As an independent consultant, it’s common to think that you are your business.

You aren’t your business. Just because you are the person operating the business, it doesn’t mean you are the business.

Why does this distinction matter?

When you think you and your business are one in the same, you take setbacks in your business personally and make decisions from a clouded perspective. Ultimately, it’s likely you'll sabotage yourself, your business, or both.

In today’s episode, Melisa explores the importance of recognizing the separation between you and your consultancy. She highlights the problems you can create by thinking you are your business. And, she shares how to separate yourself as a person from your consulting firm.

Tune in to discover Melisa's three-part framework, designed to help you think about what you’re doing from a business owner's perspective and ultimately move forward toward reaching your goals in a simple and lucrative way.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

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.

Why are some consultants more successful than others when it comes to lead generation?

Even when they use the same lead generation strategy, consultants create vastly different lead generation results.

Some consultants generate a thriving pipeline through networking while others don’t generate any leads.

Some consultants create robust pipelines from cold outreach while other consultants don’t create a single lead.

Some consultants build a repeatable pipeline from speaking while others do the same thing with no leads to show for it.

If it’s not the strategy that makes the difference for consulting lead generation, then what is it?

Why are some consultants so much more successful at building their pipeline than others?

In today’s episode, Melisa highlights which lead generation techniques are working right now.

She explains the three key differences in mindset, emotion, and skills that separate successful consultants from those struggling to build their pipelines.

Melisa shares two real client case studies highlighting how these lead generation techniques can make a difference in your consultancy business.

Finally, Melisa provides a framework to operationalize these lead generation strategies and max out your pipeline.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

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.

The consultant’s pricing upper limit is the ceiling you create for yourself and your consultancy business based on the way you think about your pricing. 

Often, independent consultants adjust their pricing based on what they believe the client is thinking. For example, you might price out an engagement at $50k and then worry the client will think it’s too high and so you talk yourself into pricing it at $35k.

When you price your consulting services based on your assumptions about the amount your client is willing or able to pay, you self-impose limits on your fees.

These aren’t limits set by your clients. These are limits you create for yourself because you’re worried about losing business.

In today's episode, Melisa challenges the popular advice about how to maximize your consulting fees. Melisa shares that the #1 determinant of what you can charge is not what you’ve been taught it is.

Melisa shares several real-life examples of how pricing was set in similar situations and for similar services so you can walk away with confidence about increasing your consulting fees.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

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.

Q4 can be a challenging time for independent consultants.

You’re worried corporate clients aren't buying at year's end. You’re thinking you’re too busy because of everything you’re juggling during the busy holiday season and at year end. And, you might even be thinking of “throwing in the towel” on this year because you’re too far behind on your goals.

If you have a non-productive mindset about Q4, you’ll leave opportunities on the table.

You have the chance to think differently than your independent consulting peers, and to stand apart in Q4. Q4 can be one of the most lucrative quarters of the year if you don’t write it off.

In today's episode, Melisa shares three common traps that keep independent consultants from maximizing their Q4 results. She debunks each situation that holds business owners back from selling effectively at year's end. Melisa also offers suggestions for overcoming these mindset traps so you can finish the year strong.

So, if you’re an independent consultant who wants to make the most of Q4, this episode is for you.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

And click here for more on Melisa’s coaching programs that are specifically designed to tackle the unique challenges independent consultants face.

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.

Worrying about a soft market is a common concern for independent consultants.

As a business owner, a slow down in contracts or a lack of new leads can bring on stress, doubt, and even panic.

In today's episode, Melisa shares techniques and tools to help you navigate and respond in a soft market.

A lull or slow down in business does not mean you must take a dreaded return to corporate.

Your consultancy is a valid and viable business that can be nurtured through market challenges.

Tune in to learn how to operationalize Melisa's framework so you’re able to turn a soft market into an advantage for your consulting business.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

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.

Do you dream of reaching $1,000,000 in your independent consulting business?

So many consultants think one million dollars in 12 months isn't possible. We talk ourselves out of trying because it feels like it would be too much work and will compromise our work/life balance.

In today's episode, Melisa shares how to earn $1,000,000 in revenue without overworking or sacrificing family life. When you start thinking of yourself as a $1,000,000 business owner, it is incredible how much that mindset shift changes what is possible.

Melisa's 5-step method is easy to follow and implement in your operating procedures. Not only is her advice practical, but it leverages sustainable working practices so that achieving your revenue goal doesn't come at the cost of work/life balance.

Are you ready to be the proud owner of a million-dollar consultancy? Tune in to follow Melisa's proven path to one million dollars.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

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.

Do you ever feel like a fraud or like you aren’t qualified to deliver the work you’re selling? You are not alone. Many independent consultants struggle with imposter syndrome.

Melisa’s message in this episode might surprise you. She shares that experiencing imposter syndrome is good for you as a business owner. It means you’re challenging yourself.

However, when imposter syndrome goes unmanaged, the underlying insecurities and self-doubt can be paralyzing and negatively impact your business, resulting in under-earning and underutilization.

Today’s episode is a comprehensive guide to imposter syndrome for independent consultants.

Melisa starts off by sharing high-level definitions of imposter syndrome the various ways imposter syndrome can impact your business. Melisa then walks you through the tools to manage and overcome your imposter syndrome.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

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.

Are you struggling with lead generation but not entirely sure why?

It turns out there’s a surprising blocker.

It’s not that you don’t have time for lead gen.

It’s not that you don’t know how to generate leads for your consulting business.

It’s likely some other reason.

What is this common reason you’re struggling to generate leads?

This blocker to prioritizing lead generation is that you won’t be able to handle the work if you generate leads.

In today’s episode, I offer a solution to unblocking your lead generation pipeline: a virtual talent bench.

A virtual talent bench is a curated list of individuals or companies that provide services and skills that overlap or are adjacent to your consultant offerings. Regardless of your goals for your business - to stay solo or expand to a small team - establishing a virtual talent bench is essential.

Are you ready to learn how to leverage a virtual talent bench to unblock your lead generation so you can be more consistent?

This episode is for you.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

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.

By offering retainers, you, as an independent consultant, can create recurring, high-profit, and consistent revenue for your business.

There’s a misconception that it’s difficult to sell advisory retainers. So, if you’re like so many consultants, you know you want to offer advisory retainers but you don’t try. It feels daunting and ripe for rejection.

I want to demystify this for you so you can start generating a pipeline of advisory leads and ultimately deliver work that is impactful for your clients and advantageous for you and your business.

Specifically, I focus on how to generate leads for a consulting advisory retainer. Today’s episode is a continuation of the conversation about how to design a consulting retainer in episode 126 of this podcast.

By the end of this episode, you will have a solid plan in place to start building out a pipeline of consulting retainer clients.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

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.

Every consultant has experienced this scenario: you’re making excellent progress with a potential client and have secured a verbal consulting agreement, only for the project to stall when it comes to final signatures. All of a sudden, you don’t hear back from the stakeholder. Emails and calls go unanswered, and you start to spiral.

We know it can take time to finalize agreements at the corporate level, but it’s scary when a potential client seems eager about the work you proposed and then goes silent when it’s time to solidify the contract.

These scenarios are impossible to avoid as a consultant. However, there are ways to navigate the process to make it easier for both you and the client.

Today’s episode is about how to navigate these stalled consulting agreements.

Join me as I share two real-life examples of stalled consulting agreements and how I helped these clients overcome feelings of self-doubt to regain control of the situation.

Finally, I explain the formula to follow when a stall occurs and how to implement it into your business process.

Click here for the full show notes and more information.

Click here to take the Independent Consultant’s Scalability Assessment.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

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.