Niche Consulting Growth

Many consultants spend a lot of their energy trying to find the next client, while overlooking the growth potential inside the relationships they already have. In this episode, Michelle explains the Land, Expand, and Repeat model — a practical way to move beyond one-off projects and build longer-term client relationships. You’ll learn how a focused entry engagement can open the door to deeper work...

For a while, Daniel’s consulting business looked like it was working. He had referrals. He had projects. He had enough momentum to believe he had made the right move leaving corporate. But then the holidays came. Conversations slowed. Prospects went quiet. Revenue became unpredictable. And Daniel realized something hard: He had work, but he did not have a real pipeline. In this episode, we walk th...

In this episode, we explore why hard work alone is not enough to move a consulting business past the plateau. Many consultants begin with what Chris calls “Ignorance on Fire” — plenty of energy, drive, and determination, but not enough focus. Eventually, that momentum slows. This episode introduces the Quantum Leap Strategy and how consultants can use it to create a more focused, intentional path...

Business development can become exhausting when the founder is the only person carrying it. In this episode, Michelle shares a story from Chris Spurvey’s early days building Plato Consulting, when he felt responsible for keeping every consultant billable, every project moving, and every plate spinning. That pressure led to what Chris calls the “bird in hand” mentality, listen to the episode to hea...

AI is changing what clients expect from consultants. It is making basic consulting work easier to copy, easier to compare, and easier to question. In this episode, Michelle Sera breaks down what the AI era means for consultants and boutique consulting firms — not from a fear-based perspective, but from a practical one. The real risk is not simply that clients are using AI. The bigger issue is that...

In this episode, Michelle breaks down why great consultants do not lead with selling . Using the analogy of a doctor, she explains that the best client conversations are not about pitching your services right away. They are about uncovering the real problem beneath the surface-level symptoms a prospect first describes. Michelle introduces the rhythm of diagnostic conversations through two types of...

In this episode, Michelle breaks down the difference between the push model and the pull model of business development, and explains what it takes to build an opportunity engine that attracts ideal clients more consistently. Instead of relying on word of mouth, cold outreach, or chasing prospects who are not ready, this episode shows how consultants can build trust, speak directly to the right pai...

Why do so many consultants have a strong conversation, a clear opportunity, and still lose the work? In this first episode of the Niche Consulting Growth Podcast, Michelle Sera breaks down one of the most important ideas in the NCG framework: the wedge. You’ll hear why prospects hesitate after a good diagnostic conversation, the four risks sitting underneath that hesitation, and how a well-designe...