What happens when corporate rejection becomes the catalyst for building a thriving business?

In this episode of Thriving Through, presented by AJ Riedel, AJ sits down with leadership coach, consultant, and author Jacob Karnes to unpack his journey from being turned down for promotions to building a purpose-driven consulting business serving leaders who employ Gen Z and young professionals.

Jacob shares how leaving corporate life led him to clarity around niching down, why most coaches struggle to define who they serve, and how getting hyper-specific transformed his sales, confidence, and impact. He opens up about the painful lessons of the first year and a half of entrepreneurship, the reality of the revenue roller coaster, and how recurring clients helped him stabilize his income.

You’ll also hear how writing his book, Master Your First Job, became the single most powerful growth tool in his business building authority, generating leads, and opening doors without feeling “salesy.” Jacob breaks down his outbound sales process, why certifications don’t close deals, and how frameworks not credentials create trust and results.

This episode is packed with practical insights for:

Coaches, consultants, and solopreneurs

Business owners navigating inconsistent revenue

Leaders managing Gen Z and young employees

Entrepreneurs struggling with sales and niching

Anyone turning setbacks into meaningful growth

In this episode, we cover:

Why corporate “no’s” can lead to the right entrepreneurial “yes”

How niching down increases quality leads and conversion rates

The truth about certifications vs. real authority

Using a book as a lead generator and trust builder

Outbound vs. inbound sales for small businesses

Leading young people and building a Gen Z talent pipeline

Creating predictable income while maintaining lifestyle freedom

Jacob also shares his long-term vision for licensing his leadership frameworks, growing a team, and building a business that supports both impact and family life.

If you’re looking to thrive through uncertainty, clarify your niche, and build a business aligned with your values, this episode is a must-listen.

👉 Get a free copy of Jacob’s book:
masteryourfirstjob.com/free

👉 Connect with Jacob on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobkarnes/

🎙️ Hosted by AJ Riedel
✨ Keep Thriving Through

What does it really take to leave corporate life, start consulting independently, and scale a business without burning out?

In this episode of Thriving Through, host AJ Riedel sits down with Alyssa Schaefer, aka The Business Cowgirl, to unpack her journey from being part of dismantled tech teams to thriving as a self-employed consultant. Alyssa shares the mindset shifts, technical know-how, and strategic systems that helped her build a successful consulting practice and overcome challenges like imposter syndrome and pricing uncertainty.

Throughout the conversation, Alyssa opens up about:

Her transition from corporate tech roles to independent consulting

How bartending skills helped her excel at client communication and bridging tech gaps

Building scalable business systems for coaches, consultants, and agencies

Common mistakes in software integrations and workflow automation

Why 95% of AI implementations fail—and how to use AI effectively without overreliance

Pricing strategies, delivering high-value consulting, and growing your credibility

The importance of mindset in leveraging technology and systems to scale

Alyssa also reflects on her next phase: moving from one-to-one consulting to one-to-many models and helping more people with practical systems and guidance. She shares resources like her Tech Health Scorecard, which helps businesses assess their systems, integrations, data quality, and workflow efficiency.

In this episode, we cover:

Alyssa Schaefer’s journey from corporate layoffs to independent consulting

Overcoming imposter syndrome and building confidence as a consultant

Using bartending and interpersonal skills to enhance business communication

Key mistakes in software and data integration for scaling businesses

Practical AI strategies for consultants and small business owners

Pricing, value delivery, and growing your consulting business sustainably

Transitioning to one-to-many consulting and creating scalable resources

If you’re a coach, consultant, or agency owner struggling with tech, AI, or business systems, this episode offers actionable insights and mindset strategies to help you thrive through the complexities of business growth.

👉 Learn more about Alyssa Schaefer, The Business Cowgirl:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebusinesscowgirl/

YouTube: The Business Cowgirl

Free Resource: Tech Health Scorecard

🎙️ Hosted by AJ Riedel
✨ Keep Thriving Through

In this episode of the Thriving Through Podcast, host AJ Riedel speaks with Brandon Mahoney, Director of Partnerships at Launch Point Labs, about the real-world challenges of building a sustainable consulting business and the confidence it takes to make it work.

Brandon shares his journey into self-employment during the pandemic, the early mistakes he made around pricing and positioning, and how false humility nearly held his consulting practice back. From charging $15 an hour to confidently pricing high-impact, premium consulting projects, Brandon explains why consultants must own their expertise and communicate it clearly to clients.
This conversation dives deep into pivotal moments in Brandon’s career, including launching and temporarily leaving, Launch Point Labs, returning with a clearer sense of purpose, and balancing mission-driven work with high-growth SaaS and tech consulting. Brandon also breaks down how he helps organizations build predictable, repeatable, and profitable sales systems, especially during high-stakes moments like mergers and acquisitions.

You’ll learn:

Why confidence matters more than credentials in consulting
How to price your expertise without imposter syndrome
The difference between arrogance and stating facts
Why inbound and outbound sales teams must be structured differently
How Brandon uses free audits to convert custom consulting work into long-term engagements
What consultants often misunderstand about lifestyle freedom and fulfilment

Brandon also shares honest insights about the future of his consulting journey, his desire to mentor the next generation of sales consultants, and why consulting is far more demanding but more rewarding than it looks from the outside.
Whether you’re an aspiring consultant, a seasoned advisor, or a founder building sales teams and go-to-market strategy, this episode offers practical lessons on confidence, pricing, pivots, and sustainable growth.

🔗 Connect with Brandon Mahoney - https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctorsales/

What if the secret to building a profitable consulting business isn't forcing yourself into a predetermined niche, but instead paying attention to which client conversations genuinely light you up?
In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Kirstin Brenders, an online business coach and mentor who helps women transition from corporate careers to entrepreneurship. After nearly 20 years in corporate architecture and interior design, Kirstin built a thriving consulting practice by pivoting from her original niche when she discovered what truly energized her—guiding women through the corporate-to-consultant transition she had navigated herself.

WHY YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE
If you're struggling with inconsistent income, feeling burned out from trying to serve everyone, or uncomfortable with self-promotion, Kirstin's journey offers a refreshing perspective on building a sustainable consulting practice. She shares how an "accidental entrepreneur" transformed corporate burnout into a fulfilling business by trusting her instincts, reframing marketing as service, and making strategic pivots based on energy alignment rather than forcing a preconceived business plan. This conversation is packed with practical wisdom for self-employed consultants who want to attract ideal clients, overcome the discomfort of visibility, and build businesses that are both financially successful and personally rewarding.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE
• [The Accidental Entrepreneur Path] How corporate burnout and motherhood can become catalysts for discovering your true calling as a consultant, and why testing ideas before going "all in" reduces risk while building confidence
• [Finding Your Ideal Client Through Energy Alignment] Why paying attention to which client conversations light you up is more valuable than forcing yourself to stick with your original niche, and how to recognize when it's time to pivot
• [Reframing Marketing as Service] How to overcome the discomfort of self-promotion by understanding that marketing yourself helps potential clients find the solutions they desperately need, transforming visibility from vanity into service
• [The Power of Community for Solo Consultants] Why connecting with other entrepreneurs—both online and in person—accelerates your comfort with marketing, helps you find your authentic voice, and combats the isolation of independent consulting
• [Strategic Social Media Study] How to use social media as a learning tool rather than just consumption, studying what content resonates with you to shape your own authentic marketing voice and attract ideal consulting clients
• [Mindset as a Business Asset] Why healing from burnout and managing self-talk are critical business skills for self-employed consultants, and how essentialism can help you build a sustainable consulting practice without sacrificing work-life balance

LISTEN TO THESE KEY MOMENTS
[00:00:25] From Corporate to Consultant 
[00:02:02] Testing the Freelance Waters 
[00:04:05] The Pivot Point: When Women Started Calling 
[00:08:44] Paying Attention to What Lights You Up
[00:13:00] Overcoming the Discomfort of Narrowing Your Niche
[00:19:30] Building Systems as a Solo Consultant
[00:26:50] The Comparison Trap and Finding Your Voice
[00:33:47] Essentialism: The Book That Healed Burnout
[00:35:06] Marketing as Service, Not Self-Promotion
[00:36:09] Building the Marketing Muscle

[00:37:57] Study Social Media, Don't Just Consume It - Kirstin's powerful advice for finding your authentic marketing voice by analyzing what content you're drawn to and why you're saving or liking specific posts

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

"Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" by Greg McKeown

ABOUT KIRSTIN BRENDERS

Kirstin Brenders is an online business coach and mentor who helps women build sustainable businesses after leaving corporate careers. With nearly 20 years of experience in corporate architecture and interior design—specializing in team building, client management, and project management—Kirstin understands firsthand the challenges of corporate burnout and the journey to entrepreneurship. After becoming an "accidental entrepreneur" during the pandemic, she initially helped interior designers and architects with behind-the-scenes business systems and processes. Recognizing that her true passion was mentoring women through the corporate-to-consultant transition, Kirstin pivoted her business to focus on coaching creative professionals and service-based entrepreneurs. She believes in building businesses that are both financially rewarding and personally fulfilling, emphasizing energy alignment, authentic marketing, and mindset work as foundations for sustainable success.

Connect with Kirstin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstinbrenders/
Visit her website: KirstinBrenders.com
Follow her on Instagram: @KirstinBrenders.co

How do you go from unpredictable consulting income to a sustainable, lifestyle-aligned business?

In this episode of Thriving Through, host AJ Riedel sits down with independent consultant Dave de Céspedes to explore his journey from teaching and creative work to building a thriving consulting practice—one now highly specialized in serving venture capital firms.

Dave shares how his early years as a generalist consultant led to inconsistent lead flow, volatile revenue, and scattered engagements—and how niching down into the VC space completely transformed his business. He explains how working within Notion’s consultant ecosystem initially fueled inbound leads, but also exposed the risk of relying on lead sources you don’t control.

This episode dives deep into consulting lead generation, relationship-based growth, and why longer-term, sprint-based retainers create far more predictable revenue than traditional project work. Dave also breaks down how workflow audits, change management, and flexible sprint planning help VC teams actually adopt new systems—rather than letting them collect dust.

If you’re a consultant, coach, or solopreneur navigating feast-or-famine income, wondering whether to niche down, or trying to design a business that supports both time freedom and financial stability, this conversation delivers practical, real-world insight.

In this episode, we cover:

Dave de Céspedes’ path from teaching to consulting

Navigating the consulting revenue roller coaster

Why relying solely on inbound leads is risky

How niching down into venture capital builds authority

Relationship-driven lead generation strategies

Structuring retainers and sprint-based engagements

Solving workflow and operations challenges for VC firms

Staying relevant as AI and productivity tools evolve

Designing a consulting business around lifestyle and family

Dave also reflects on how consulting has enabled him to be present for his family while building a profitable, fulfilling business—without sacrificing impact or flexibility.

If you want to thrive through uncertainty, create consistent consulting income, and become a recognized expert in a clear niche, this episode is a must-listen.

👉 Learn more about Dave’s work:
workcraft.co

👉 Connect with Dave de Céspedes:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmdecespedes/

In this episode of the Thriving Through Podcast, host AJ Riedel sits down with Mark Rapier, a consultant, advisor, and author of The Leader with a Thousand Faces. Mark shares decades of real-world consulting experience and breaks down the three types of consultants, contractors, project consultants, and advisors and explains how positioning yourself as an advisor allows you to charge premium rates while building a sustainable consulting practice.

Mark opens up about his transition from large consulting firms to independent consulting, how COVID accelerated his move, and the biggest mindset shifts required when running your own consulting business. He also discusses why the most effective consultants focus on influence, leadership, and enterprise-level thinking, not just execution.

You’ll learn how to:
• Identify which type of consultant you are, and which one you should be
• Position yourself as a strategic advisor instead of a “gun for hire”
• Use LinkedIn and thought leadership to attract inbound consulting opportunities
• Build a consulting network that actually generates business
• Say no to the wrong projects so you’re available for the right ones
• Price your services confidently and explore alternative compensation models
• Turn consulting engagements into retainers and recurring revenue
• Stay relevant by continuously preparing for the “next wave” in your career

Mark also shares insights from his time as an interim CIO, lessons from uncovering hidden organizational risks, and how writing his book helped strengthen his authority and consulting pipeline.

If you’re a consultant, coach, advisor, freelancer, or professional service provider looking to grow your influence, raise your rates, and build a consulting practice that doesn’t burn you out, this episode is packed with practical wisdom.

What does it really take to leave a long career in sales, launch your own consulting business, and adapt to the rapidly evolving world of AI-driven marketing?

In this episode of Thriving Through, host AJ Riedel sits down with Jacki DeVries, founder of FireUp AIO
, to explore her journey from inside sales professional to self-employed entrepreneur. Jacki shares how she overcame challenges like building a sales process from scratch, stepping outside her comfort zone with in-person networking, and pivoting her services to meet evolving client needs in AI and digital marketing.

Jacki opens up about the lessons she learned working at NP Digital and IQS Directory, the trial-and-error involved in finding her ideal target market, and how she structures outreach and content strategies to generate leads effectively in 2025.

Throughout the conversation, Jacki covers:

Transitioning from inside sales to consulting entrepreneurship

The challenges of in-person networking and stepping outside her comfort zone

Time management and productivity as a solo business owner

Pivoting to AI-driven marketing with FireUp AIO

Outreach strategies and building a sales pipeline in a competitive market

Differentiating herself and her services in a crowded digital landscape

Learning from mentors, books, and real-world trial-and-error

Building confidence and resilience as a first-year entrepreneur

Jacki also shares actionable strategies for consultants and marketers looking to scale services online while maintaining personalized client relationships. Her approach emphasizes adaptability, quick learning, and leveraging AI-driven marketing strategies to stay ahead in the evolving SEO and digital marketing landscape.

In this episode, we cover:

Jacki DeVries’ career journey from inside sales to consulting

Launching and growing FireUp AIO

Managing time, productivity, and client work as a solo entrepreneur

Networking and outreach strategies that actually work

Developing a repeatable sales process

Differentiating yourself in a competitive market

Lessons learned from trial-and-error

Resources and books that guided her entrepreneurial growth

If you’re a consultant, marketer, or business owner navigating AI-driven marketing and digital outreach, this episode offers a grounded, practical, and honest perspective on what it means to thrive through launching and scaling a consulting business.

👉 Learn more about Jacki DeVries:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackidevries/

🎙️ Hosted by AJ Riedel
✨ Keep Thriving Through

In this episode of Thriving Through, host AJ Riedel sits down with executive and business coach Paul Moehring to explore his transition from nearly three decades in the insurance industry to full-time self-employment and the resilience required when growth doesn’t follow a straight line.

Paul shares why he waited years after becoming certified to finally make the leap, how launching his business in January 2020 collided head-on with COVID, and why writing a book became both a stabilizing force and a powerful marketing tool. His Amazon best-selling book, Get Squared: Goal Getting with Balance, grew out of a simple insight: most business owners fail at goals not because they lack ambition, but because they lose balance.

Throughout the conversation, Paul speaks candidly about coaching clients through challenges he’s actively navigating himself, including inconsistent revenue, program selection, and business model evolution. He also offers a thoughtful, contrarian take on niching, explaining why he believes business fundamentals transfer across industries and how marketing niches can exist without limiting who you serve.

In this episode, we cover:

Paul Moehring’s path from corporate life to coaching

Launching a business weeks before the pandemic

Writing a book as a credibility and lead-generation tool

Goal setting across business, family, personal, and spiritual life

Coaching while still on the revenue roller coaster

One-on-one vs. group coaching models

The risks of shiny-object syndrome in business programs

Lessons from failure, persistence, and long-term vision

Paul also shares his ambition to reach seven figures not as an endpoint, but as a platform to expand his impact and bring a message of hope, balance, and ownership to one million people.

If you’re a coach, consultant, or entrepreneur navigating uncertainty, questioning conventional advice, or building a business later in your career, this episode delivers honesty, wisdom, and perspective you won’t find in highlight-reel success stories.

👉 Learn more about Paul Moehring:
paulmoehring.com 

Connect with Paul on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmoehring/

🎙️ Hosted by AJ Riedel
✨ Keep Thriving Through

In this episode of the Thriving Through Podcast, host Aj Riedel speaks with Jamie Troche about the realities of self-employment and what it truly takes to build a sustainable consulting business over time.

Jamie shares her journey into consulting, discussing the importance of consistency, patience, and showing up even when growth feels slow. She reflects on breaking away from the “revenue roller coaster” mindset and explains how long-term success is built through trust, relationships, and steady effort rather than quick wins.

The conversation highlights how community, referrals, and word-of-mouth have played a critical role in Jamie’s business growth. She also speaks candidly about confidence, boundaries, and the mindset shifts required to stay committed to the process of self-employment.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:
• The reality of building a consulting business from the ground up
• Why consistency matters more than immediate results
• How referrals and relationships drive sustainable growth
• The role of community in expanding professional opportunities
• Overcoming uncertainty and maintaining momentum as a consultant
• Developing confidence and discipline in self-employment

This episode offers honest insights and practical takeaways for consultants, small business owners, and professionals navigating the challenges of growing a service-based business.

In this episode of the Thriving Through Podcast, host Aj Riedel speaks with Dr. Bryan Raya, founder of DBR Bookkeeping, about navigating a major career pivot and building a values-driven service business from the ground up.

Dr. Raya shares how the uncertainty of the COVID era led him to reassess his path in academia and ultimately step into entrepreneurship. He walks through the mindset shifts required to leave a stable career, the early challenges of building credibility in a new industry, and the patience needed to earn trust, especially when working with business finances.

The conversation explores what it really takes to grow a consulting business, from separating personal and business finances to creating systems that support long-term scalability. Dr. Raya also opens up about the realities of the first year in business, the role of consistent content creation in establishing authority, and how trust is built over time through relationships rather than hard selling.

As the discussion unfolds, listeners gain insight into scaling beyond a solo operation, preparing to hire and lead a team, and developing the self-awareness required to grow as both a business owner and a leader. This episode offers practical guidance and honest reflection for entrepreneurs, consultants, and professionals considering a bold career transition.