Paul Higgins Podcast

Why you should listenKelly Fifield shares her practical approach to using AI for productivity without getting lost in complicated automations that waste weeks of your time.Discover the critical difference between using AI as a task-focused executive assistant versus a strategic business coach—and why you need both to avoid getting trapped in research while missing revenue goals.Learn why starting simple with AI beats jumping straight to complex automations, and get Kelly's framework for deciding what to automate first.Are you drowning in AI tools and automation tutorials that promise everything but deliver confusion? I sit down with Kelly Fifield, a certified life coach who helps coaches incorporate AI and productivity systems into their businesses. We cut through the hype to discuss what actually works: using AI as your executive assistant and strategic coach, creating content from coaching calls, and why you should avoid the automation rabbit hole until you've solved problems the simple way first. Kelly reveals her honest take on ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini, how to use Notebook LM for processing large content libraries, and the one emotion causing most of your procrastination. If you're tired of wasting time on AI tools that don't deliver, this conversation will help you focus on what matters.About Kelly FifieldKelly Fifield is an AI systems strategist, productivity specialist, and certified life coach whose frameworks deliver organized focus and AI-amplified results. She works on Rick Mulready’s AI Playbook team, where she’s fielded thousands of entrepreneur questions about AI and turned that frontline experience into practical, repeatable workflows and systems.A former math teacher, Kelly balanced three jobs while transitioning into AI and operations, pressure-testing the systems she now teaches. On her podcast, she shares plain-English strategies for dramatic productivity gains. With AI in the mix, clients routinely achieve output that once took a team. They say sessions with Kelly are the best part of their week - clear next steps, real momentum, and a coach who’s warm, direct, and genuinely fun to work with.Resources and LinksProductivitygeniuscoaching.comKelly on Instagram: @productivitygeniuscoachEmail Kelly at: kelly@productivitygeniuscoaching.comListen to Productivity Genius Podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Productivity Genius Podcast on SpotifyRick Mulready's AI Playbook CommunityGranola.aiNotebook LMChatGPTClaudeGeminiGoogle...

Why you should listenMark Emond shares his strategic pivot from traditional marketing automation to AI transformation services, offering a proven roadmap for consultants looking to evolve their positioning before the market forces them to.Discover how to identify and attract visionary clients who are ready to invest strategically rather than just experiment—learn the signals that separate early adopters from those who'll waste your time with endless pilot projects.Get practical insights on building an internal AI Innovation Lab that drives both client value and operational efficiency, including how to structure experimentation without killing momentum or burning budget.I'm watching too many consultants get paralyzed by AI—either ignoring it completely or drowning in tool experimentation without a strategy. Mark Emond made a bold pivot, repositioning his B2B marketing consultancy to lead AI transformation for enterprise CMOs. In this conversation, we dig into how he identified the shift before his clients demanded it, how he's separating visionary buyers from tire-kickers, and what he's learning by building an internal AI Innovation Lab where his team plays with everything from ChatGPT to Make and Clay. If you're sitting on technical expertise but wondering how to package it for the AI era without becoming a commodity, this episode shows you exactly how one founder is skating to where the puck is going.About Mark EmondDemand Spring’s founder, Mark has a tremendous passion for helping marketing leaders transform their Revenue Marketing practices with AI, enabling them to become strategic leaders within their organizations. A Forbes Council member and contributor to MarketingProfs, Mark brings thought leadership to the marketing community, sharing insights on cutting-edge strategies, industry trends, and AI-driven marketing transformation. Prior to founding Demand Spring, spent 17 years in marketing leadership roles at IBM, Cognos, Watchfire, and Corel. Mark happily resides in Ottawa, the coldest capital city in the world, with his wife and teenage daughter. He combines his passion for athletics and developing young people as the coach of one of the top competitive girls basketball teams in Ontario. Resources and LinksDemandspring.comMark's LinkedIn profileBrandlightMakeClayn8nReplitWispr FlowTiga AIPrevious episode: 647 - The Cost of Figuring It Out AloneCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newslettera...

Ever feel like you're burning through tactics (LinkedIn, conferences, outbound) with nothing sticking while your spouse picks up the financial slack? You're smart enough to execute anything, but you're making million-dollar decisions about equity, offshore teams, and pipeline strategy completely alone. Your peer group can't help because they're still solopreneurs. Your casual mentors give generic advice. And you'd pay someone a fortune just to tell you what you did wrong in the last 12 months. Two consultants I spoke with, both mid-to-high six figures and both technically brilliant, were living this exact reality. One's a Salesforce partner wrestling with niche versus product focus. The other's an Airtable partner navigating equity deals with a peer group that's outgrown. In this episode, I break down why strategic isolation kills growth and reveal the three things you can't get from your current support system: pattern recognition across multiple businesses, permission to challenge your assumptions, and execution frameworks that compress time.Resources and LinksWatch the video hereApply for Mentoring herePrevious episode: 646 - Why This Consultant Targets Job Postings Instead of Cold Outreach (And Gets Better Results) with Andy CulliganCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenDiscover why targeting companies posting job ads on LinkedIn crushes cold outreach, and how Andy positions himself to connect directly with decision-makers actively looking for his expertise (no complex funnels required).Learn how podcasting opens doors. Andy shares how it  gets him in front of impossible-to-reach prospects, plus the truth about why most consultants quit after two episodes.Get Andy's exact visibility playbook including how to leverage awards and PR for massive LinkedIn engagement, why offline networking is making a comeback, and the AI-powered intent data strategy that identifies which accounts are actively searching for solutions like yours right now.Most consultants hit the same wall. Their personal network dries up. Cold outreach feels like screaming into the void. Every marketing guru pushes complex funnels and expensive ad campaigns that don't work for high-ticket consulting.In this episode, Andy Culligan breaks down how he built his fractional CMO practice serving $10M-$50M SaaS companies without cold outreach at scale or massive marketing budgets.We explore why SaaS companies get stuck at key revenue milestones and what changes in their go-to-market approach. Andy shares his team's MarTech stack and how they've automated client operations using AI agents that analyze contracts and recommend pricing to prevent churn.If you're selling high-ticket services and tired of tactics that don't work for consultants, this delivers the blueprint.About Andy CulliganAndy is a fractional CMO, and CEO / Co-Founder at purple path, a GTM partner for B2B SaaS companies.Andy describes himself as a sales person stuck in a marketer's body, and excels in aligning marketing and sales teams to drive revenue growth.With over a decade of experience in SaaS martech, Andy has built and lead teams to success, making him the go-to CMO resource at a fraction of the cost.Resources and LinksPurplepath.ioAndy’s LinkedIn profilegrowth path PodcastApollo.ioClayBomboraLeadfeederRiversidePrevious episode: 645 - How to Build AI Automations That Actually Make You Money with  Jason AlbertiCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenJason Alberti reveals his complete end-to-end automation system built on N8N that transforms website leads into qualified prospects with research reports, generates customized proposals from call transcripts, and eliminates the hours you're wasting on repetitive client work.Discover why strategically keeping humans in the loop at specific checkpoints prevents AI disasters and builds trust with clients who can tell when everything is automated versus thoughtfully assisted by technology.Learn why focusing on one core principle (automation) beats being a jack-of-all-trades, and how Jason wrote an entire book in 8 weeks using the same AI frameworks he teaches clients.You're spending hours researching prospects before calls, writing custom proposals from scratch, and drowning in follow-up tasks that could be automated. Meanwhile, your competitors are closing deals faster because they've systemized what you're still doing manually. In this episode, I sit down with Jason Alberti, an AI automation consultant who helps conscious entrepreneurs escape tech overwhelm. We dive into his exact workflow for automating lead qualification, pre-call research, and proposal generation using tools like N8N, Perplexity, and ChatGPT. Jason also shares his journey from jack-of-all-trades to automation specialist, why referrals remain his best go-to-market strategy, and how he wrote a complete book in 8 weeks using AI. If you're tired of being buried in repetitive tasks instead of serving clients, this episode will show you the practical path forward.About Jason AlbertiJason Alberti is a seasoned entrepreneur, AI expert, and digital strategist with over 20 years of experience in marketing, systems design, and business optimization. He’s the creator of Freedom From Chaos, a groundbreaking framework that helps conscious entrepreneurs streamline their lives and businesses using the power of AI. Jason is passionate about making advanced technology accessible, practical, and deeply human. His work bridges the gap between automation and authenticity, empowering business owners to reclaim their time, amplify their impact, and live with intention.Resources and LinksJason's LinkedIn profileJason on FacebookFreedomfromchaosbook.comGet Your Free Personal Identity & Brand Identity TemplatesN8NChatGPTClaudePerplexityApifySunoTl;dvFirefliesFathom.video636 - The Systematic Approach to Building Bigger AI Consulting Deals with Taireez...

You're spending thousands on outreach agencies, cold email tools, and marketing tactics—but your revenue is stuck. You keep trying new strategies, but nothing seems to move the needle.Here's the hard truth: the problem isn't your tactics. It's your business model. And you can't see it because you're inside the jar.In this episode, I share two real client examples who transformed their revenue—not by running faster, but by fixing their fundamental business model. One went from confused positioning across three platforms to one clear niche. The other went from $10K deals to $200K deals—same person, different model.Most consultants are selling too many things to too many people, doing deals too small for the complexity, and competing on price instead of value. No marketing tactic fixes a broken business model.Resources and LinksApply for Mentoring herePrevious episode: 643 - From Tech Chaos to White-Label Software in 90 Days with Robin AlexCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenRobin Alex shares the exact problem that led to creating GoHighLevel—and how solving your own biggest pain point can become an 8-figure business opportunityLearn why the most successful agencies focus on outcomes instead of showcasing their impressive tech stacks, and how to reposition your business accordinglyDiscover the emerging opportunities in AI, WhatsApp, and desk phone integration that are driving unexpected growth for consulting partners right nowI've watched too many consultants drown in their own tech stacks.They build these impressive automation workflows, connecting 15 different tools through Zapier, and then wonder why clients aren't lining up to work with them. The tech is brilliant. The business results? Not so much.In this episode, Robin Alex and I tackle the fundamental question facing every consultant right now: where do you actually sit when SaaS, AI, and no-code platforms are all converging at once?We explore the practical reality of white-labeling your IP (spoiler: it's an 80/20 split between turnkey solutions and custom work, not the 100% out-of-the-box dream you're imagining). Robin shares why natural language prompts are about to eliminate the multi-click workflows we've all gotten used to, and how to think about AI integration without getting paralyzed by the endless options.The biggest insight? Stop building tech museums. Your clients don't want to tour your impressive automation setup. They want their problem solved fast, and they want to know you can do it again for the next problem.If you're sensing the consulting model is shifting but can't quite see where to place your bet, this conversation will give you the clarity you need.About Robin AlexRobin Alex's journey from IT analyst to SaaS entrepreneur spans over two decades in technology. Starting as a system administrator and technical services director, Robin founded his first company, AbsoluteGaming.net, in 2003, followed by Innovate Fast in 2015. His hands-on experience managing technical operations and running multiple ventures gave him unique insights into the challenges agencies face when trying to scale.In 2018, Robin co-founded HighLevel after recognizing that agencies were trapped trading time for money with fragmented tech stacks. Drawing from his technical background and entrepreneurial experience, he built a solution that allows consultants to become SaaS company owners—helping thousands break through the 6-figure ceiling without the complexities of software development.Resources and LinksRobin’s LinkedIn profilePaulhigginsmentoring.com/ghlTypingmindAcquired PodcastThe Twenty Minute VCPrevious episode: 642 - Stop Being a Platform Expert - Why Business Growth Advisors Win in the AI Era with Sarah McDevittCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringa...

Why you should listenSarah McDevitt shares insider insights from HubSpot's Partner Experience team, revealing what separates successful partners from those stuck in license-selling modeLearn why data quality is the hidden bottleneck preventing partners from delivering on AI promises—and how to fix it before it destroys client trustDiscover HubSpot's innovative use of AI tools to democratize partner feedback and accelerate decision-making across their ecosystemYou're stuck selling licenses when you should be solving business problems—but every time you pitch "transformation," clients just want to know the price per user.In this episode, I sit down with Sarah McDevitt, who leads the Partner Experience team at HubSpot, and we cut through the AI hype to talk about what actually matters. Sarah spent 16 years in agency land before joining the "dark side" (her words) at HubSpot seven years ago, so she knows both sides of the partner equation intimately.We explore why the best partners stop being platform experts and start being business growth experts. Sarah reveals how HubSpot uses AI internally to democratize partner feedback, the real reason behind their partner program changes, and why selling AI without fixing data structure first will be your downfall.If you're a consultant partnering with any SaaS platform—or considering it—this conversation will change how you think about your role. Stop reading the toaster manual to clients. Start asking better questions about their actual business problems.About Sarah McDevittSarah Stone McDevitt is a Radio broadcasting graduate who spent the early part of her career in local radio before moving into agency life. She spent 16 years working across creative, media, content and web development agencies before joining HubSpot almost 7 years ago. She initially joined to manage the CC team in EMEA, and shortly after that, she added the EMEA Onboarding team and Pro Services teams to her management portfolio. In 2020 at the height of the pandemic, she took over the Pro Services NAM and EMEA businesses. Today, Sarah leads HubSpot's Partner Experience team, where she focuses on creating exceptional experiences for HubSpot's global partner ecosystem. In this role, she has emerged as a thought leader in the field of Relational Intelligence (RI), pioneering approaches that demonstrate how human relationship-building and emotional intelligence work alongside artificial intelligence to drive business success. Sarah advocates for the irreplaceable value of authentic human connections in an increasingly AI-driven world, showing how RI and AI complement each other to create more meaningful customer and partner relationships.In her personal life, Sarah is married with four children and lives in Dublin, Ireland. She proudly served 13 years in the reserve army in Ireland as a corporal in a communications unit. She is the founder and chairperson of a charity called Help Us Give Smiles which has seen her travel to Kenya for almost 20 years working with vulnerable children and communities. And finally, she is an LGBTQ+ activist focused in particular on the rights of LGBTQ+ parents.Resources and LinksHubspot.comSarah's LinkedIn profileWatch “Why the Future of Work is More Human Than You Think“SpeechifyNotebook LMPrevious episode: a...

If you're drowning in delivery work, putting in 80-hour weeks, and feeling like your business controls you instead of giving you freedom, this episode is for you. I'm sharing the story of one of my clients who was completely maxed out—working across multiple SaaS partner relationships, positioned as an hourly contractor, and so exhausted he looked like he'd fall asleep on our calls. Sound familiar?Here's what most technical consultants don't realize: you're solving the wrong problems. You love complex technical challenges, but you're getting trapped in solving every problem instead of asking if these are the right problems to solve—and if you're getting rewarded properly for solving them. In this episode, I walk you through the exact transformation we achieved using my three Multiplier Method, taking him from 80-hour weeks to landing deals worth one-third of his annual revenue in a single month. If you're ready to break free from being the bottleneck in your own business, this is how it's done.Resources and LinksApply for Mentoring herePrevious episode: 640 - How to Stop Being Invisible to Microsoft's 30,000-Person Sales Force with Rob FeganCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenRob Fegan shares the exact 4-phase framework he used to transform his Microsoft partner business from zero to millions in annual revenue—and how SMB partners can replicate this success even as "small fish" in a 30,000-person sales ecosystem.Learn how to leverage Microsoft's Commerce Incentives Fund to access thousands in funded engagements per customer, essentially getting Microsoft to pay you to deploy their solutions while you focus on high-margin services.Discover why connecting with AI specialists (not just AEs) is the key to unlocking Microsoft's FY26 priorities, and how to position your messaging so Microsoft's field teams become your biggest sales asset instead of just another vendor relationship.You're running a solid Microsoft partner business, delivering real results for clients, but you feel completely invisible to Microsoft's massive sales organization. You watch bigger partners effortlessly access pipeline opportunities, co-sell motions, and vendor support while you're stuck fighting for scraps. You know the opportunity is there—Microsoft has 30,000 salespeople who could be feeding you qualified leads—but you have no idea how to cut through the noise when you're just a 1-10 person shop.In this episode, I sit down with Rob Fegan from RYZE Partners who spent 15 years building and scaling Microsoft partner businesses before a successful exit. Rob breaks down his proven 4-phase framework that turns Microsoft's field teams into your biggest sales asset, even as a small partner. We dive into the four critical areas most partners get wrong, why SMB partners are suddenly Microsoft's top priority after years of enterprise focus, and the specific funded programs that can inject thousands of dollars per engagement into your business. If you're tired of being stuck, overlooked, and sidelined while bigger partners dominate the conversation, this episode gives you the exact playbook to change that.About Rob FeganRob Fegan is the founder of Venvito and co-founder of RYZE Partners, where he helps Microsoft SMB partners go from invisible to in-demand. After 15+ years in the Microsoft ecosystem, Rob built his own Microsoft practice from zero to millions in annual revenue before a successful exit. Now he's on a mission to help 10,000 Microsoft partners escape what he calls "SOS Mode" - being Stuck, Overlooked, and Sidelined - through his proven frameworks for demystifying selling WITH Microsoft. Rob's approach has helped partners transform from vendor status to becoming Microsoft's go-to referral sources, turning field teams into their biggest sales asset.Resources and LinksRyze-partners.comVenvito.netRob's LinkedIn profilePrevious episode: 639 - How to Stop ChatGPT from Lying to You (AI PhD Reveals the Fix) with Garima AgrawalCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested...

Why you should listenGarima Agrawal bridges the gap between PhD-level AI research and practical consulting applications—she understands both the Formula One engine and how to help you drive the car better.Learn the layered prompting technique that eliminates most hallucinations and turns ChatGPT into a thinking partner rather than a content generator you can't trust.Discover which LLM to use for specific tasks—ChatGPT for analysis, Claude for coding, Gemini for technical research, and Perplexity for citations—so you stop wasting time with the wrong tool.You're using ChatGPT every day, but deep down you don't fully trust it. You've been burned by hallucinations. You watch it confidently give you wrong information, and you're left wondering which parts are reliable and which parts are fiction. You know AI should be making you more productive, but instead you're second-guessing every output and spending more time fact-checking than creating. Meanwhile, you see other consultants talking about Claude, Gemini, Perplexity—and you're not sure if you should be using those instead or if ChatGPT is fine. You're stuck in this loop of knowing AI is powerful but not knowing how to harness it properly. This week, I sat down with Garima Agrawal, who brings a rare combination: PhD-level AI research expertise and real-world consulting experience running her own firm. She breaks down the exact framework that eliminates most hallucinations, reveals which LLM actually performs best for specific consulting tasks, and shares the prompting mistakes that sabotage your results before you even start. If you're ready to stop fighting with AI and start using it as the leverage tool it should be, this conversation gives you the practical roadmap you need.About Garima AgrawalGarima Agrawal is the founder of HumaConn LLC, a consulting firm focused on empowering businesses and investors with tailored AI solutions. At HumaConn, she specializes in designing strategies for effective AI integration—helping clients enhance efficiency, streamline operations, and identify high-potential AI-driven opportunities that bridge innovation with real-world impact.She also serves as Head of AI Models and Services at Minerva CQ, where she leads the development and deployment of real-time, goal-oriented AI systems that power agentic, human-in-the-loop assistance in customer contact centers—boosting engagement and operational performance.Garima holds a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from Arizona State University, where her research focused on making AI knowledge-aware—enabling large language models to reason reliably in specialized domains. Her core expertise includes reducing hallucinations, optimizing retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and building cost-effective, trustworthy AI pipelines.With over a decade of experience spanning software engineering, data science, and AI leadership, Garima bridges the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world application—helping organizations build AI that delivers meaningful, measurable results.Resources and LinksHumaconn.comGarima's LinkedIn profileGarima’s Google Scholar profileChatGPTClaudeGemini

Ever freeze up when a perfect prospect asks, "What makes you different from the other consultants we're considering?" You know you deliver incredible results, but when it comes to explaining your approach, you sound just like everyone else. I struggled with this exact problem until I discovered the game-changer: mapping your scattered expertise into a clear proprietary methodology. In this episode, I share exactly how one client went from competing on price to commanding premium rates by packaging his hidden IP into a systematic approach that differentiated him completely.Resources and LinksPaulhigginsmentoring.comBook a call herePrevious episode: 637 - The Full-Cycle Advantage: Refusing to Be Just Another Zoho Consultant with George EastonCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resourcesBONUS: Email me at paul@paulhigginsmentoring.com to get the IP Mapping and Methodology Multiplier Playbook. (subject: IP mapping)

Why you should listenGeorge Easton shares his journey from executive recruiter to building North America's largest Zoho partner by headcount (60 team members), offering invaluable lessons for scaling service-based businesses.Learn his "full-cycle business management consultancy" model that serves manufacturing, legal, healthcare, and home services - and why being the "chocolate wheel" beats being a specialist.Discover how to transition from subcontractor-heavy operations to employee-focused teams, and why George wishes he'd made this switch earlier for better consistency and work quality.You're trapped between two impossible choices: stay laser-focused on one niche and miss opportunities, or spread yourself thin trying to serve everyone. You watch competitors win deals because they can handle the client's entire tech ecosystem while you're stuck explaining why they need multiple vendors. In this episode, I talk with George Easton from Ion8, who solved this dilemma by creating a "full-cycle business management consultancy" model. We discuss how he built North America's largest Zoho partner team, his middleware-first approach to connecting systems, and why he pivoted from subcontractors to employees for better client outcomes. Join us to learn how to build a scalable consultancy that serves clients across their entire technology ecosystem without becoming a jack-of-all-trades.About George EastonGeorge Easton is the CEO and Founder of ion8.net, North America's largest Zoho partner with nearly 60 staff operating virtually across seven countries. He's transformed what began as a marketing firm into a global "full-cycle business management consultancy" that serves as a comprehensive external operations partner for SMEs with 500 or fewer employees. George identified a critical market gap: businesses prefer one accountable partner over multiple specialized vendors.His entrepreneurial journey spans over two decades, from achieving top performer status at IBM Canada (exceeding quota by 100%+) to pioneering sports analytics at SportRFID with patented technology deployed across North American and European ski resorts. George is the product visionary behind ion8's proprietary middleware portfolio, including AI-powered call management and CRM integration tools. With credentials from Stanford University's Venture Lab, he's built his reputation on a proven methodology: implement scalable systems first, then apply targeted growth strategies to transform vendor relationships into strategic partnerships.Resources and Linksion8.netGeorge’s LinkedIn profileN8nManusPrevious episode: 636 - The Systematic Approach to Building Bigger AI Consulting Deals with Taireez NiswanderCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenTaireez reveals how AI consultants can identify specific automation opportunities worth significant annual savings for any client role, transforming vague "AI implementation" conversations into concrete ROI discussions.Learn the systematic approach to expand your share of client value beyond single platform implementations, positioning yourself as a strategic advisor rather than a technical order-taker.Discover a practical tool that helps consultants confidently sell AI automation by providing hard evidence of savings and implementation roadmaps for any job description.As a SaaS or AI consultant, I know you've been in client meetings where you see massive automation opportunities but struggle to articulate the specific value and ROI. In this episode, I talk with Taireez Niswander, Chief AI Officer and creator of the Automation Goldmine platform, who has solved this exact problem. We dive into how you can identify automation opportunities worth tens of thousands in annual savings for any role, transform your positioning from technical implementer to strategic advisor, and systematically expand your client relationships beyond one-off platform implementations. Join us to discover the tool that's helping consultants prove AI value before the sale.About Taireez NiswanderTaireez Niswander is the creator of Automation Goldmine and PerfectFit apps. She is a Chief AI Officer and one of the first 100 people globally to earn the International Chief AI Officer Certification. With over four years of hands-on AI experience and two decades of operations expertise, she has demonstrated remarkable business impact—including scaling business operations by 233% and serving as Vice Chair of CHIFOO's Board of Directors.After being laid off in February 2024, she became a Chief AI Officer by September—proving the power of practical AI implementation.Her work focuses on helping businesses identify and automate high-impact operational processes. Through her Automation Goldmine framework, she’s developed a systematic approach to spotting automation opportunities that deliver measurable ROI. Her solutions help consultants and business leaders transform manual workflows into automated systems without the typical tech complexity.Resources and LinksAutomationgoldmine.comTaireez’s LinkedIn profile589 – AI 1st business with John MunsellSonger.co Previous episode: 635 - Why Your Sales Problem Isn't Actually a Sales ProblemCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resourcesBONUS:Walk into any meeting, paste a job description and salary, and immediately demonstrate $50K+ in hidden value per role. Start with low-hanging fruit to build trust, then...

You're working 60+ hours a week, racking up business debt from marketing that isn't working, and you haven't even put yourself on payroll. Every time you try to scale, you hit the same ceiling—more clients means more personal delivery time, which means less time for marketing, which means your pipeline dries up. In this episode, I walk you through a real case study of Jay, a Zoho consultant who thought he had a sales problem but was actually trapped in what I call a "capacity spiral." I'll show you the exact diagnostic process that revealed his true bottleneck and how we restructured his business to increase revenue while working with clients he actually enjoys. You'll learn why you can't hustle your way past structural constraints and discover the three-step framework that transforms overwhelmed consultants into profitable business owners.Resources and LinksPaulhigginsmentoring.comPrevious episode: 634 - Stop Being the Bottleneck and Build Leaders Instead with Rachel PlowmanCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenRachel Plowman shares her authentic 9-month journey transitioning from project manager to COO at radianHub, offering real-world insights for anyone considering or navigating a leadership promotion in their consulting business.Learn practical strategies for managing P&L responsibility, project profitability analysis, and time tracking systems that actually work without crushing team morale.Discover how to successfully delegate while maintaining quality standards, plus proven approaches for client relationship transitions during organizational changes.You might be wondering how to develop leadership within your team or whether your current team members can handle bigger responsibilities. In this episode, I talk with Rachel Plowman, COO of radianHub, who shares her transition from project manager to COO over 9 months. We dive into the real challenges of taking on P&L responsibility, managing project profitability, and building systems that support growth. Rachel provides concrete examples of how they improved margins, implemented effective time tracking, and navigated client relationship transitions during her promotion.About Rachel PlowmanRachel has been in information technology for much of her career, with 5 SFDC certifications. After beginning her career in financial services, she quickly transitioned into product ownership and project management with an emphasis on business analysis and software consulting. She has been in the Salesforce ecosystem as a consultative project manager and business analyst, while raising her family and enjoying life beyond software development.Resources and LinksRadianhub.comRachel's LinkedIn profile531 – Gearing Up for a Sale with Russell BadgettRight Click PromptPrevious episode: 633 - From 10% to 50% LinkedIn Acceptance Rates with Oleg SobolevCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenOleg Sobolev reveals his proven warmup formula that increased LinkedIn connection acceptance rates from 10% to 50% in a controlled test of 1000 prospects, with 15-20% of warmed prospects reaching out first via DM.Learn how to build a systematic approach to social selling that scales for your team without relying on generic "just be genuine" advice—turning it from art into science.Discover the strategic differences between commenting on mega-influencers versus niche creators and why targeting smaller accounts with 20-50 comments delivers exponentially better pipeline results.Are you tired of sending perfectly crafted LinkedIn messages that get completely ignored? As a consultant, you're likely experiencing the same frustration—low acceptance rates while decision makers are overwhelmed by generic outreach attempts. In this episode, I talk with Oleg Sobolev from Extrovert about a different approach entirely. Instead of working harder on your messaging, we explore how strategic social engagement before any outreach can transform your results. Oleg walks through his systematic method for building genuine visibility and trust, turning social media from a time sink into a predictable revenue engine for consultants who want to stop chasing prospects and start attracting them.About Oleg SobolevOleg Sobolev is a former strategy consultant turned SaaS founder, best known for rethinking how B2B sales teams build relationships. After years advising companies on growth, he saw firsthand how traditional outreach—cold emails, mass DMs—was burning trust instead of building it. That insight led him to create Extrovert, a platform that helps reps drive pipeline by showing up consistently and authentically on LinkedIn. Oleg’s mission is simple: make relationship-driven selling easier to do—and harder to ignore.Resources and LinksGoextrovert.comOleg's LinkedIn profileGet Extrovert at 50% off the first month!Previous episode: 632 - From Podcast Listener to Client: The Journey That Changed EverythingCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resource

Have you been consuming business content for months, picking up tips here and there, but still feeling like there's something crucial you're missing to break through to the next level? In this episode, I share the story of Jay, who went from being a podcast listener just like you to becoming a client, and what made all the difference in that pivotal conversation. I walk through the exact moment when someone transitions from curious listener to ready-to-transform client, using my Framework to diagnose where the biggest opportunities are hiding in your consulting business.Resources and LinksWatch the FREE TrainingTake the assessment629 - Why I Still Have a Coach - Lessons from the InsidePrevious episode: 631 - From Scattered Docs to AI-Powered Knowledge with Aaron EdwardsCheck out more episodes of The Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenAaron Edwards reveals how to create custom AI agents for customer support that achieve 60-70% resolution rates out of the box, dramatically reducing support team workload and costs.Learn how DocsBot provides a flexible, cost-effective alternative to expensive enterprise solutions like Salesforce's AgentForce.Discover innovative lead generation strategies using intent-based SEO and free AI tools that can capture high-quality leads in today's challenging SEO landscape.Are you tired of watching your support team drown in tickets while your knowledge gets scattered across different systems and people's heads? I keep hearing the same frustration - enterprise AI solutions promise everything but cost more than most SMBs can justify. In this episode, I talk with Aaron Edwards, founder of DocsBot, who shares exactly how to create powerful custom AI agents for both customer support and internal knowledge access at a fraction of the cost. We dive into real-world use cases, discuss why flexibility matters more than fancy features, and explore marketing strategies that actually work in today's crowded AI landscape. This conversation will show you how to make AI work for your business without the enterprise price tag.About Aaron EdwardsAaron Edwards is Building & growing DocsBot and Imajinn.ai to $1m ARR. He is also the Co-founder Infinite Uploads (acquired). Previously CTO of WPMU DEV. Sharing his soloprenuer journey building and marketing an AI SaaS.Resources and LinksDocsbot.aiUglyrobot.devAaron's LinkedIn profileAaron on X: @UglyRobotDevGet DocsBot FREE for 1 month hereReplicateN8nLovablePrevious episode: 630 - The Death of Hourly Consulting: From Time-Selling to Value-Selling in the AI Age with Isar MeitisCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resource

Why you should listenIsar Meitis reveals why small businesses are actually falling behind enterprises in AI adoption—despite predictions they'd run circles around big companies.Learn the critical difference between tactical AI (saving 2 hours on marketing) and strategic AI (transforming your entire business model) and why leadership buy-in determines everything.Discover how the MCP protocol is creating "USB-like" connections between AI and your existing tech stack, eliminating the need for massive development teams and opening game-changing possibilities for consultants.As consultants struggle to stay ahead of the AI revolution while clients realize that 37-hour project now takes 37 minutes, many are feeling the pressure of hourly billing becoming obsolete. In this episode, I talk with Isar Meitis from multiplai.ai, who provides a reality check on what's actually happening in the AI consulting space. We discuss why small businesses are falling behind despite their supposed agility, the shift from cost-saving to revenue-generating AI strategy, and how new protocols are making enterprise-level AI integration accessible to any consultant. This conversation cuts through the hype to show you exactly where the consulting industry is headed and how to position yourself to thrive, not just survive.About Isar MeitisIsar Meitis is a 4 time CEO with a passion for teaching and mentoring, who drinks and eats AI tech. Isar has always been a mentor by heart, from his early days as an F16 pilot and a flight instructor at the Air Force Academy, all the way to his current days where he mentors CEOs, and other business leaders.As an experienced CEO, investor, and board member, Isar has a holistic approach to business. He helps businesses implement AI  using a strategic approach. Isar aims to empower businesses and individuals to maximize their potential through AI-infused strategies, systems, and processes, and produce a positive business impact.Isar has built and implemented technology, systems, processes, and teams in a wide variety of organizations, from small tech startups all the way to multi-billion dollar corporations.The unique combination of Isar's business leadership experience, his fun and outgoing personality, and his passion for tech and mentoring makes him a highly sought-after speaker, instructor, and consultant.Isar is a successful podcaster for over 4 years (Leveraging AI, Business Growth Accelerator), he loves traveling with his family and playing soccer and pickleball.Resources and LinksMultiplai.aiIsar's LinkedIn profileReach out to Isar via email at isar@multiplai.ai Subscribe to Leveraging AI PodcastJoin the next cohort of AI Business Transformation CourseThe AI Daily Brief (Formerly The AI Breakdown)Marketing AI Institute’s The Artificial Intelligence ShowChatGPT