Thriving Through

How do you transform from taking any client you can get to becoming a trusted advisor with multi-year engagements worth millions in revenue growth? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Howard Fisher, a fractional sales leader with Hantarra. What distinguishes Howard is his unique journey from litigation attorney to corporate sales executive to successful fractional consultant, and his ability...

How can you build a sustainable consulting practice when you don't have an existing client base or industry reputation to lean on? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Kim McGownd, an independent risk management and compliance consultant who calls herself a "strategic intermediary." What distinguishes Kim is her remarkable networking approach - she attended over 800 networking events and one-o...

Are you worried that your consulting practice is heading toward burnout while you struggle to build scalable systems that don't require you to work 70-hour weeks? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Fred Renoth, a business consultant and leadership coach with 25 years of entrepreneurial experience. What distinguishes Fred is his unique journey from selling a successful company due to burnout...

Are you struggling to sell your consulting services because you feel like you're "bad at sales" or don't have formal sales training? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Howard Wolpoff, a sales coach who works with sales leaders and individual salespeople. What distinguishes Howard is his dramatic personal transformation from someone who openly admitted "I suck at sales" to becoming a successf...

What if you could see a market shift coming before it blindsided your competitors? What would you do if you realized your entire speaking niche was about to become legally restricted in multiple states? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Dr. Jen Fry, professional speaker, author, and tech company owner who successfully transitioned from college volleyball coach to high-paid keynote speaker s...

Are you struggling to differentiate yourself in a crowded market and wondering how to build a practice where clients seek you out instead of you chasing them? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Stefan Avivson, serial entrepreneur turned business advisor. Stefan has built a thriving advisory practice by positioning himself as "Mr. Raw" - someone who challenges clients' thinking and gets them...

Ever wondered how to do a discovery call?  In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Dr. Casey Jensen, founder of Future Point Innovations, in a live discovery call demonstration following the proven 4-Step Sales Process she uses. Why You Should Listen to (or Watch) This Episode: This episode demonstrates a proven discovery call framework in real-time. You'll see exactly how to identify priority ga...

How do you turn every satisfied client into a revenue-generating machine? And what's the one question that can build your entire consulting practice? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Thomas Bennett, founder of The Money Connector and self-employed tax savings consultant. Why You Should Listen to (or Watch) This Episode Self-employed consultants will discover the exact referral strategy tha...

What if the warning signs of the feast-or-famine cycle were flashing right in front of you for months, but you were too buried in client work to see them? And what would you do when you finally hit that wall and realized your pipeline had completely dried up? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Matt Molloy, former school principal turned EdTech consultant who transformed his struggling practi...

What happens when a seasoned corporate executive decides to go solo? And more importantly, what critical mistake almost derailed his entire consulting practice? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Guy Barretta, a fractional COO who transitioned from being Chief Operating Officer of a large real estate brokerage to building his own consulting practice in 2023. What You'll Learn in This Episode...

Why do brilliant consultants with proven expertise struggle to fill their pipelines? What if the problem isn't your skills, but that you're solving the wrong problem for your ideal clients? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Talmar Anderson, CEO of Boss HQ and co-founder of Time Machine Agency. We talk about how she pivoted from teaching hiring processes (that nobody wanted to buy) to solvin...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Maurice Lauriano who runs a highly specialized consulting business helping Ed-Tech companies navigate New York City's educational procurement process. We talk about how to turn being "let go" into finding your perfect niche, why narrower niches can actually be more profitable than broad ones, and how to position yourself as the go-to expert in a specialized...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Tom McKeown, B2B Go-to-Market Consultant and former Chief of Staff. We talk about how the skills that made him successful in corporate actually hindered his consulting success, his counterintuitive approach to LinkedIn outreach that landed his first major client, and why he ditched expensive outsourced sales for strategic partnerships that multiplied his re...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Lee Davidson, a life coach and business consultant who specializes in working with the LGBTQ+ community and purpose-driven ventures. We talk about how prioritizing values over profits can actually lead to better business outcomes, why showing up authentically in your community is the most effective lead generation strategy, and how to say no to misaligned c...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Michael Schank, founder of Process Inventory Advisors and author of "Digital Transformation Success."  We talk about how understanding and mapping your business processes is the critical missing link in successful transformation efforts, and why even small consulting practices need a clear process roadmap to thrive.  Michael also shares his entrepreneurial...

"From Corporate Constraints to Creative Freedom: How Alessandra LaTour Built a Leadership Academy That Delivers Practical Results" YouTube Description In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Alessandra LaTour, Ed. D., founder of Latour Leadership Academy. We talk about how she transformed corporate layoffs into an opportunity to create a business focused on actionable leadership development, and...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Ryan McKinney of McKinney Business Solutions. We talk about how Ryan transformed his career from corporate employee to thriving consultant, his unique system for helping small businesses bridge the gap between the $1M and $5M revenue ceiling, and his powerful "13th Week Sabbatical" strategy that revolutionizes how consultants can grow their practice while a...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Oksana Matviichuk, founder and CEO of OM Strategic Forecasting. We discuss the critical mindset shifts required when transitioning from corporate life to independent consulting (13:41), why public relations is a surprisingly effective marketing strategy for consultants (26:15), and how to create a strategic qualification process that attracts ideal clients...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Drew Roberts, founder of DB Impact, a business consulting company focused on helping startups and small to medium-sized businesses become more efficient. We talk about how to overcome the mental challenges of entrepreneurship, why defining your real value proposition is crucial to your success, and why focusing on the four foundational areas of business can...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Laura Hardin, founder of Harden Heights Communications. We talk about how Laura transformed a devastating corporate layoff into entrepreneurial success, her unique approach to reactivating professional relationships without being transactional, and how she maintains work-life balance while building a thriving communications consultancy. Learn how she exceed...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Nick Eckert, founder of Sr. Training and Consulting. We talk about how Nick leverages his engineering background to simplify OSHA requirements for small and medium businesses, his unique approach to qualifying leads through an Amazon bestselling book, and why he believes "failing early and often" is the key to consulting success.  4:55 Learn Nick's creative...

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Frank Keck, CEO and founder of CoreBuild. We talk about how Frank built a thriving consulting business with 95% repeat clients by discovering his unique value proposition and having the confidence to charge what he's worth. Learn his practical strategy for building relationships through free workshops that convert to paying clients, and how he adapted his m...

This interview features AJ Riedel speaking with Beverly Flores, founder of Thyme Out Consulting, on the "Thriving Through" podcast. Beverly shares her journey from a 24-year career at a Fortune 100 company to becoming an independent business consultant and coach who helps businesses and individuals unlock their potential. The conversation explores: Beverly's transition from corporate life to entre...

Feeling trapped in a job that's draining your mental health? Wondering if you can build a consulting business that actually supports your life priorities? In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Julie Collison, special education expert and founder of Ingenuity Unlimited. We talk about Julie's courageous journey from burnout to building her own consulting practice, why face-to-face connections tru...