independent consortium” and how to leverage it without formal partnerships.

Tune in to Episode 225 for a high-level strategic view and tactical insights to help you stay relevant, de-risked, and in demand.

Related Resources

• Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-225/
• Read Chapter 14 in Grow Your Consulting Business: The 14-Step Roadmap to Make Your Independent Consulting Goals a Reality, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXJBGVB
• Related Podcast Episode: ️Episode 034 – Strategies from an Expert in the Corporate Consulting Buyer (An Interview with Brian Hoffmeyer), https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-34/  
• Work with Melisa: Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call at https://www.consultmelisa.com   
• Connect with Hoff: Brian Hoffmeyer - Beeline | LinkedIn 

Want More?

• Get Melisa’s Book: https://www.melisaliberman.com/book
• Visit with Melisa’s Website: www.melisaliberman.com 
• Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melisa-liberman 
• Get Notified When Melisa’s Products Launch: https://www.melisaliberman.com/growth-atlas-products 

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Think building a seven-figure consulting pipeline in just 16 weeks is impossible? 

Think again. 

In this episode, Melisa Liberman sits down with Ellie Holbert, a first-year independent consultant, who shares the real story of how she went from zero pipeline and a canceled contract to 56 opportunities and a multi-seven-figure funnel without prior sales experience.

Ellie lays out the practical steps and mindset shifts that fueled her meteoric start, including how she reframed rejection, established peer-to-peer relationships with C-suite executives, and reached decision-makers at brand-name companies through a consistent, imperfect action strategy.

Melisa and Ellie break down why being willing to be uncomfortable is a key advantage in building a thriving consulting business, and how emotional regulation, not flashy branding or a perfect elevator pitch became Ellie’s superpower.

Timestamps for Key Moments: 

[12:45] How Ellie created a repeatable pipeline strategy that turned cold outreach into C-suite conversations without pitching.

[21:04] The specific tactics she used to book 115 calls and identify 56 qualified opportunities in just 4 months.

[25:14] Why targeting the economic buyer, not just the end user, is critical to converting interest into closed business.

[35:20] How to rewire your mindset to operate like a business owner, not a job seeker even if you're new to consulting.

Tune in to Episode 224 to get a playbook you can immediately apply to build or reboot your pipeline grounded in real actions, not theory.

Related Resources

• Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-224/
• Read Chapter 14 in Grow Your Consulting Business: The 14-Step Roadmap to Make Your Independent Consulting Goals a Reality, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXJBGVB
• Related Podcast Episode: Episode 200 - What's Possible for your Consulting Business, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-200/ 
• Work with Melisa: Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call at https://www.consultmelisa.com   
• Connect with Ellie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellie-h-1b661147/

Want More?

• Get Melisa’s Book: https://www.melisaliberman.com/book
• Visit with Melisa’s Website: www.melisaliberman.com 
• Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melisa-liberman 
• Get Notified When Melisa’s Products Launch: https://www.melisaliberman.com/growth-atlas-products 

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

It’s common for consultants to think of AI as a tool to boost efficiency, enhance insights, automate tasks, and improve client deliverables. 

It can help you scale your processes and routines.

But have you also considered that AI can help you scale your thinking?

In this episode, Melisa talks with Amanda Long, marketing strategist and custom GPT builder, about how consultants can create private GPTs to capture their intellectual property, streamline delivery, and scale their businesses without adding headcount. We share examples from my own business, including how we built a podcast post-production GPT that now does what used to take a full-time contractor.

We also dismantle some common AI myths (you don’t need to be tech-savvy or have piles of content to get started) and walk through ways to use custom GPTs to make smarter decisions, faster like a "co-CEO" that keeps your offers, goals, and voice front and center.

Timestamps for Key Moments: 

[05:12] What a Brand Voice GPT is and how it can help solo consultants produce consistent, on-brand content even without a team

[10:20] Why you don’t need a big content archive to build an effective GPT that mimics your voice and style

[14:58] The five key deliverables the Podcast Post-Production GPT produces to streamline weekly episode workflow

[19:44] How to use a “Second Brain GPT” to vet ideas, stay aligned to your goals, and make faster decisions as a business owner

[26:45] Ways to build GPTs around your repeatable processes, like proposals or client FAQs, to productize your expertise

[35:00] Risks to watch for, including privacy pitfalls and hallucinations and how to avoid them

Tune in to Episode 223 for practical strategies and mindset shifts to help you work smarter, protect your intellectual property, and build a more scalable consulting business without losing your personal touch.

Related Resources

• Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-223/
• Read Chapter 14 in Grow Your Consulting Business: The 14-Step Roadmap to Make Your Independent Consulting Goals a Reality, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXJBGVB
• Related Podcast Episode: Episode 181 - Transforming Into A Boutique Consultancy with Tradewinds Leadership, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-181/    
• Work with Melisa: Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call at https://www.consultmelisa.com   
• Get Notified When Melisa’s Products Launch: https://www.melisaliberman.com/growth-atlas-products 
• Click here to contact Amanda Long to discuss building a customGPT for your business (referral link). https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeta8P9NPAQXZVU74zTeN9X7l9y9pt88kQcvb-KxRayoqy4BQ/viewform

Want More?

• Get Melisa’s Book: https://www.melisaliberman.com/book
• Visit with Melisa’s Website: www.melisaliberman.com 
• Follow on LinkedIn:

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Most consultants think physical products are only for authors or e-commerce brands, not for them. In this episode, Melisa challenges that assumption head-on and takes you behind the scenes of a new physical product line she’s launching.

This isn’t a product pitch, it’s a case study. She’s sharing the full backstory of  why she started this, what’s working, what surprised her, and how she’s thinking about integrating physical products into her consulting business long-term.

If you’ve ever thought:

• “I don’t have a unique enough framework.”
• “I’m too much of a generalist.”
• “Wouldn’t this compete with my services?”
  
  

…this episode is for you. Melisa walks through why physical products can work for consultants, what mistakes to avoid, and how to start thinking creatively about how your IP can scale without taking you out of the equation.

Timestamps for Key Moments:

​​[03:22] How Melisa’s accidental journal project turned into a new business unit and three physical products

[11:19] How creating a product sharpened her methodologies and clarified her frameworks

[22:50] Ways to use physical products as reputation and demand builders in your consulting business

[29:30] Examples of physical products created by other consultants and what they charge for them

[36:40] Key considerations before launching a physical product including budget, time, and energy

Tune in to Episode 222 for behind-the-scenes insight, inspiration, and real strategy to help you expand your consulting business in a creative, scalable way.

Related Resources

• Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-222/
• Read Chapter 14 in Grow Your Consulting Business: The 14-Step Roadmap to Make Your Independent Consulting Goals a Reality, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXJBGVB
• Related Podcast Episode: Episode 200 - What's Possible for your Consulting Business, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-200/   
• Work with Melisa: Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call at https://www.consultmelisa.com 
• Products Mentioned In This Episode:
  • Pip Decks
  • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Comprehensive Kit
  • Innovation Games: Creating Breakthrough Products Through Collaborative Play: Hohmann, Luke 
  • Visual Planning Template - Grove Tools, Inc.
  • MethodKit   

Want More?

• Get Melisa’s Book: https://www.melisaliberman.com/book
• Visit with Melisa’s Website: www.melisaliberman.com 
• Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melisa-liberman 
• Get Notified When Melisa’s Products Launch: https://www.melisaliberman.com/growth-atlas-products 

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

What if your consulting business wasn’t meticulously planned, but evolved from one bold decision after another?

In this episode, Melisa talks with longtime client Alison Jeffrey, a strategic fundraising consultant, about how Alison went from leaving a full-time job with no safety net to building a seasonal, profitable business rooted in authenticity, intention, and relationships.

Alison shares candidly how she stopped chasing “good enough” clients, redefined what success looks like (even when walking away from high-paying work), and leaned into her natural strengths as a strategist, connector, and advisor not just a fundraiser.

Whether you're building from scratch or refining your consulting business model, this episode offers hard-earned insight on how to build a business that aligns with your values, your energy, and your long-term goals.

Timestamps for Key Moments:

[05:00] The mindset shift that started it all — leaving without a plan and trusting it would work.

[10:00] Why Alison walked away from a high-paying engagement — and what happened next.

[15:00] The hidden power of strategic positioning — moving from “fundraiser” to “advisor.”

[25:00] How to consistently build a pipeline using relational strategies, not hustle tactics.

[35:00] Creating a seasonal business model that supports high-revenue periods and planned slow-downs.

[40:00] How to structure fractional advisory roles without becoming a staff augmentation.

Tune in to Episode 221 to hear Alison’s practical, powerful path to building a sustainable consulting business and how you can apply her approach to your own.

Related Resources

• Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-221/
• Read Chapter 14 in Grow Your Consulting Business: The 14-Step Roadmap to Make Your Independent Consulting Goals a Reality, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXJBGVB
• Related Podcast Episode: Episode 212 – Succeeding as a Fractional Consultant with Alessandro Pregnolato, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-212/
• Work with Melisa: Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call at https://www.consultmelisa.com 
• Connect with Alison: Alison Jeffrey

Want More?

• Get Melisa’s Book: https://www.melisaliberman.com/book
• Visit with Melisa’s Website: www.melisaliberman.com 
• Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melisa-liberman 

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Timestamps for Key Moments:

Related Resources

• Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-220/
• Read Chapter 14 in Grow Your Consulting Business: The 14-Step Roadmap to Make Your Independent Consulting Goals a Reality, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXJBGVB
• Related Podcast Episode: Episode 193 - Being In Control of Your Consulting Business Results, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-193/ 
• Work with Melisa: Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call at https://consultmelisa.com 

Want More?

• Get Melisa’s Book: https://www.melisaliberman.com/book
• Visit with Melisa’s Website: www.melisaliberman.com 
• Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melisa-liberman 

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

• Four-part Quick Win Formula for consultants, 
• What consultants typically get wrong about speed-to-sale, and 
• How to remove the mental and emotional brakes that slow down your momentum.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.