The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants

Seizing every opportunity that comes your way isn't always the best strategy. Doing all the tasks you "can" do in your business and home, may inhibit your business growth and lead to overwhelm. But how do you know what tasks to do and what not to do? How do you decide what opportunities to say yes to and what to decline? Elizabeth Cook, who coaches alongside me in our programs, joins me as we disc...

When you're no longer doing client work or have delegated a majority of it, what should you focus on next? Elizabeth Cook, who coaches alongside me in our programs for nonprofit consultants, joins me to discuss four key activities that founders should focus on after delegating client work. Our mission is to help you gain more time for these pivotal activities, so you can continue to grow and susta...

You will get fired up in this conversation with Cindy Wagman. We talk about her rebel days in high school and how this rebellious spirit serves her mission for women, especially those who "grew up" in the nonprofit world, to go against the grain and embrace financial success. Cindy does this with 100% care for her consulting clients and shares her collaborative process for creating proposals, incl...

Would you say you have a CHAOS business or an ENDURING business? The three pillars in my model of an ENDURING business are that it is enjoyable, profitable AND sustainable.  It is common to have seasons where any of the above are out of sync, but long term we won't stay in business if all three pillars are not addressed. In this episode, we provide actionable steps to help you get out of overwhelm...

Building a team is a journey full of lessons and we get to explore those with Stephanie Skryzowski, founder of 100 Degrees Consulting - which provides Fractional CFO services to Nonprofit Organizations.  Originally a solo consultant, Stephanie's business has grown to include a diverse team of 16 full-time employees.  We talk about the evolution of her hiring process, overcoming mindset challenges,...

Fractional consulting roles inside nonprofits can be a win/win. The nonprofit gets the expertise of a role they cannot yet afford full time, while the consultant gets to increase their impact by working with multiple clients. However, there are some ways this relationship can go sideways and we have some watchouts to share if you are a fractional consultant such a Fractional Fundraiser, Chief Mark...

Did you know that less than 2% of women ever build a business to seven figures or beyond in annual revenue? Get ready to be inspired! Karen DeYoung, who owns DeYoung Consulting Services based out of Minneapolis, joins me to  share her business journey building a SEVEN figure consulting firm.  I had the honor of coaching Karen DeYoung for three years from 2017 to 2019 and helping her grow from six...

When was the last time you felt that you don't quite fit in nonprofit circles and you don't quite in business circles? Finding community as a nonprofit consultant can be challenging, but it is so worth it. In this episode, we share three key benefits to joining a community of your peers.  And whether you join our mastermind or find another soft place to land, we cannot recommend finding a communit...

As with most consultants, my incredible client Dr. Charlotte Huntley began her consulting career by taking on a variety of projects for a variety of organizations.  Over time, she specialized and niched her work and hired team members to support her, including full time employees. Dr. Charlotte and her team are now focused on supporting large nonprofits and government agencies, especially in commu...

🙋‍♀️Raise your hand if you would like to have fewer meetings on your calendar?  We're excited to share 4️⃣ practical ways to reduce the number of meetings you attend without sacrificing productivity. Our mission is to help you reclaim your time and boost your efficiency! ___________________________ 💡Could you use support from an experienced coach who understands the unique challenges of nonprofi...

One of the things I teach in my coaching programs is that you can position your nonprofit consulting firm in the marketplace by specializing by the work you do, niching by who you do it for, or both! Our guest today has found success by specializing ! Leah Roman, of Roman Public Health Consulting, joins me to share her path from accidental consultant, who did lots of different types of work for pu...

Does having a referral based business make you feel like you don't have control when it comes to managing your leads? Have you been feeling like there is something you are missing? Or maybe you feel like you need to create a better "marketing plan" in order to get that steady stream of clients you need.  Relationship marketing is a great way for Nonprofit Consultants to build strong connections, c...

What happens when you move from being a generalist to positioning yourself as an expert? My client Alicia Lynch, PhD of Lynch Research Associates is here today to share her incredible journey of transitioning her business from doing research for any type of organization to focusing her business on youth development research.  She also shares how her innate love and inspiration from all children fu...

Join us in this episode as we provide actionable tips and real-life examples to help you balance fairness to subcontractors while ensuring your business's success. Two critical issues when working with subcontractors is preserving profit and control. We find that nonprofit consultants tend to be overly generous, especially with peers, but this can impact your business's bottom line and your grip o...

My client LaKeesha Morris-Moreau is a natural leader and I loved learning more about how she empowers her team. Join us as we chat about how she established BellTower Consulting Group while she was working at a nonprofit and has grown to a team of 7. Since we started working together, LaKeesha shifted from offering grant services to any organization to specializing in grant writing and support ser...

One of the most universal issues Nonprofit Consultants face is Scope Creep. This is when clients ask you to do tasks and projects beyond your original work agreement (assuming you have one 😬).  There are ways to prevent scope creep from the beginning of an engagement and also ways to change course if you are already knee deep in projects you never intended to say yes to, but already did. 🎉 The g...

What is the next step in growing your nonprofit consulting business?  In this episode, I'm joined by my team member Elizabeth Cook, who coaches alongside me in our programs. We cover five key obstacles that might be holding you back and share actionable tips to overcome them. 📋 Grab our guide on the  5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make .   Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn   Connect with...

You will enjoy this update episode as I interview Rachel Cahill in Spring 2024, one year after we recorded episode #4. As with many nonprofit consultants, she is an accidental business owner. In this episode, I dive deep into HOW Rachel became a consultant and she shares that she doubled her team in the last year from three to six team members. She also discusses the importance of maintaining a vi...

A year ago (Spring 2023), I interviewed my client Rachel Cahill about how she expanded her capacity in her business by hiring BOTH in her business and her home. If you've been looking for permission to get support where you really need it, then this episode is for you. Rachel shares about the mindset issues she encountered along her hiring journey and the challenges and benefits she has experience...

Positioning might seem like a straightforward concept, yet many nonprofit consultants struggle with it, reaching plateaus in their growth. In today's episode, my team member Elizabeth Cook and I dive into why nonprofits consultants can succeed without initial strong positioning, and why establishing a clear niche and specialization is crucial for scalability and defining your business's trajectory...

Nonprofit consulting has its own unique cycle of client interaction, and understanding it can be transformative for your consulting practice. In today's episode, we dive into the Nonprofit Client Lifecycle framework I've designed. We discuss each stage – attract, engage, convert, onboard, deliver, grow, and nurture – and why mastering this cycle is crucial for anyone consulting in the nonprofit sp...

It is complicated to serve nonprofit clients while running a for profit consulting business, especially when you were previously an employee in the nonprofit sector. In today's episode, I'm joined by Elizabeth Cook, who coaches with me in our group coaching program. Our mission is to help you stay in business!  We dive into my ENDURING BUSINESS model and share why each pillar is critical.  Have yo...

Are you a Nonprofit Consultant pulled between making an impact and running a profitable business? Join Natalie Eckdahl, MBA, on a podcast crafted just for you.  With 25 years of diverse experience as a management consultant, market researcher, small business owner and business coach, Natalie shares practical strategies to balance purpose and profit.  Through engaging discussions, trainings, and cl...