The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants

Feeling stuck as you push past $200K toward $1M in annual revenue? This episode uncovers the recurring focus areas that will keep your business moving forward in that messy middle phase.

In this episode, I break down the critical areas every consultant needs to revisit as they scale their business and share client stories and strategies to help you make progress.

Episodes Referenced

• Episode 3: Deep dive on positioning, specialize by what you do and niche by who you do it for

• Episode 24: Sales strategies for nonprofit consultants

• Episode 29 through 32: Micro positions, the five team-member roles, and all things hiring and team building

• Episode 45 through 48: Conversations, sales growth, and the proposal process

• Episode 50: Christine Schweitzer's journey streamlining her grant consulting offer

• Listen to This is Working podcast hosted by Daniel Roth to hear from other leaders

RESROUCES AND NEXT STEPS

Revisit any of the above episodes for deeper guidance on the area you need next

Ready for personalized support?

📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive

Resources:

🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist (12-month program) Next enrollment: September 2025 | January 2026

🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos

Connect With Me:

📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you're thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!

💛 Enjoy the episode?

Follow & Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.

Learn more at NatalieMBA.com

Does delegating still feel risky? Hear how Public Health Consultant and Qualitative Research expert, Dr. Andrea Mantsios, moved from doing every task herself to leading a growing team.

She also shares how navigated this unprecendented and extremely challenging time for the Public Health sector. In this "Client Success" episode you'll learn:

• Why Andrea's first shifted her mindset around help
• The simple exercise she used to decide what to hand off first
• How following our hiring course freed up billable hours
• The systems she installed so quality improved as the team grew
• The one metric she now tracks weekly to stay in CEO model

I also ask her perspective of first working with me 1:1 and now inside the Impact Collective Mastermind.

Connect with Andrea LinkedIn (tell her you heard her episode) Website (PHIA Consulting) Connect with NatalieLinkedIn (tell me you're a podcast listener) Website

Other Episodes Mentioned (apple links)

5: From Accidental Consultant to Leading a Team of 6 with Rachel Cahill 12: The Power of Specializing with Leah Roman

Let's Work Together!

📍If you're earning $200K to $800K and ready for strategic support with your growth and to be part of a curated community of experienced consultants, please apply to my Impact💫Collective Mastermind Program. Doors open 2x's a year for new members to enroll in September and January. (all genders welcome) Apply here

Need immediate assistance: • Book a 90-Minute Intensive

(intensives are open to all levels of consultants)

If you've ever asked, "What kind of support do I actually need right now?" you're not alone.

In this episode, I walk through the key differences between coaching, courses, masterminds, and membership sites. You'll learn how to choose what fits your business stage, learning style, and goals as a nonprofit consultant.

Here's what to expect: • When 1:1 coaching, group coaching, or subcontracting makes the most sense • Why I don't recommend masterminds for beginners, and when they truly work • The difference between learning and implementing • How to think about ROI in three ways: immediate, compounding, and future • Why sometimes the smartest investment isn't a program at all

You don't need more noise. You need support that fits.

📍If you're earning $200K to $800K and ready for strategic support with your growth, please apply to my Impact💫Collective Mastermind Program. Doors open 2x's a year for new members to enroll in September and January. Apply here

Need immediate assistance: • Book a 90-Minute Intensive (intensives are open to all levels of consultants) DM me on LinkedIn and let me know you are a podcast listener! https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieeckdahl/

For more resources and ways I can support you visit NatalieMBA.com.

Ready to trade busywork for revenue-boosting conversations? Hit play to discover what a mastermind really is, where the idea first took shape, and what today's research says about its power. I also help you determine whether your smartest next move is building your own circle or joining one led by a seasoned coach-facilitator.

NEXT STEPS

Want in before my October Charleston retreat? Apply now to the Impact Collective Mastermind Program accepted summer applicants receive bonus mastermind-prep resources the moment they commit.

Have an urgent challenge? Book an Intensive and get clarity in 90 minutes. Listen to Episode 49: Inside The Impact Collective Retreat to hear about our February retreat in San Diego. (apple link)

Other Resources:

• Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill

• Benjamin Franklin: An American Life – Walter Isaacson

• Harvard Business Review – "The Power of Peer Groups for CEOs" (March 2024)

• Vistage × Ohio State University – "CEO Confidence & Growth Study" (2023 PDF)

Visit: NatalieMBA.com for more information.

Worried that growth has stalled for nonprofit consultants this year? After analyzing my clients whose businesses are growing, I'm sharing what is working right now.

Book a 90-Minute Intensive ($997) – the fastest on-ramp to these shifts NatalieMBA.com/intensive

Follow me on LinkedIn for daily tips and conversation

Learn the Dream 15 outreach method in "Stop Waiting" (Ep 48)

Impact Collective Mastermind – next cohort forms in September; retreat in Charleston, SC, October 2025 **open to all genders!

Join the converation on LinkedIn for this episode Visit NatalieMBA.com for any other questions.

If your consulting business is feeling the ripple effects of canceled projects, stalled funding, or client uncertainty, you're not alone.

In this episode, I share how to stay resilient during hard times, drawing on real client wins, business cycles, and lessons from the pandemic. We'll talk about mindset, emergency funds, pivoting your messaging, and staying grounded in your numbers.

There are still opportunities...let's make sure you're positioned to find them.

Mentioned in this episode:

📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive

Resources:

🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist (12-month program) Next enrollment: September 2025 | January 2026

🔗 Work with me 1:1 (six-month program) 🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos

Connect With Me:

📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you're thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!

💛 Enjoy the episode?

Follow & Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.

If the idea of "selling" makes you cringe or even hestiate, you're not alone. For many nonprofit consultants, sales feels out of step with your mission—even though your business depends on it.

But what if selling wasn't about pressure or persuasion? What if it was simply about making it easier for the right people to say yes?

In this episode, I'll walk you through a powerful reframe that will shift how you think about sales conversations. Whether you avoid follow-ups, downplay your value, or rely entirely on referrals, this mindset shift will help you step more confidently into your role as a leader—and open the door to more aligned client relationships.

Mentioned in this episode: 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive

Resources: 🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist (12-month program) Next enrollment: September 2025 | January 2026

🔗 Work with me 1:1 (six-month program) 🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos

Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you're thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!

💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow & Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.

Kel Haney was doing a little bit of everything: directing theater, consulting non profits, coaching others, and it left her burned out and unsure of how to grow.

But everything changed when she made the decision to specialize in mid-level donor fundraising.

In this episode, Kel shares how focusing on the work she does best helped her build a thriving, fully booked fundraising business. We talk about the clarity and momentum that came with refining her services, why mid-level donor strategies are often overlooked, and how this specialization allowed her to scale with more ease and impact.

If you're feeling spread too thin or unsure how to grow, Kel's story is a powerful example of what's possible when you align your business with your zone of genius.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Kel Haney's Website

• Kel on LinkedIn

• Book: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

Resources: 🔗 BOOK A ONE TIME COACHING SESSION (90 minutes) Let's tighten your positioining so you can get fully booked. Includes a workshop to complete before our call so we can make the most of our time together. 🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist (12-month program) Next enrollment: September 2025 | January 2026 🔗 Work with me 1:1 (six-month program)

🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos

Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you're considering working with me or just want to connect!

💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow & Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.

If your revenue goal feels too ambitious or too safe, you're not alone. In this episode, I'm sharing one of my favorite tools for setting goals that support real growth without adding unnecessary pressure.

The Good, Better, Best method is a simple way to create structure and momentum in your business. I walk you through how it works and share two client stories.

Whether you're setting Q2 goals or recalibrating mid-year, this episode will help you create a more grounded and flexible plan. I also share a reminder to make time for CEO-level reflection. You're leading a business, not just delivering services. Taking time to reset and reconnect with your direction is part your hightest level work as a business owner.

Mentioned in this episode: Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive

Resources : 🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist (12 month program)

***next enrollment September 2025 | January 2026

🔗 Work with me 1:1 (six month program)

🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos

Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you're thinking about joining the next mastermind!

➕ Enjoy the episode? Follow & Subscribe.

It's been a minute since I've featured a client success story, and today's interview with Christine Schweitzer of Holistic Grants was well worth the wait.

Christine has experienced incredible growth, moving from solo grant writer to owner of a thriving consulting firm. Today, she's sharing openly about the highs and lows of scaling, including hiring her first employee, transitioning client relationships from herself to her team, and swapping spreadsheets for a robust project management system in ClickUp.

We also chat about the power of coaching and how the Impact Collective Mastermind has accelerated Christine's growth (including a full-circle moment with fellow mastermind member and previous guest, Lakeesha Morris-Moreau).

If you're navigating the shift from solo consulting to a small firm or dreaming of getting there, you'll relate to Christine's journey and the practical insights she shares.

• Visit the Holistic Grants website
• Connect with Christine Schwitzer on LinkedIn
• Episode 8 with Lakeisha Morris-Moreau

Resources : 🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist

***next enrollment September 2025 | January 2026

🔗 Work with me 1:1

🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos + my LinkedIn post

Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you're thinking about joining the next mastermind!

➕ Enjoy the episode? Follow & Subscribe.