E117 The #1 Mistake Consultants Make That Is Killing Their Sales and Growth | Diego Mangabeira

E117 The #1 Mistake Consultants Make That Is Killing Their Sales and Growth | Diego Mangabeira

"If you try to sell to everybody, you're selling to nobody." - Diego Mangabeira Episode Summary: In this episode, AJ Riedel talks with Diego Mangabeira, a 14-year self-employed sales consultant with IBM and 3M on his resume, about the single positioning mistake that keeps consultants stuck: a too-broad ICP. Diego shares what it actually cost him, in lost conversions, wrong-fit clients, and burnout and makes the case for why going narrow is the fastest path to a predictable consulting pipeline. Why You Should Listen to This Episode: If your pipeline feels inconsistent or your conversion rate is lower than it should be, the problem might not be your sales skills or your marketing, it might be your targeting. Diego has spent 14 years in sales and still fell into the trap of trying to sell to everyone. In this episode he breaks down the real cost of a broad ICP and explains exactly why narrowing your focus makes selling easier, faster, and more consistent. What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why a too-broad ICP kills conversions - The direct link between trying to reach everyone and ending up with an empty pipeline, in Diego's own words from his consulting practice. • The real cost of the wrong client - A concrete story of how one wrong-fit client cost Diego his sleep, his relationships, and ultimately the engagement itself. • Three reasons to go narrow for 90 days - Focus, persona clarity, and faster closes: Diego's practical case for laser-targeting one niche segment starting now. • Why selling yourself is harder than selling for clients - Even a 14-year sales veteran with Fortune 500 credentials struggles with this and Diego explains why it's psychological, not a skills gap. Connect with Diego: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegomangabeira/ Connect with AJ If this episode helped you think differently about your consulting business, leave a review. It'll take less than a minute and it'll help other independent consultants find the show. Take the free Consultants Marketing Scorecard at ajriedel.com/podcast — less than 10 minutes, and you'll get three scores showing you exactly where your marketing is strong, where it's weak, and what to fix first.

E116 Building a Consulting Practice That Doesn't Burn You Out or Dry Up | Alison Keutgen

In this episode, AJ Riedel talks with Alison Keutgen, fractional CMO and founder of Inovari, a consulting practice built at the intersection of product innovation and strategic marketing. Two years into running her own practice, Alison shares what she's learned the hard way about feast-or-famine cycles, the hidden cost of being industry agnostic, and why 40 fractional hours can feel like 60. Why You Should Listen to This Episode; If you've been relying on existing clients to keep your pipeline full or if you're so busy delivering work that business development keeps getting pushed to tomorrow, this episode will name exactly what's happening and why it's costing you. Alison is two years into a fractional consulting practice that has already crossed six figures, and she's refreshingly honest about the gaps she's still closing: building a pipeline system before she needs it, narrowing her ICP so her network can actually refer her, and finding revenue streams that don't require trading more hours for more money. This isn't a success story with a tidy bow. It's a real conversation about the challenges every consultant hits on the way to building something sustainable. What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why existing clients are not a pipeline — and how assuming they are sets you up for a revenue crisis when contracts end unexpectedly. • The generalist trap in real time — why being capable across industries makes it hard for your network to refer you, and what Alison is doing to fix it. • The time-for-money ceiling — why 40 fractional hours feels like 60, what's actually driving that fatigue, and why it matters for how you structure your practice. • Why business development infrastructure can't wait — Alison's honest reflection on not building her pipeline system early enough, and what she's prioritizing now. Connect with Alison : https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-keutgen/ Connect with AJ If this episode helped you think differently about your consulting business, leave a review. It'll take less than a minute and it'll help other independent consultants find the show. Take the free Consultants Marketing Scorecard at ajriedel.com/podcast — less than 10 minutes, and you'll get three scores showing you exactly where your marketing is strong, where it's weak, and what to fix first.

E115 How to Manage the Mental Game of Independent Consulting | Lindsey Simmons

In this episode, AJ Riedel talks with Lindsey Simmons, founder of LindaInHR, a fractional recruiting and HR consulting practice serving B2B SaaS, AI, and tech companies. What sets Lindsey apart: she built a referral-only consulting business that has never had an empty pipeline and she did it while simultaneously launching a second business, Touch Grass, a fly fishing retreat for women leaders in tech. Lindsey Simmons is the founder of LindaInHR, a fractional recruiting and HR consulting practice serving B2B SaaS, AI, and tech companies. With nearly two decades of experience in talent acquisition and HR, she specializes in helping leaders build thoughtful hiring processes and recruit exceptional technical, product, and go-to-market talent. She is also the co-founder of Touch Grass, a fly fishing retreat for women leaders in tech, launching its first retreat in July 2025. Why You Should Listen to This Episode: If you've ever asked yourself "who am I to do this?" Lindsey's story is for you. She went from a 2024 layoff to running two growing businesses in under three years, not because she had everything figured out, but because she learned to manage the self-talk that tries to convince every independent consultant that they're not ready yet. She talks candidly about the permission crisis that hits when you go out on your own, why she stopped being afraid of niching down, how she built a referral pipeline that's never run dry, and what it looks like to launch a second revenue stream from a passion while your core business is still growing. This is a real conversation about what it actually takes not the polished version. What You'll Learn in This Episode: • Managing the "Who Am I to Do This?" Mental Battle ,Lindsey breaks down the permission crisis that hits almost every new independent consultant and shares the practical self-talk strategies she used to push through it and keep building. • Why "Done Beats Perfect" Is the Only Way to Launch, From a rough first website to saying yes to clients outside her experience, Lindsey's first year was built on momentum over readiness and she's ahead of where she thought she'd be. • How to Build a Second Revenue Stream Without Losing Focus, Lindsey turned a fly fishing passion and an existing network into Touch Grass, a retreat business for women leaders in tech without abandoning her core consulting practice. Website: lindainhr.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-simmons-lindainhr/ Connect with AJ If this episode helped you think differently about your consulting business, leave a review. It'll take less than a minute and it'll help other independent consultants find the show. Take the free Consultants Marketing Scorecard at ajriedel.com/podcast — less than 10 minutes, and you'll get three scores showing you exactly where your marketing is strong, where it's weak, and what to fix first.

E114 Building a Platform That Connects Companies With Fractional Talent | Michele Cook

In this episode, Michelle Cook discusses the intersection of tech layoffs and AI implementation, highlighting the challenges faced by executives in the current market. She shares her vision of building a platform to help laid-off executives transition into fractional consulting roles, emphasizing the importance of human intelligence in the workplace. Michelle outlines her strategies for recruitment, positioning fractional services to companies, and navigating budget constraints. The conversation also touches on networking, sales cycles, and the current status of her platform development, concluding with her aspirations for the future of her business. Takeaways Massive layoffs are occurring in tech, with companies like Meta and Amazon leading the way. AI is being used to replace human jobs, causing stress and uncertainty for employees. Companies are realizing they need experienced executives back after layoffs. Michelle aims to help executives transition into fractional roles to maintain job security. Building a platform for fractional executives involves both recruitment and consulting services. Networking and building relationships are crucial for finding potential clients. Positioning fractional services as a cost-effective solution is key during budget constraints. Sales cycles can be long and challenging, requiring effective follow-up strategies. The platform is still in development but has potential for growth and success. Michelle is currently balancing fractional work with building her platform. Connect with Michele Cook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-cook-3624ab9/ Call to Action: If this helped you think differently about your consulting business, leave a review. It'll take less than a minute and it'll help other independent consultants find the show. Work with AJ, Client Attraction System Assessment Most consultants don't have a client attraction system. Do you? You've got expertise. The question isn't whether you can do the work — it's whether you have a system that consistently brings clients to you. Book a free Client Attraction System Assessment with AJ. On the call, you'll get clarity on: • Whether you have an actual system for attracting clients • Which part of your process needs attention • The one change that would shift you from reacting to the market to leading it This assessment is right for you if you're making less than $100K, know you should be at $150K or more, and want to stop guessing about why you aren't getting new clients consistently.

E113 Stop Writing Content That Disappears | Erica Holthausen

Most self-employed consultants spend hours writing content—blog posts, articles, LinkedIn updates—only to watch it disappear into the digital void. They post once on LinkedIn and assume the work of getting published will somehow magically bring clients. It won't. The real problem isn't how much you write; it's that you're treating content as a one-and-done checkbox instead of a strategic business development asset. This episode reveals how to transform your articles into conversation starters, relationship-builders, and deal-closers that actually move your business forward. If you're in the feast-or-famine cycle and you've invested time in writing, you're leaving revenue on the table by not leveraging what you've created. Erica Holthausen is an Authority Development Strategist and former content marketer who works with self-employed consultants and established firms to build authority and close deals through strategic writing. She's been a freelance writer, editor, and consultant, and her first business taught her an invaluable lesson: you can't hide in content creation forever. Now she helps consultants use writing as a real business development tool—not busywork. She works one-on-one with select clients, runs a capped writing community of 75 people, and offers an evergreen program for consultants ready to write for high-visibility publications. Erica is opinionated, contrarian, and committed to helping consultants do less, better. Connect with Erica ● Website: catchlinecommunications.com ● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericaholthausen/ ● Free Monthly Q&A: The Authority Lab (mini-training + Q&A) Key Takeaways ● High-level consulting engagements are won through authority, not volume. ● Your perspective is your differentiator—it's how you approach the work, not your credentials or unique process. ● If you're not using your content as an asset, you're checking a box and wasting your time. Call to Action: If this helped you think differently about your consulting business, leave a review. It'll take less than a minute and it'll help other independent consultants find the show. Work with AJ, Client Attraction System Assessment Most consultants don't have a client attraction system. Do you? You've got expertise. The question isn't whether you can do the work — it's whether you have a system that consistently brings clients to you. Book a free Client Attraction System Assessment with AJ. On the call, you'll get clarity on: • Whether you have an actual system for attracting clients • Which part of your process needs attention • The one change that would shift you from reacting to the market to leading it This assessment is right for you if you're making less than $100K, know you should be at $150K or more, and want to stop guessing about why you aren't getting new clients consistently.