Conventional advice from pundits says never serve "whales" in your consulting business. But what if they're wrong? (Hint: they are.) A whale model CAN work in the right circumstances, provided it’s a fit with how you like to work and you design and price them correctly. Here’s my advice on whether (and how) to add whale clients to your service mix:…

Have you noticed that expertise podcasts—even from “celebrities”—tend to have an arc? They grow, they evolve, they might even shrink or pause for awhile and at some point they end. When Sales for Nerds host Reuben Swartz put his highly rated 100-episode podcast on hiatus with an intriguing announcement, I invited him to the show to talk about: Why …

When you’re building a Soloist expertise business, it’s pretty common to plateau around $200K or so in revenue. Typically at that point, you’ve found your groove and can reliably hit that number—but if you want to scale beyond that, conventional wisdom screams that it’s time to hire employees. Uh, no. You’ve got plenty of faster, easier and safer c…

Maybe you’ve toyed with building a paid community as part of your business model. Or you gave it a shot and later shelved it because you just couldn’t make it work. Start-up Parent Founder Sarah K. Peck goes deep on how she built three paid communities: How she chose the initial idea that morphed into her company and multiple highly engaged (paid) …

Are you feeling whipsawed or demoralized by the U.S. headlines lately? You’re not the only one 😉. And yet after you take a moment to confirm your values, you'll realize that now is exactly the time to flex your power: Why building our businesses is precisely what we need to grow our wealth, impact and power. Yes, power. How to think about your econ…

In this episode, Jordan and I talk about his transition from freelancer to strategist, how he found his niche working with Amish farmers, and more. • Transitioning from freelancer to strategist (and the steps he took in between) • How he repositioned himself to sell more strategic offerings • Exploring alternative niches before stumbling into a new…

John "the Video Guy" Vlach talks about how to get started with online video, even if you're not a professional and you've never recorded or posted a video before. John gives you the hardware and software tools you need, and more importantly, great how-to's on what video(s) to make, how to edit, and how to share them. Brought to you, as always, by M…

As we close out 2024 (and Season 3 of The Soloist Life), it feels like the right time to revisit how we can best bring our light to the people we most want to serve: Why now is the time to lean into your personal genius. What I’m committing to for 2025 😉. What exactly is a re*shift (and why might you be ready for one)? The eight areas of life and w…

Differentiation is hard. So many people try to differentiate themselves in ways that aren't meaningful, or hard to prove. What if you could let your ideal prospects in on your secret(s)? What if you could help them see their world with new insight? In this episode, I delve into the secret of "secrets". (You can catch more information and a free tra…

When you’ve run your Soloist business long enough, you’ll see cycles: changes in the market, changes in you/your interests and situation and your bank account. Business coach Ed Gandia shares how his business, his financials and his mindset have changed over 18 years as a Soloist: Growing his first freelance business entirely by word of mouth—and t…

Categories: Growing Revnue + Wealth, Niching Link: https://rochellemoulton.com/soloist_podcast/pulling-out-of-a-revenue-nosedive-with-chris-ferdinandi/?utm_source=subscriber What do you do when your consistently growing revenue suddenly takes a nosedive—and your peers are feeling it too? Soloist Chris Ferdinandi walks us through the experience and …

When you've got a tiny business, getting people to know about you is often your biggest problem. Getting other people to talk about your business can be a huge help, but how do you get them to do that? In this episode, PR expert and author Jill Lublin discusses how she got into publicity, and how you can use it to your advantage. Have something int…

When you started your business, you probably imagined steady revenue growth under your original business model—only to discover that the only way to grow the way you want is by experimenting! Business Coach Jessica Lackey (a McKinsey and Nike alum) shares her year-by-year experience in crafting her ideal business model: How she contracted for “brid…

If this last year was NOT smooth sailing for your Soloist business finances, now is an ideal time to pave the way to better. There’s still time to avoid unpleasant surprises (think giant tax bills) and start streamlining your financial life before year-end: The five strategic pieces of information you want in your hands before year-end. How to thin…

When you’re in the midst of an overwhelming business challenge—your revenue plummets, your audience dries up, you can’t seem to make a sale—what do you do? Award-winning author and podcaster Jenny Blake takes us through the messy middle, sharing her story of challenge, resilience and percolating without yet knowing the answer: Why her first reactio…

Being a podcast guest pays some excellent dividends: introducing you to new audiences, practice delivering your point of view and honing your message for starters. But how do you get yourself booked? The qualities that will make you a solid, bookable podcast guest. The 5-step system to get consistent results to your podcast guesting requests. The o…

You’ve heard the hype about AI, but how can you tactically and strategically use it to manage and grow your Soloist business? Global AI consultant Heidi Araya—who says “experts should be experts, not task-jugglers”—gets highly specific on how we can best use AI right now: Why your most productive use of AI starts with where friction currently lies …

NAKED Networking expert Kari Mirabal stops by Sales for Nerds to discuss better ways to network. Make sure you're nurturing your network the right way with Mimiran. Find out more at www.mimiran.com.By Reuben Swartz

This episode is inspired by a listener question that I’ve been hearing a lot lately: how can you pull yourself out of a slump? And does a prolonged slump mean you’re not cut out to be a Soloist? The gift (and the hidden cost) of a great first year as a Soloist. Why hitting the wall—where your revenue tanks or plateaus—happens, especially with new-i…

Does your brain seem to work differently than those around you—maybe you even went solo so you could operate at your best? Coach (and former psychotherapist) Diann Wingert shares her experience advising the neurodiverse: Neurodiversity—what it is, why it’s a spectrum and how experts look at it today (hint: don’t think of it as a disorder). Why so m…

If you’ve ever hesitated to put your voice “out there” because you’re not the “right” size, shape, age, race, gender, orientation, know that you’re not alone. But it’s time to step up and be heard: Why it’s harder to sashay on stage with your megaphone when you’re different from the norm in your community (and yet you’ll be more memorable when you …

Have you ever considered moving yourself and your business to a new country? Content marketer Casey Kelly-Barton did just that and shares her challenges and opportunities as an ex-pat: Her journey to niching into the intersection of three related niches— including how niching bumped up her revenue and reduced her hours worked. Meeting the challenge…

Wow-- episode 100! Podcasting expert John Tyreman provides tips on using your podcast to get clients, including: Figuring out the right format for your podcast. How to get guests without stress. How to promote your podcast. What equipment you do (and don't) need And so much more. And if you're a solo professional, looking to convert podcast energy …

Demand is feeling lighter—you’re getting fewer inquiries or buyers seem to be more price-sensitive and you’re starting to worry about the economy. What do you do next? Why it doesn’t matter what the economy is doing when you play your own game. How “Mariah” added a new revenue stream when her primary one started losing steam (and a low-risk way to …

Thinking about hosting a live event, but not sure how to make it well-attended, profitable and worth your time? Renowned author, speaker and creative firm advisor David C. Baker lifts the curtain on his wildly successful MYOB conference and live events: The role of in-person live events in David’s expertise business model (plus a peek at the number…

Sometimes the allure of working for yourself turns into just having a lot of bosses and you can end up getting burn out all over again. Lydia Lee walked down that path and learned how to put her life first, despite some interesting obstacles (there's a literal exploding toilet), and build her business around her life, instead of trying to squeeze h…

Selling the way your customers want to buy makes sales (and marketing) so much easier, but most businesses refuse to do it. In this episode, veteran market Kristin Zhivago (and author of Roadmap to Revenue: How to Sell the Way Your Customers Want to Buy) discusses how you can uncover your best customers' buying behaviors so you can align your marke…

How can you work less and make more than you are right now? There is a glide path if you’re willing to experiment insists Jonathan Stark, author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts. Yes, the dynamic Business of Authority duo is baaaaaaaaack for an episode: Two experiments to try if you’re currently billing by the hour and want to explore alternatives. How to…

AI is all the rage these days (I get lots of pitches, some of them seemingly AI-generated, to come on Sales for Nerds and talk about AI). I decided to go to the source and have a conversation with ChatGPT from OpenAI. It was mindblowing, scary, and uncanny, all at the same time. Take a listen and decide for yourself, plus get tips on using AI for y…

Is it possible to build a profitable expertise business that is 100% values-aligned and mission driven? Lucy Flores—who has built a design studio dedicated to co-creating a more just, joyful and sustainable U.S. food system—says yes, with the results to prove it: Why she niched her business into food equity right from the beginning—and how it playe…

Everyone has difficulties in life—and sometimes our unique genius arises from how we deal with them. Take Psychotherapist Jeff Eamer who turned a challenging mental health diagnosis into a life of purpose: How he moved from being an award-winning ad agency wonderkind to nabbing a 3-picture Hollywood deal. Why crashing—hard—led him to get help with …

What if the standard productivity advice gets it wrong? What if your performance, health and happiness are grounded in how well you manage your energy, not your time? Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz’s The Power of Full Engagement makes an excellent case for the role of energy in performance: The four types of energy—physical, emotional, mental and spir…

When you’ve been on staff at an organization—especially in the lead role— transitioning to consulting can be a bit disorienting. Consultant to credit unions Mark Triechel talks about the lessons learned in his switch from regulating an industry to advising them: How to quickly morph from “retirement” into a Soloist expertise business serving your f…

Can you build a six to seven figure Soloist business doing the opposite of what “the experts” recommend? Consultant Kris Jennings has created exactly that by forging her own path: How her “tiny, tiny” email list delivered over $1 million in revenue (and provides a vehicle to nurture key referral relationships). How she thinks about and serves her l…

Tim Hyde from Win More Clients shares his entrepreneurial journey and the importance of using a CRM to get and stay organized. Tim also delves into how to find your ideal customers, and why you have to go where they are, because the number one problem solopreneurs face is that their best clients don't even know they exist... Brought to you by Mimir…

You’ve got a bookkeeper, a CPA, maybe even a CFO/strategic financial resource for your business—when and where does personal financial planning fit in? Advice-only financial planner and author Sean Mullaney walks us through financial planning for Soloists: The types of financial advisors Soloists are likely to encounter—how they work and are compen…

None of us are immune to transitions—it’s just that they seem start piling up at “mid-life”. Olympic gold medalist and performance coach Joe Jacobi shares his story and how you too can navigate resistance and uncertainty to pursue purpose, performance and impact: What working as part of a two-person boat teaches you about collaboration (and it’s pr…

A quick Amazon search shows over 50,000 productivity titles—probably because as a society, we are obsessed with being productive. But what does productivity look like for Soloists? My theory—and I’m curious for your experience—is that many Soloists approach productivity a bit differently: My own (positive) experience with the classic Getting Things…

When you’re focused on building a $100 million business with a co-founder, what could possibly make you peel off to become a Soloist? Consultant Rob Fegan shares how he pivoted from his first business to a highly profitable (and life-enhancing) Soloist consulting practice: Why he transitioned from co-founding and growing their potentially $100 mill…

Sales may feel "icky", but serving others feels good, and leads to great results. In this episode, Steve Ramona, host of the Doing Business with a Servant's Heart podcast and the Together We Serve TV show discusses how he learned that his network was his net worth, and how you can do the same, even (especially?) if you're an introvert who doesn't l…

That first year after leaving corporate life can be tricky—do you say yes to most every opportunity or niche immediately and start saying no? Strategic communicator Jacqui Miller aced (by any measure) her first year as a Soloist and describes how she made it happen: The surprising first thing she did when leaving her corporate job to start her expe…

You’ve been thinking about starting a podcast (or are just not happy with how yours is converting into leads and revenue). Prolific podcaster, author and coach Alastair McDermott shares how he created and runs multiple ongoing and evergreen podcasts: Why you’ll need to start before you’re ready (and the advantages of failing faster). How you might …

Moving from a job in big corporate to building a soloist expertise business is a bit of an adjustment. Consultant Mike Ryan turned his sweet spot into a thriving business and last year doubled his already significant revenue—he shares his story: The transition from being a buyer to becoming the seller—and how he built his referral “machine” (hint: …

Can you build a six-figure advisory business working only 15 hours a week? CPA Erica Goode has—and she describes exactly how she did it (think serious boundaries): The lessons corporate burn-out can teach you about how to construct your own business. How setting rigid boundaries on her time allows her to meet all her work + life commitments. The va…

A lot of people hate public speaking. But whether you're officially a "speaker", or just someone who needs to talk to a "Zoom room" now and again, speaking effectively is critical to your business. Speaking coach Meridith Grundei shares how she went from shy kid who didn't want to answer questions in class to helping others overcome their fears of …

Failure can be an excellent teacher—if we’ll only let it! In this solo episode, I walk you through the lessons from a recent failed launch to answer that all-important question: Is it time to quit? Why continuing to pursue a passion project can sometimes masquerade as (business) madness. The dirty little secret almost no one who does public launche…

Dr Amanda Crowell, author of “Great Work: Do What Matters Most Without Sacrificing Everything Else”, tells us how to get to the work we were most meant to do: How to get off the “productivity roller coaster of doom” to make the time for your Great Work. Why your health and happiness make your Great Work flow easier—and how to optimize for them. A f…

I recently interviewed Reza Saeedi—a marketing strategist and former Director of Marketing at On Deck—about his transition from employee to marketing advisor to employee again with advising as a side venture. In this episode, we chatted about things like: How Reza got into marketing and eventually, as a mentor/advisor to entrepreneurs How he was ab…

LinkedIn Jedi Master (and Founder of the B2B Writing Institute) Sarah Greesonbach shares how she uses LinkedIn to grow her business and relationships--and how you can too. How Sarah managed to build two soloist businesses—one with clients and the other with students—with one LinkedIn presence. Using LinkedIn as a way to develop your point of view a…

You’re committed to becoming a better communicator to help your clients more effectively—and to turbocharge your marketing. Has AI complicated or instead simplified standing out with your communications? Consultant, author and writer Jessica Mehring shares the results of her research on the impact of generative AI on communicating strategically: Wh…