Grow Your Independent Consulting Business

Do you find yourself accepting any client that comes your way, even if they're not the right fit? Do you talk yourself into taking on clients despite red flags? If you're an independent consultant who wants to land more ideal clients and take on more high-paying and fulfilling work, this episode is a must-listen. IN THIS EPISODE: - Discover a common mistake consultants make in their sale...

Are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or unfulfilled in your consulting practice? In this episode, Melisa Liberman discusses the concept of emotional debt and how it can negatively impact your consulting business results.  IN THIS EPISODE: You will understand the concept of emotional debt and its impact on your consulting business. Be able to recognize the signs of accumulated emotional debt, suc...

Are traditional goal-setting methods working for your consulting business? In this episode, Melisa Liberman dives into the challenges faced by independent consultants in setting and achieving sustainable goals. She reveals how typical goal-setting can lead to self-sabotage. Then, she shares a tool you can use to avoid building an underperforming, unsustainable, unpredictable, and/or plateauing con...

Struggling to Quantify the Value of Your Expertise as an Independent Consultant? Do you want to move into value-based pricing but don’t know where to start? In this episode, Melisa Liberman digs into a case study that reveals the common challenges independent consultants face when trying to quantify their expertise’s value.  If you’re stuck in the cycle of time-based pricing, fear you’re underpric...

Want to set a strong foundation for your consulting business? In this episode, part two of a 2-part series, Melisa walks you through the steps to land clients. This episode goes back to basics. If you're new to consulting, it will help you launch your consulting by setting a strong foundation. If you're an established consultant, the episode will help you strengthen your client acquisiti...

Are you wanting to know the best way to start or relaunch your consulting business? In this episode (part one of a two-part series), Melisa covers the 10 essential steps to set you on the path to a successful consulting business. This episode dives into the first six critical steps. In This Episode: Uncover the initial struggles of putting your business on legal and operational footing. Melisa exp...

Want to fill your consulting pipeline in 45 days? Want to go from a dry pipeline to landing more opportunities than you can handle? In this episode, Melisa Liberman invites Abbie DuBois to discuss how she made massive changes in her business over the course of 3 months, including filling her pipeline, landing direct clients, and learning to effectively juggle working on the business with working i...

Want to generate leads by attending professional events but not sure how? Do you question the value of attending professional events as an independent consultant? Are you unsure how to maximize your time and investment when you're at these events, whether they are virtual or in-person? In this episode, Melisa addresses one of the most common dilemmas independent consultants face: is attending...

Do you find yourself being ghosted by potential clients?  Does the silence after initial interest leave you feeling confused and questioning your ability to sell your consulting services? In this episode, Melisa sheds light on the perplexing and frustrating phenomenon of being ghosted, giving you the insights you need to navigate this common, yet challenging, part of consulting. Are You Struggling...

Feeling burned out and uninspired as an independent consultant? Are you constantly managing an overwhelming number of responsibilities without finding fulfillment or new challenges? In this episode, features guest Ashley Ryall who shares her experience taking a sabbatical as an independent consultant. In This Episode: When to take a sabbatical as an independent consultant Are you pushing through b...

Do you feel overwhelmed by the multitude of tasks you juggle as an independent consultant? Are you constantly trying to optimize your processes but still find yourself struggling to achieve a work-life balance?  In this episode, Melisa tackles one of the most pressing challenges faced by independent consultants: how to maximize the time you have available as a business owner. In This Episode: Take...

Do you think you only need strategic advice for your independent consulting business? Think again. Many consultants believe they'll reach their goals if they're more consistent in executing their business development routines or are better able to articulate their service offerings and unique value proposition. It seems like having a clearer strategy and set of routines will be the answe...

Is your goal to replace your corporate income as an independent consultant? It's common for consultants set revenue goals centered around what they were making in corporate or would be making in corporate had you stayed. You might not realize it but setting goals in this way can backfire for you as a consulting business owner. In Episode 166, Melisa Liberman addresses a common and critical er...

Are you struggling to get in front of decision-makers?  Are you landing meetings with potential clients but then getting stuck because the people you're talking to don’t have a budget or decision-making authority. This is a common problem for independent consultants, but there are ways to make it easier.  In this episode, Melisa Liberman discusses strategies for getting in front of the elusiv...

Are you feeling behind in your consulting business?  Beware, the “I’m behind” thought process can limit your business growth. It might feel like the truth, that you’re just stating a fact. But, it’s actually a dangerous mindset that’s important to watch out for as in independent consultant. In today’s episode, Melisa explains how your mindset can slow down or even halt your progress and success as...

Are you a consultant who frequently hears “I’ll keep you in mind” at the end of a networking call? Networking is an effective strategy for building a consulting pipeline.  But, many consultants struggle to convert networking calls into potential opportunities. In this episode, Melisa shares an actionable tool consultants can leverage to achieve concrete results from a networking call.  Melisa empa...

When you start thinking about your independent consulting business as a center of excellence, the level of impact, fulfillment, and growth provided to your clients can dramatically shift. You’re an expert and thought leader in your field. By thinking of your consulting business as a Center of Excellence, you can set yourself up to generate more inbound leads and offer higher-paying consulting serv...

Every consulting business experiences peaks and valleys. One minute, you feel confident and successful; the next, you are ghosted by a new lead or lose a client and feel discouraged. The volatile nature of owning a consulting business might have you wondering if all the obstacles are worth it. In today's episode, Melisa shares her five-step formula for overcoming discouragement in your consul...

Streamlining the lead generation process helps independent consultants build their consulting pipeline quicker and more effectively. In episode 159: Shorten the Consulting Sales Cycle by Offering a Diagnostic , consultants learned how offering a diagnostic will improve conversation rates by shortening the sales cycle.  Today's episode continues the conversation by explaining how to leverage d...

Are you an independent consultant looking to optimize your client acquisition process and drive business growth? Whether you have a gap in your consulting pipeline or are struggling to meet revenue goals, shortening the sales process will expedite business growth. Offering diagnostics as one of your consulting service offerings is an effective way to land clients more quickly.  In this episode, Me...

Independent consultants need easy ways to fill and improve the quality of their consulting pipelines. How can you build channel relationships so that other people refer ideal clients to you? In this episode, Melisa explains how to leverage channels to fill your consulting pipeline. Intentionally building relationships with third parties to generate leads for your business eases the burden of lead...

An effective monthly plan will dramatically improve results and generate higher revenue for your consulting business. With that said, it’s important to note a key component that’s commonly missing from consultants' monthly plans. In this episode, Melisa emphasizes the importance of revisiting and refining goals for the year, tracking progress, and enhancing your monthly planning process. The...

A robust and well-maintained pipeline is crucial for a consulting business's growth and success. However, many independent consultants go into default lead generation mode based on their immediate business situation. Lead generation should be consistent and follow a purposeful strategy to fill a consulting pipeline. In this episode, Melisa explores three distinct lead generation modes to help...

Selecting a business strategy that aligns with the maturity of your consulting business will accelerate growth and help you achieve success more efficiently. But how do you know if the plan you are implementing is too advanced or too simple for the stage of your business you are in? In this episode, Melisa underscores the necessity of aligning your business strategy with the stage of your business...

Writing a book is a challenging undertaking. As an independent consultant, there are several reasons to become a published leader in your industry. From growing your prospective client list to building a reputation as a go-to expert, the benefits of writing and publishing a book are endless.  In this episode, Melisa offers an in-depth review of lessons learned while writing and publishing a book....