Ever feel like you're so busy serving clients that you never have time to work ON your business? In this episode, gathering expert Tes Cohen reveals her systematic approach to building reflection into her consulting practice. From annual "personal offsites" to monthly reset days, learn how intentional pauses can lead to better business decisions and sustainable growth. Plus, Tes shares her "confession" about finally updating her unwieldy client tracking system during one of these reflection periods—proof that sometimes we need to slow down to speed up.

If you've ever struggled with saying no to work outside your zone of genius or worried about damaging relationships by setting limits, this episode is your permission slip to reshape your consulting practice. Learn why your reputation isn't built on saying yes to everything, but rather on being known for specific, high-value work that energizes you. Naomi shares actionable examples of how to communicate boundaries professionally, refer work strategically, and build a business that serves both you and your clients better.

Are you tired of superficial networking that feels more like a chore than a game-changer? In this episode, Cindy and Jess challenge the traditional "coffee chat" approach to building professional relationships, revealing how to create connections that naturally lead to business growth. They dive deep into the often-overlooked distinction between how men and women approach networking, and why combining both strategies might be the secret sauce to your success. 

In this episode of the Confessions Podcast, we sat down with Racheli Edelkopf, the mastermind behind Pedal Marketing - a consulting biz that helps nonprofits up their marketing game. Racheli talked about her journey as a program director and how that led her to start her own business. Racheli has valuable insights into the realm of marketing and specifically attraction-based marketing, which is the approach she has taken to build her business.

Building a thriving consulting business can be a challenge, but what if the key to success lies in embracing joy and redefining growth? Meena Das, CEO of Namaste Data, shares her refreshing "anti-capitalistic" approach to building a thriving consulting practice. She emphasizes the importance of finding joy in your work, redefining growth on your own terms, and utilizing AI tools strategically.

If you're ready to break free from the traditional consulting mold and create a business that truly lights you up, tune in to this episode. Get ready to redefine success, embrace joy, and build a business that aligns with your values.

In this episode of we're rolling out the red carpet for 'Layne, the Auctionista.'' Layne is a master of the gala stage. They shared serious confessions about the thrilling yet demanding live fundraising world. Or should we say, philanthrotaining. Yes, you read that right!

Now - think for a minute - if you’re business was centered around taking the stage at live fundraising events, the last few years probably have been pretty brutal.

But Layne has navigated that and found success in this changing world.

Do you wonder if you're overlooking vital legal aspects of your business? Is the thought of hiring a lawyer daunting to you, especially if you're in the early stages of your entrepreneurial journey? In this episode, we sit down with Adrienne, a seasoned lawyer and the founder of Open LLP, a boutique law firm specializing in helping startups, and entrepreneurs. Adrienne shares her wealth of knowledge to provide some guidance on navigating the legal landscape of your business.

How do you rebuild your business—and your confidence—when it feels like everything is falling apart? In this heartfelt and deeply personal episode, Jess and Cindy welcome back Kishshana Palmer, CEO of ManageMint, to share the real story behind her business reinvention. Kishshana doesn’t hold back as she opens up about the rollercoaster of running a million-dollar company, only to watch it all crumble in an unexpected moment. From struggling to pay her mortgage to using her savings to keep her team together, Kishshana takes us through the hard lessons she’s learned—and the inspiring way she’s climbing back up.

This conversation is for anyone who’s hit a rough patch in their consulting business and wondered if they’d make it through. Kishshana reminds us that resilience isn’t about bouncing back overnight—it’s about redefining what success looks like and prioritizing your well-being in the process.

What does it take to build a micro-agency that scales without sacrificing flexibility? In this episode of Confessions, Cindy and Jess chat with conversion copywriter Eman Ismail, founder of Eman CopyCo, about her journey to creating a micro-agency. With experience working in the charity sector, Eman dives deep into her decision to transition from solo work to a micro-agency model that lets her balance big projects with a flexible lifestyle. They talk about the nuts and bolts of managing client work with a contractor team, fostering client trust, and scaling up with intention (no big, overwhelming teams here!). Eman also shares her launch journey—complete with website rebranding, new team introductions, and some bold shifts in positioning.

What should nonprofit consultants do when growth starts to feel like hitting a wall? In today’s episode of Confessions, Jess and I are thrilled to welcome Natalie Ekdahl, CEO of Biz Chicks, a powerhouse coach for nonprofit consultants who want to scale without burning out. Natalie shares her no-nonsense approach to building a lucrative consulting business that prioritizes both financial success and personal freedom—no more trading time for dollars! We dive into common pitfalls consultants face when hitting growth bottlenecks, and Natalie unpacks why traditional business models and advice don’t always work for nonprofits. This episode is packed with actionable advice on how to create a sustainable path for growth that aligns with your strengths and values as a nonprofit consultant.

Why do feelings sometimes mislead us in business? Cindy and Jess dive into how to keep emotions in check and focus on data, especially as we head toward 2025. Jess shares insights from her record-breaking year and explains why it’s essential to surround yourself with positive influences who push you forward. They also tackle the importance of tracking key metrics like conversion rates, lead generation, and sales calls—because knowing your numbers beats going by "gut feeling" every time! This episode offers a wealth of practical advice on setting up systems to measure success and making intentional decisions based on solid facts.

In this episode,we chat with Shannon Bowen, a nonprofit leader who's rocking both a full-time job and a thriving side hustle. Shannon, the Chief Advancement Officer for a genetics and genomics institute in Seattle, also founded Monsoon Leadership to help people land their dream jobs. She spills the tea on salary negotiation, navigating the challenges of nonprofit leadership, and the importance of niching down.    

Plus, Shannon gets real and shares a juicy confession about how she started her business the wrong way. She originally focused on helping people avoid burnout, but quickly realized that wasn't resonating with her audience. Instead, they were craving advice on salary negotiation and landing better jobs. This led to a major pivot in her business, and she's now helping nonprofit professionals earn what they're worth.   

Want to hear more juicy confessions and learn how to build a successful side hustle? Listen to the full episode now!

How do you navigate imposter syndrome and build confidence as a new consultant? On this episode of the Confessions of a Nonprofit Consultant podcast, Jess and Cindy interview Denyelle Fraser, nonprofit and equity design consultant who shares her journey and insights on thriving as a new consultant in the nonprofit world. 

Denyelle, a mom and wife, shares her experience navigating the challenges of being a young, Black woman in the consulting industry, and how she overcomes imposter syndrome and microaggressions. She emphasizes the importance of community, representation, and staying true to oneself.

As a consultant, you probably have thought about growing a team, or hiring subcontractors or even getting work as a subcontractor. Lauren Elyse Tudor, founder of Architect Philanthropic Collective, joins us to share her journey and insights. Lauren's firm focuses on community-centered and diverse philanthropy, leveraging storytelling, strategic marketing, and inclusive fundraising strategies to help small to mid-sized shops thrive.  

In this episode, Lauren opens up about her transition from a successful nonprofit career to entrepreneurship, the challenges she faced, and the valuable lessons she learned along the way. She shares how she built a team that thrives on collaboration and creative problem-solving. But here's the kicker: Lauren's agency operates on a revenue-sharing model that's designed to incentivize growth and ensure fairness. We dive deep into how this model works, why it's a game-changer for her team, and how it aligns with her values-driven approach to business.

In this episode of Confessions with Jess and Cindy, Cindy sits down with fellow nonprofit consultants live at the RAISE conference.

She discusses the power of conferences in business development and knowledge sharing. Join Cindy as she chats with Sabrina Walker Hernandez, Barbara O'Reilly, Diana Farias Heinrich, Frank Velazquez Jr., and the dynamic duo Kristin and Sam from Swaim Strategies. They share their experiences, strategies, and confessions about leveraging conferences for business growth, the importance of getting paid for speaking engagements, and the power of collaboration in the nonprofit sector.

Ever felt the pull of those big fundraising conferences, imagining the potential clients and connections waiting just beyond those booth walls? Cindy sure did! But after two experiences, one exhilarating, the other... well, let's just say "eye-opening," we’re here to share the raw, unfiltered truth about what it's REALLY like to be a small fish in a big conference pond.

Ever felt like you needed a shower after a sales call? You're not alone! This week, we're diving into the world of authentic sales strategies with email marketing queen Kristi Scott.

Kristi spills the tea on her journey from cold-calling tech sales to building her nonprofit consulting business. She shares how she ditched the pushy tactics and found her groove with a more genuine approach that aligns with our sector's values.

We chat about the power of niching down (spoiler alert: it's not as scary as you think), how to leverage workshops for lead generation, and why being part of a consultant community is a game-changer. Kristi even drops a truth bomb about her financial situation that'll make you rethink those picture-perfect Instagram posts.

Ever wondered what it's really like to ditch your nonprofit job and start a consulting business with your work buddy? Today, we're pulling back the curtain on that exact scenario. No sugar-coating, no BS - just the raw, unfiltered truth about what it takes to build a values-driven consulting firm from the ground up.

Sarah Steiger joins us to share the rollercoaster journey of how she and her former boss, Laura, transitioned from nonprofit employees to co-founders of Steiger Vitelli and Associates. Buckle up, because this conversation gets real fast

Rachel Zant of Pen With a Purpose shares her journey from agency workhorse to boundary-setting badass. With 25 years of fundraising copywriting under her belt, Rachel dishes on the ups and downs of running a successful consulting biz while juggling motherhood and the constant urge to say "yes" to everything.

From charging what she's worth (spoiler: it's way more than when she started) to firing clients who don't respect her expertise, Rachel keeps it real about the struggles and triumphs of being a solopreneur in the nonprofit world. She even shares her secret sauce for packaging her services and why she's totally cool with sometimes choosing Netflix over networking.

Today, we're diving into the world of client retention with Alex Lustig, co-founder of the Global Grant Writers Collective. Their business is teaching people how to build careers as grant writers, but the real magic? They're keeping 70% of their members for a second year.

Alex shared insights on how they've built this success. It's not just about teaching grant writing - they've created a program that's part skill-building, part business training, and a whole lot of community. Their members aren't just learning a new skill; they're reimagining their lives.

While Alex's focus is grant writing, the strategies we discussed apply to any consulting business. We explored client retention, community building, and creative ways to make your clients feel valued and supported.