The Soloist Life

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:What exactly makes a client a whale?A few examples of highly successful whale business models—how they’re structured and how much revenue they deliver.Why conventional "wisdom" about whales doesn’t apply when you structure and price them correctly.The three challenges you’ll need to address to make sure whales will work for your particular business.Where to start if you decide adding whale clients makes sense.RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.BOOK A CALL WITH ROCHELLETRANSCRIPTRochelle Moulton00:00 - 00:47You just want to make sure that your whale clients fit neatly into at least one of your sweet spots, like the type of work, the industry, your client profile, et cetera. Otherwise, each one will feel like a supremely heavy lift, and that's the last thing that you want. Hello, hello. Welcome to the SOA's Life Podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth, impact, and power. I'm Rachelle Moulton, and today I want to talk to you about whether it makes sense to include whale clients as part of your service mix right now. I sent out an email to my list about this last week, and I got quite a few responses as well as a few questions.Rochelle Moulton00:47 - 01:27So we're going to do a deeper dive on this today. Let's start with what I mean by whale client. They don't have to be a giant company or a huge organization. The whale refers to how much of your revenue they represent. So I'd call any client that is 15 to 20% or more of your annual revenue a whale. Now, there is this assumption in certain circles that a whale client model is bad. That the best goal is to build revenue streams where you can sell smaller things to more people. That that is less risky over time.Rochelle Moulton01:28 - 02:12While there's nothing wrong with creating a diversified business, it isn't for everyone. Many consultants and advisors who are delivering major value to their institutional clients have built significant revenue and wealth using a whale model. So I'll give you a few examples. Number one, a specialty marketing consultant to big corporates who has a consulting book speaking model, earns $500,000 plus per year. They usually do a handful of $100,000 to $150,000 consulting projects and speak maybe half a dozen times a year, plus they earn royalties from their books. Now their downside is the travel required for speaking.Rochelle Moulton02:12 - 02:57So this would be hard to master in say 20 or probably even 30 hours a week. Two, a retainer expertise model where the consultant sells $100,000 plus annual retainers to three to five companies. They typically are retained for a few years, you know, with annual renewals with the need and...

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 he hit the pause button on Sales for Nerds.Where his podcast aligns with his core Soloist business—and where it diverges.How he thinks about the value of his time and the role his podcast plays in personal learning and driving business.The organic arc (rise, plateau, fall) his podcast experienced as his business and his goals have changed.How finishing 100 episodes made him review his experiences and think about what’s next.LINKSReuben Swartz Mimiran | Sales for Nerds | LinkedIn | YouTube (Mimiran) | YouTube (Sales for Nerds)  Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOReuben Swartz is the founder of Mimiran, the fun, “anti-CRM” for independent consultants, born of his experience as a sales and marketing consultant for the Fortune 500, struggling with his own business development efforts. He's also the host and chief nerd on the Sales for Nerds podcast.RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.BOOK A CALL WITH ROCHELLETRANSCRIPTReuben Swartz00:00 - 00:28So i dropped an email to jason cohen at wp engine hey jason i got this new concept for podcast i bring a bottle of wine to your office and interview you talk about wine i really like your blog he writes this brilliant blog and i've heard you speak at blah blah blah blah blah and I really like what you have to say blah blah blah blah blah blah And I'm also a customer blah blah blah blah blah blah Right? Like this really nice, suck up email. He just writes me back 5 minutes later--you had me at wine, here's a link to my calendar.Rochelle Moulton00:33 - 01:08Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Live podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth, impact, and power. I'm Rochelle Moulton, and today I'm so excited to welcome Ruben Swartz to the show. Ruben is the founder of Mimarin, the fun

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 choices when you want to scale:Why hiring employees can be a viable model (I built and sold a boutique firm to the big boys for seven figures), but is front-loaded with challenges and risks.The role niching can play in busting through a revenue plateau—by weaving yourself into an existing cohort of clients and buyers.How to think about productizing your services and its impact on your revenue, your pipeline and your lifestyle.Moving from implementation or execution services to high price point advisory options.The three criteria you need to meet to make raising your prices a slam dunk.LINKSRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramRESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.BOOK A CALL WITH ROCHELLETRANSCRIPTRochelle Moulton00:00 - 00:52You might have a business where you come in, you do a project, and you exit never to be seen again. But many of you do work that produces deep tentacles into client organizations, so you want any productized services you offer to support that. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life Podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth, impact, and power. I'm Rochelle Moulton, and frankly, I'm still deciding how it feels to add power at the end of this intro, probably because I've never really been about power per se, but about my personal definition of wealth, enough money, free time, independence, flexibility and impact to enjoy my life and my work.Rochelle Moulton00:52 - 01:37But as I said in my last solo episode, as soloists, we definitely have economic and leadership power, and it's time we use them. So I'm keeping that thought, power, and channeling it in this space for now. Speaking of power, today I want to talk to you about how to scale after you hit $200,000 or so in revenue. And the reason I want to hit on this today is I just tripped over a podcast episode about this topic, and I couldn't disagree more with the host's conclusions. See if you can't guess why. The main piece of advice was, wait for it, it's time to hire someone who does what you do, a mini-me.Rochelle Moulton01:38 - 02:24Now, look, if your goal is to grow a business with employees, this is actually not bad advice. Somewhere around $200,000 is often when solos selling expertise bump up...

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) communities.Why what looks like overnight success (260 applications for 25 spots) was actually years of experiments, trials and listening to a consistent audience.How she looks at experimenting today—and why a one-year commitment keeps her focused on the best outcomes for her members and herself.The role that lighthearted fun—joy even—can play in the success of your community and your own happiness.The intersection of motherhood and business and finding your sweet spot between the two.LINKSSarah K. Peck LinkedIn | ThreadsRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOSarah K. Peck is the founder and CEO of Startup Parent and the host of The Startup Parent Podcast, an award-winning podcast featuring women in entrepreneurship, business, and parenting. She writes about work, culture, and parenting, and her work has been featured in Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and more.BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT Sarah K. Peck00:00 - 00:25I started interviewing folks who have big careers and are working at startups who have gone through pregnancy. That's why it was Startup Pregnant. I wanted to learn from folks. And about three years into the project, I realized that I didn't want to talk to only moms and only women. It was like, the shifts that happen when you're pregnant are just the beginning. It's just the tip of the iceberg. Like you're a parent for the rest of your life.Rochelle Moulton00:31 - 01:11Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life Podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton, and today I am so excited to welcome Sarah K. Peck to the show. So Sarah is the founder and CEO of Startup Parent and the host of the Startup Parent podcast, an award-winning...

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 economic and leadership power in this current environment.Why we need to do more than just resist cruelty, hatred and all the “isms”.When it’s time to step into your role as a leader—beyond your business.LINKSRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPTRochelle Moulton00:00 - 00:46Many of you listening do have privilege. We have businesses, we have economic and leadership power, and we need to use them. This, my friend, is time to step up, not to conduct business as usual. Hello, hello. Welcome to The Soloist Life Podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth, impact, and power. I'm Rochelle Moulton, and I'm ready to lean into the power word. How about you? So this is the first episode I've recorded in 2025. I waited until now, I'm recording this in mid-February, because honestly, I just couldn't decide what to talk to you about.Rochelle Moulton00:47 - 01:50Hearing, seeing, and feeling the cruelty and the hatred toward women, the LGBTQ community, the BIPOC community, left me numb. And then I got angry, really angry. What could I do? How can I use my unique talents to help build the world I want to live in? Well, I figured it out, and I got the fire back in my belly by asking myself a very simple question. How can we get more money and power into the hands of women and those disadvantaged by the system we live in? How? We build businesses, businesses that use our genius and produce copious flows of money, businesses that we control so we can work the way we want, when we want, where we want, so that we have multiple streams of wealth to invest in our families, our communities, and the causes we care about.Rochelle Moulton01:51 - 02:41to not only resist cruelty, hatred, and all the isms, but to actively find our people, to float new ideas and collaborate with the like-minded for change. At this moment, many of you are feeling stunned, disenfranchised, fearful, and confused. So what's next? Do you speak out and risk being ridiculed, targeted, or worse? Or do you put your head down, staying silent and complicit? Now, not everyone has the privilege to speak out. And if that's you, resist subversively so you're safe. But many of...

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 work that you can custom blend to create your uniquely rich life.Wishing you a happy holiday season and a joyous, healthy and prosperous 2025!LINKSRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramRESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPTRochelle Moulton00:00 - 00:45I've helped create millions of dollars in value for clients as a soloist, never mind the tens of millions I built as a partner in big firms where I led a variety of businesses. But in this new world, excellent isn't good enough. We each need to burrow into our personal genius, serving the people who matter most to you in ways only you can do. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton, and today I'm recording this special episode, the last to close out season 3, a little over a month after the US election results.Rochelle Moulton00:46 - 01:32I'm not gonna lie, It pains me to know that slightly over half of my country's voters have glommed on to a dark, dark vision for the future. It's not even remotely aligned with what I stand for, and yet this is where we are right now. But we soloists still have choices. We have agency. We do not have to accept these attitudes or work within their confines. Instead, we can choose differently. We can choose to operate in a positive, hopeful way, bringing our light to the people we most want to serve. I've been thinking about this quite a bit, even before the election, as I saw some extreme behaviors, and I feel it even more strongly now.Rochelle Moulton01:33 - 02:10It all comes down to your personal genius. How can you best use your highest talents and skills to help the people you most wanna serve? For example, my work has been focused on helping soloist consultants break through their revenue plateaus. And that's because I'm really, really good at building expertise businesses. In fact, without false modesty, I'm excellent at that. And pieces of that work are in my genius zone. I've helped create millions of dollars in value for clients as a soloist, nevermind the tens of millions I built as a partner in big firms where I led a variety of businesses.Rochelle Moulton02:11 - 03:00But in this new world, excellent isn't good enough. We each need to burrow into our personal genius, serving the people who matter most to you in...

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 the markers he used to decide when to invest more or pivot.The role of fear in his decisions and business growth (and why it’s different today).Building a community when that skillset isn’t part of your DNA—and the advantages of longevity.How using even small wins as fuel can re-wire your financial mindset (and your finances).Traveling the full circle of financial mindset growth—from scarcity to success to recklessness to abundance.LINKSEd Gandia Website | LinkedIn | TwitterRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOEd Gandia is a business-building coach who helps established freelance writers and solo marketers earn more in less time doing work they love for better clients.His High-Income Business Writing podcast has more than 1.3 million downloads. And his insights and advice have been featured in SUCCESS Magazine, Forbes, Inc. magazine, Fortune, Fast Company, The Christian Science Monitor and The Atlanta Journal Constitution.BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:22Ed Gandia: I had a rule that all my side hustle income during those 2, 2 and a half years, after taxes, I would take 10% to reward myself and do something fun with or buy something cool. And then the rest straight to savings. I have 3 indicators that would show me I was ready to make the transition. And 1 of them was have a year's worth of living expenses.00:27 - 01:10Rochelle Moulton: Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Molten. And today I'm so excited to welcome Ed Gandia to the show. Ed is a business building coach who helps establish freelance writers and solo marketers earn more in less time doing work they love for better clients. His high income business writing podcast has more than 1.3 million downloads and his insights and advice have been featured in Success Magazine, Forbes, Inc, Fortune, Fast Company, the Christian Science Monitor, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ed, welcome.01:10 - 01:16Ed Gandia: Well, thank you, Rochelle, and I'm really delighted to be here and talking with you.01:16 - 01:33Rochelle Moulton: Well, I still can't believe that we haven't met before...

Categories: Growing Revnue + Wealth, NichingLink: 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 the experiments he conducted to start lifting himself out of it.Why he built his business as a side hustle and didn’t go solo until he matched his corporate salary.The financial and emotional hit of a 50% revenue drop—and how to experiment without morphing to panic.What to do when you’re “too feral” to go back into Corporate: the experiments that failed and those that gave hope.How selling to a 640-person email list outsold the results from a 14,000 list—by over 3X (hint: the new sale was in his genius zone).Two moves to make when your revenue is tanking—and one surprising upside.LINKSChris Ferdinandi ADHD Tips | MastadonRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOChris helps people build a simpler, faster, more resilient web.Early in his career, he felt like he couldn’t get anything done. Since then, he’s discovered a bunch of systems and strategies that let him turn his ADHD into a superpower. His ADHD tips newsletter is read by hundreds of developers each weekday.He creates courses and workshops, publishes several daily newsletters, speaks at events, and has advised and written code for organizations like NASA, Apple, Harvard Business School, Chobani, and Adidas.Chris loves pirates, puppies, and Pixar movies, and lives near horse farms in rural Massachusetts.BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:20Chris Ferdinandi: I also feel very positive about my ADHD. Much in the same way on your episode, the phrase like ruthless self-acceptance or there...

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 “bridge jobs” in Year 1 to ensure cash flow—and why she’d do it again.Year 2: building a “whale” delivery model with enough whales so you’re not overly dependent on any one.Why she pivoted from a 1-1 delivery model to group and membership options (and it wasn’t because she had a large email list).The pros and cons of running multiple revenue models as you pivot vs. making a faster shift.How building interchangeable assets allows you to leverage your authority faster.LINKSJessica Lackey Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOJessica Lackey is a strategy and operations advisor who blends business strategy, practical application, and a human-centric approach to create sustainable businesses.With a background in corporate leadership, McKinsey & Company consulting, and a Harvard Business degree, Jessica knows a thing or two about hustle culture and what it feels like to judge success by the bottom line…at all costs.Now, she combines her deep experience in consulting, Fortune 500 operations leadership and coaching to help businesses grow without sacrificing the well-being of their clients, team, and community.BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:19Jessica Lackey: I had a social media team, but I actually dropped Instagram in 2023 and I stopped doing as much LinkedIn. And I really focused on those marketing platforms that took more time, but had a bigger result. So again, I write once a week, I guess teach once a month. And people are like, you do that for free? I'm like, well, yeah.00:24 - 01:05Rochelle Moulton: Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all...

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 think about your financial team (and why it’s worth investing in the right experts).How a financial surprise made me completely shift how I managed my business cash flow.Why you want to build a cash reserve for your business and a resource to get you started.LINKSRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramConsultants + Money podcast episode on cash reserves (Erica Goode)BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:43Rochelle Moulton: Think of it like a non-emergency emergency fund for your business. It's a way to smooth out the inevitable cash flow variations in our kinds of businesses. And once you fully fund a cash reserve, I can guarantee you will like the comfort and freedom that it provides. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton, and today I want to talk to you about getting your finances straight. It's late October as I'm recording this and it's the perfect time to get both strategic and tactical00:43 - 01:18Rochelle Moultob: as you pave the way for the year you want for your business and for your life. So let's start with the strategic. Okay, at this point in the year, you wanna have several things in the bag. 1, you want a reasonable idea of your current and projected financial position. That means how much revenue have you already closed and what's likely to hit before year end. Same thing with your expenses so you can get a feel for your bottom line year. It also means how much more can you tuck away in your taxed advantage solo 401k. Now01:18 - 01:59Rochelle Moultob: remember, you can make additional employer contributions above and beyond your salary deferrals. Don't have a solo 401k yet? Talk to your financial advisor or your CPA about the best options for you. Contributing consistently to your 401k is a baller move, especially for soloists since we don't have anyone funding our future life but ourselves. 2, take this understanding and

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 reaction to a pandemic-induced 80% revenue drop was “I wrote a book called Pivot—I’ve got this.”How that reaction turned to “I couldn’t fake it anymore—I couldn’t pretend anymore. I didn’t have any hope left…” when she lost a six-figure client.Channeling her angst and uncertainty into a popular (paid) substack as she semi-publicly worked through what to do next.The health scare that made her dramatically change how she was working.The glimmers of her next chapter—how they appeared and how she thoughtfully nurtures them.LINKSJenny Blake Substack | Free Time | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram  Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOJenny is an author and podcaster who runs a Delightfully Tiny media company. She is the author of three award-winning books, including Free Time (Ideapress, 2022) and Pivot (Penguin/Random House, 2016). She hosts two podcasts with over two million downloads combined: the Webby-nominated Free Time for Heart-Based Business owners, and Pivot with Jenny Blake for navigating change.On her Substack Rolling in Doh, she shares personal essays about the messier parts of running a small business.She lives in New York City with her husband and her angel-in-fur-coat German shepherd Ryder.BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:30Jenny Blake: I have no judgment about anybody working at a job, but I get sick with that kind of work schedule or the meetings and calls. It drains me of all life, all the creative juice I have. It's just not the format. I've known that about...

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 one thing you must have before pitching yourself to a single podcast.Why smaller, niche podcasts may be ideal, especially when first starting to guest.How to craft your pitch—and the 3 paragraph format to improve your chances of a YES.LINKSRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:42Rochelle Moulton: The best pitches are short, impactful, and do not make the host do any work to say yes, because the second you require them to do work, your chances of a yes drop dramatically. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Molten and today I want to talk about getting yourself booked on podcasts. Now, maybe it's because I've seen some of the most god-awful pitches in the 7 plus years I've been hosting podcasts. I so don't want you to write pitches like those. But it's00:42 - 01:23Rochelle Moulton: really because I believe in the merits of guesting on podcasts, even when, maybe especially when, you're not hosting a show of your own. Being a solid podcast guest pays all sorts of dividends in terms of introducing you to new audiences, filled with potential clients and buyers. You also get to practice delivering your point of view and honing your message, becoming a better communicator of your message in the process. Now, what do I mean by being a solid podcast guest? Well, you like to be interviewed and have a conversation. You have some compelling stories to share and01:23 - 02:04Rochelle Moulton: you have something valuable to teach. If all you're trying to do is sell your services or products and you genuinely don't like to be interviewed or share stories or teach something valuable, podcast guesting is not a good strategy for you. But if you wanna do more guesting, it helps to create a very simple system, 1 that you can partially outsource if you like to get consistent results. And think of it as 5 steps. So number 1, decide why you want to be on podcasts. Number 2, Research

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 in your business.Saving time: buying or building AI assistants for the time-intensive tasks typical with knowledge work.Creating a “librarian” to answer questions from your existing content—internally, externally (with or without monetizing).Protecting your proprietary content from being used to train large learning models (LLMs).Strategic use cases that may surprise you (and replace the thousands of dollars you might otherwise spend to uncover this data).LINKSHeidi Araya Website | LinkedInRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOHeidi Araya is a global consultant, keynote speaker, and patented inventor who has dedicated her decades-long career to driving multimillion-dollar business improvements using a people-first approach.Fueled by a desire to continuously learn and push boundaries, Heidi pivoted from leading large scale change initiatives inside organizations and has embarked on her third career, first upskilling in AI and then starting her own AI Agency. Leveraging her deep expertise in business operations, coaching, and change management, she now empowers solopreneurs, startups, and small businesses to unlock their full potential in the AI era.Heidi's passion lies in bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI technology and practical applications for small businesses. She doesn't just talk AI, she implements it. Her people-centric approach focuses on AI enablement, AI automation, and productivity coaching, allowing smaller businesses to compete with larger corporations.When she's not empowering businesses with AI, she enjoys raising butterflies, tackling home improvement projects, and staying active.BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:18Heidi Araya: I had 1 creative agency who their clients were asking for competitor insights. So it could go out and actually look for the competitors on the internet and...

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-ish Soloists.When it’s time to invest in positioning yourself appropriately and developing a sales system to consistently fill your pipeline.One simple action to ensure you’re ready to turn around a difficult revenue situation.Why it’s never too late to niche down—and how to do it without wasting months getting it right.LINKSRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:45Rochelle Moulton: If you haven't honed your messaging to focus on your ideal clients and buyers, and you haven't built a recurring system to find, nurture, and close those people, eventually you'll hit that wall. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton. And today I want to share a listener question about pulling yourself out of a slump because I've been hearing variations on this lately and it's worth addressing. So this particular question goes like this. I'm feeling stuck in my business and I just don't know what00:45 - 01:21Rochelle Moulton: to do next. In the past, I hit over $100, 000 in revenue easily. And 2 years ago, I broke $200, 000 for the first time and I was thrilled. The last year though, has been pretty miserable. I just barely hit $100, 000 in 2023 and I won't in 2024 unless something changes dramatically. Is this a sign I need to go get a job or is this fixable? Okay, so let's call this person Chris because they didn't want to identify themselves in the show. Chris and I tossed a few emails back and forth, and this is what01:21 - 01:57Rochelle Moulton: else I learned that I think is important to talk about what to do next. 1, Chris is a B2B consultant with a respectable level of expertise, about 8 years in their specialty. 2, if we were to look at Chris's website and social media, we'd see they focus more on talking about their expertise versus identifying their ideal client and the specific problems they solve. 3, Chris has been in business for almost 4 years and they need about $100, 000 in...

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 many neurodiverse people become entrepreneurs—and serial entrepreneurs.The signs you might be on the ADHD spectrum (and what to do with that if you are).How understanding the unique challenges and opportunities of how your brain works plays into the design and success of your Soloist business.Why radical self-acceptance—whether you’re neurodiverse or not—is the way to go.LINKSDiann Wingert Shiny Objects | LinkedIn | InstagramRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOAfter a twenty-year career as a psychotherapist and mental health administrator, Diann pivoted into business strategy and coaching for neurodivergent entrepreneurs. Her passion is helping those who think differently build a profitable, sought-after business based on their unique brilliance.Diann has extensive experience working with neurodivergent individuals, especially those who are gifted, ADHD, or both. On the personal side, Diann loves dark fiction, strong coffee, and laughing out loud. She is also a Peloton enthusiast, practicing Buddhist, and host of the newly re-branded ADHD-ish podcast.BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:25Diann Wingert: Understanding, oh, there is a name for my difference. I am actually neurodivergent. I've always known I was different. And trust me, if you're listening to my voice and you are neurodivergent, You've always known it. We know we're different, but if we don't know why, what most people do is go to shame.00:30 - 00:45Rochelle Moulton: MUSIC Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton and today I'm so happy to welcome my new pal, the incomparable Diann  Wingert.00:45 -...

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 do).How creating a routine—a schedule—can keep the fear harnessed.Enlisting a partner(s)-in-crime to push you forward or back you up.Scoping out the “competition” to remind yourself of how you’re different—and why you need to publish.Using archetypes to rise above traditional thinking and claim a unique niche in your marketplace.LINKSRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:39Rochelle Moulton: Walking into a gym full of more or less fit people when you're struggling with your weight and fitness requires a certain kind of courage. The wrong coach, and I've witnessed a few of them, could easily make you turn around and never come back. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton. And today, I want to tell you a quick story and then talk about why your voice needs to be out there and we can talk a little bit about the how. So I00:39 - 01:14Rochelle Moulton: go to a gym where you have the option of buying sessions with 1 of their staff personal trainers. Now I've been a member there for about 5 years, so I've seen trainers come and go. And with few exceptions, they're usually in their 20s or early 30s, incredibly fit with the patience to work with whoever walks through the door. Sometimes, when I have nothing better to do, I eavesdrop on their conversations with clients to hear how they encourage or explain or just shoot the breeze. And it's kind of fun, you know, professionally really to see their techniques01:15 - 01:52Rochelle Moulton: and personality and action with all different kinds of people. But every once in a while, an outlier shows up. And I've been watching this 1 guy who's been around maybe a year. He doesn't look like any of the usual characters. He appears maybe 30 to 40 pounds overweight, and he wears their uniform in a baggy style, not like any of the other gym gods. And he seems like a nice enough guy, and he has 1 of the most infectious laughs I've ever heard. But I...

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 challenges to building a business while single-parenting after a divorce (and the most freeing thing she let go of).Why she decided to move countries with her business—and how long she let the idea simmer first.How she identified and evaluated target locations including the resources she tapped to explore the expat experience in advance.The dividends from intensely focusing on that critical first year of transition.LINKSCasey Kelly-Barton Website | LinkedInRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOCasey Kelly-Barton provides content marketing and brand development for B2B companies in cybersecurity, fintech, and fraud prevention.When she started her business, she was a newly single parent looking for ways to make the most of her writing and strategy skills.Now, her business is well established with a roster of clients she enjoys working with, her kids are grown and she works from Portugal, where she moved in late 2023.BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:28Casey Kelly-Barton: So I started researching and I was very methodical. I made a list of countries that met my criteria for like weather, time zones, languages, blah, blah, blah. And so I was looking at Latin America and Central America pretty carefully because I speak Spanish. My parents are still in Texas. It would be time zone friendly for my American clients. And then both my kids ended up in the EU.00:32 - 01:11Rochelle Moulton: Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton and today I'm joined by Soloist and new expat, Casey Kelly Barton. She provides content marketing and brand development for B2B companies in cybersecurity, fintech, and fraud prevention. When she started her business, she was a newly single parent looking for ways to make the most of her...

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 experiment with pricing).A tiny niching down test that can pay big dividends.Why experimenting with tactics can sometimes uncover a profitable new direction.When to consider offering group options including paid communities.LINKSRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT

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 numbers for his four revenue streams).How his pandemic pivot from in-person gatherings became a new lead generation source—and removed travel from his client engagements.Why his conferences and events include multiple opportunities for attendees to engage with each other; he shares a few ideas you can borrow.His philosophy on outside speakers: how he chooses, pays and manages them.The one thing you must do if you want to make sure your conference doesn’t lose money.LINKSDavid C. Baker MYOB Conference | LinkedIn | TwitterRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIODavid C. Baker is an author, speaker, and advisor to entrepreneurial creatives worldwide. He has written 6 books, advised 1,000+ firms, and keynoted conferences in 30+ countries.His work has been discussed in the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, USA Today, BusinessWeek, CBS News, Newsweek, AdWeek, and Inc. Magazine. He lives in Nashville, TN.His two most recent books can be found here and here. His work has also been featured in the NY Times, where he was recently referred to as “the expert’s expert”. He co-hosts the most listened to podcast in the creative services field (2Bobs).BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:17David C. Baker: You know, here's the easiest way to lose money with an event. When I learned this, my whole world changed about events. Do not sign up for room blocks because you're having to guarantee them. And then you have this pressure to sell and then you cheapen your brand by starting to beg people to come to these things and so on.00:24 -...

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 start thinking about value vs. time, especially when you hit the maximum number of hours you are able—or want—to work.What options to consider to ratchet up your revenue past the low 6 figures—and how to think about the audience or transformations you’ll need to deliver to get there.Why being a “ruthless” minimalist can keep your business easy to run and avoid time sucks.Exploring—and testing—ways to use AI right now in your expertise business.LINKSJonathan Stark Website | LinkedInRochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramBIOJonathan Stark is a former software developer who is on a mission to rid the world of hourly billing. He is the author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts, the host of Ditching Hourly, and writes a daily newsletter on pricing for independent professionals.BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLERESOURCES FOR SOLOISTSJoin the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.The Soloist Women community: a place to connect with like-minded women (and join a channel dedicated to your revenue level).The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.TRANSCRIPT00:00 - 00:29Jonathan Stark: As you're growing your audience and you've got just more people aware of what you're doing, you can deliver smaller bits of value at a lower price, but a way lower cost. If you've got enough of an audience, then that completely support you. The classic example is like if you have a bestselling book. So if somebody goes to Amazon, they buy the book, they read the book, you're not involved. The author doesn't even know about you. And if you sell enough of them, if the audience is big enough, you can live like a king off of that.00:29 - 00:37Jonathan Stark: It's a great example of the kind of thing where you're delivering a little bit of value for 20 bucks to 10 million people and it's like, oh, that's pretty cool00:42 - 00:55Rochelle Moulton: Hello hello Welcome to this soloist...