Paul Higgins Podcast

Working 60-hour weeks and still watching your revenue flatline? In this episode, I break down the two strategic decisions most tech consultants have never made: WHO to target and WHAT business model to run. I share how one consultant went from competing on commodity rates with payroll anxiety every month to building a specialist practice, hiring a team, and clearing over $30K a month without changing his technical skills. If you're great at delivery but still trapped in the project grind, this episode is for you.Resources and LinksNeed help with your WHO and WHAT decisions? Apply for a FREE Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 671 - Why Your Clients Are Not Using the AI Tools You Recommended with Angie CarelCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenAngie scaled from an 18-year marketing agency to leading AI adoption for 600-person corporations, giving her a rare ground-level view of exactly where companies get stuck and what actually moves people from fear to fluency.Learn the "people-first" sequencing Angie now uses before any AI tool deployment, including how she frames corporate AI training as "recess" to sidestep resistance and drive real adoption.Get Angie's workflow automation logic: how she mapped every bottleneck in her business using Miro, then eliminated them with Make, enabling her to run 15 trainings in a single week instead of her previous max of three.If your clients keep investing in AI tools and their teams still aren't using them three months later, the problem isn't the technology. In this episode, I talk with Angie Carel, an AI enablement consultant who spent 18 years running a marketing agency before pivoting full-time into corporate AI adoption in 2022. Angie works with large corporations across finance, healthcare, and higher education, and her view is consistent: jumping straight to use cases before building AI literacy almost always backfires. We dig into the people-first sequencing she now uses to close the gap between deployment and actual adoption, and why framing AI training as "corporate recess" gets results that formal rollouts never do. If you're a consultant whose clients are sitting on AI investment with nothing to show for it, this conversation will reframe how you solve that problem.About Angie CarelAngie Carel is a Generative AI Consultant named one of the Top 50 Women to Watch in AI and featured in the IEDC 2025 Yearbook as a leading entrepreneur. After running a 10-person marketing agency for 20 years, she went all-in on AI consulting — and in her first year solo, she's on track to outpace her old agency's revenue. Angie founded AI in FW, Indiana's largest AI community with 700+ members, and Co-Crafted, an AI consultancy collective. She helps organizations adopt AI with a human-first approach and coaches emerging AI consultants on building sustainable practices.Resources and LinksAngiecarel.comAngie's LinkedIn profileLovableMidjourneyRunwayMakeN8NRelay Google Gemini Deep ResearchClaudeClaude CodeThe AI Show with Paul Roetzer and Mike KaputGoogle DeepMind podcast Previous episode: 670 - Stop Chasing Small ClientsCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

You're at mid six figures, your calendar is full, and you're still grinding for $20,000 projects. Meanwhile, there are enterprise and mid-market contacts sitting in your CRM right now who could write $200,000 checks, and you haven't called them because the small deals feel safer. In this episode, I walk through the exact WHO decision that keeps most tech consultants stuck in the project grind, and why safe doesn't scale. I share how one consultant, stuck at mid six figures with deal sizes of $15,000 to $25,000, made one strategic shift to stop chasing referrals and start activating the mid-market relationships already in his network. Six months later, his deal size was 10x. If you've got the right contacts in your phone but keep defaulting to smaller, faster deals, this episode will make you reconsider who actually deserves your time.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 669 - The Pricing Gap Most Consultants MissCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Clients aren't pushing back on your rates, so you assume you're priced right. That's the most expensive assumption in consulting. In this episode, I break down how one consulting partner discovered she was leaving $55 to $95 per hour on the table because she priced based on confidence instead of market value. I walk through the exact sequence she used to move from $40,000 per month to $63,000 per month, and the one-question filter that tells you whether you're making the same mistake. If you've never actually researched what the market pays for the outcome you deliver, this episode is your wake-up call.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 668 - Stop Waiting for Salesforce Leads with Doug PelletierCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenDoug Pelletier has spent 35 years winning enterprise accounts (Disney, Pfizer, Xerox) as a small Salesforce partner, proving that company size is irrelevant when your positioning and sales approach are right.Learn why Doug hired a General Manager at just six employees, and how that single WHO decision helped him scale to 130 people without burning out on tasks outside his strengths.Get Doug's approach to managing cash flow daily (a discipline he's maintained for 17 years) and why he says cash flow matters more than profitability for consulting firm owners.About Doug PelletierDoug Pelletier is the Founder and CEO of Trifecta Technologies, a technology consulting firm he launched in 1991 that has grown into a trusted Salesforce and enterprise solutions partner for leading organizations.A sales- and strategy-led founder, Doug focuses on identifying real business problems, building executive relationships, and hiring strong operational leadership early – allowing him to concentrate on growth, client strategy, and selling. His leadership is shaped by decades of experience and a strong emphasis on financial discipline and long-term stability.Having gone through multiple industry shifts, Doug views AI as a major inflection point and leads Trifecta in helping organizations move beyond the hype to apply data, architecture and AI in practical ways that drive meaningful business outcomes.Resources and LinksTrifecta.comDoug’s LinkedIn profileSnowflakeDatabricksApolloZoominfoPrevious episode: 667 - The Land-and-Expand PlayCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

You've landed a foothold in a big company, delivered a great project, the client loved it, so why are you still stuck in the same corner six months later winning the same small deals? In this episode, I break down why most consultants stay trapped in one department and how to turn a single project into an enterprise-wide engagement. I share how one Airtable consultant turned a $20,000 clinical trial tracking project at a top-three pharmaceutical company into a $200,000 transformation across three countries, all by making one strategic shift in how he treated his internal champion. If you've got a foothold in a big company and you're watching other consultants land the deals you should be winning, this is your playbook.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 666 - The partner trapCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Stuck at 50% of your revenue target because your pipeline depends on someone else's priorities? In this episode, I break down the partner program trap and why so many platform consultants stay dependent on AE referrals even when they know it's holding them back. I walk through the exact 12-month transition sequence I use with clients: pick your niche, build pain-point messaging, start direct outreach, and keep partner referrals flowing as cash while you build. If your best leads only show up when an account executive needs to hit their quota, this episode shows you how to take back control of your pipeline.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 665 - AI Does 70% of the Work and Here’s What a Salesforce Partner Does With the Other 30 with Ferny BengaliCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenFerny reveals how Sherpaneer uses AI across operations, from capacity planning models to proposal development, giving you a practical blueprint for integrating AI into your own consulting workflows.Learn how Ferny and her partner built a fully self-sourced pipeline through reciprocal partnerships with adjacent vendors like Gong, Clari, and FinancialForce, without relying on Salesforce for leads.Get Ferny's approach to managing AI tools across a team, including shared projects in Claude, an internal AI use policy, and a quarterly review cycle to keep everything current.You know you should be using AI in your consulting practice, but where do you actually start without compromising client data or wasting time on tools that don't stick? In this episode, I talk with Ferny Bengali from Sherpaneer, a boutique Salesforce consultancy that works with enterprise clients across high-tech, financial services, manufacturing, and healthcare. Ferny walks me through exactly how her team of 12 uses AI day to day, from feeding anonymized staffing data into models for capacity planning, to using voice notes and LLMs to prep for pitches. We also get into how she structures client knowledge across projects, her approach to AI-optimized content for SEO, and why she hired a part-time BD person instead of going full-time. If you've been experimenting with AI but haven't operationalized it across your practice yet, this conversation will show you what that looks like in action.About Ferny BengaliFarnaz (Ferny) Bengali is Co-President of Sherpaneer, a women-owned, diverse Salesforce consulting partner that helps mid-to-large organizations implement the right way, the first time. With 20+ years of industry experience—including leadership roles at MicroStrategy, Accenture, and The Carlyle Group—Ferny chose the boutique path over big consulting, building a practice that delivers senior-level expertise without the agency bloat. She's also a board member of WISE (Women in Salesforce Entrepreneurship), co-invests in hospitality through Dogwood Hospitality, and is passionate about using AI as an operating layer to scale consulting without scaling headcount.Resources and LinksSherpaneer.comFerny's LinkedIn profileRead.aiNotebook LMScribeChatGPTClaudeGoogle GeminiMicrosoft CopilotCoachHubCloverleafResearch RabbitZetyGrammarlyQuickBooksGongClariCertiniaAzureGoogle WorkspacePrevious episode: 664 - Stop celebrating your referralsCheck out more episodes of The Paul Higgins PodcastJoin our newsletterSuggested resourcesFind out more about Paul and how he can help you

Still relying on referrals and hoping the next one brings a decent project? In this episode, I break down why your referral strategy is actually killing your margins, not growing them. I share the pattern I see with over 200 tech consultants who are great at delivery but trapped in legacy business development, constantly auditioning for clients who see them as a vendor instead of a strategic partner. Learn how you can increase your revenue by making two important decisions: the WHO decision and the WHAT decision. If you are tired of the referral lottery and ready to stop competing on price, this episode lays out what actually needs to change.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 663 - The "Fake Productivity" Trap for Tech ConsultantsCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Ever finish a 60-hour week and realize you didn't do a single thing to find better clients? In this episode, I break down why most tech consultants stay trapped in work that feels productive but actually keeps them stuck. I share the story of a client who was exhausted, in debt, and over-delivering on every project until we made two critical decisions together: the WHO (estate attorneys only) and the WHAT (productized service with clear scope). Six months later, he cleared his debt and doubled his profits. If you've been avoiding the hard decisions by staying busy with comfortable work, this one will challenge you to finally make the call.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 662 - How to Build an AI Strategy That Actually Works with Christine DuqueCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenChristine Duque, former Big Four consultant and CEO of Alonsera, shares why only 10% of global companies are seeing real impact from AI, and what separates the successful ones from the rest.Learn Christine's "Three A's" framework for making AI consumable: Automated, Anticipatory, and Augmented intelligence, plus how to progress toward autonomous operations.Get practical guidance on structuring AI transformation committees and coaching executive sponsors to drive cross-organizational buy-in.Feeling pressure to "do something with AI" but unsure where to start without wasting budget or burning out your team? In this episode, I talk with Christine Duque, CEO of Alonsera and former Big Four consultant who now helps mid-market companies in highly regulated industries navigate AI implementation. We dig into why most AI initiatives fail before they even launch, and it's not the technology. Christine explains why treating AI like a silver bullet creates more chaos than progress, and what the 10% of companies getting real results are doing differently. If you're tired of the hype and want a grounded perspective on what AI adoption actually requires, this conversation cuts through the noise.About Christine DuqueChristine Duque is CEO of Alonsera, a global AI consultancy helping organizations deploy AI solutions that actually scale. With executive experience at Accenture, Deloitte, and IBM, she's overseen $2B+ in AI and digital transformation projects for Fortune 50/100/500 companies—delivering results like 70% faster data ingestion and 30-50% customer engagement efficiency gains.A sought-after speaker on ethical AI and digital transformation, Christine is actively shaping international AI standards through partnerships with Oxford University and UC Irvine. She authored the Amazon best-seller Walking in My Shoes: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Corporate America and co-founded the Women's Empowerment AI Network. An accomplished operatic soprano, she debuted at Carnegie Hall.Resources and LinksDuquesacd.comAlonsera.comChristine's LinkedIn profileChristine on Instagram: @christineduqueChristine on Facebook: Christine DuqueChristine on TikTok: @duquesacdYoutube Channel: Christine DuqueChristine’s book: Walking In My Shoes: Shattering Glass Ceilings in Corporate AmericaPrevious episode: 661 - How Long Should You Stick With Your Consulting Niche?Check out more episodes of The Paul Higgins PodcastJoin our newsletterSuggested resourcesFind out more about Paul and how he can help you

Stuck three months into a niche and wondering if you picked wrong? In this episode, I share the story of a client who spent 14 months doubting his industrial automation niche before everything clicked. His first outreach response took 14 months to close. A newsletter reader opened the same email 25 times before becoming a client. I break down why most consultants quit at the exact moment their planted seeds are about to grow, and why your biggest competitor isn't other consultants but your own ability to commit long enough to let your niche work.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 660 - The Human-Centric AI Shift Every Tech Consultant Should Know with Scott Stafford Check out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenScott Stafford shares his human-centric AI framework, explaining why major tech companies are now hiring salespeople again despite investing heavily in agentic solutions.Learn how to shift 20% of your workload to voice mode and natural language, with practical examples of completing real work while away from your desk.Discover where vibe coding tools like Bolt.new hit their limits and what foundational knowledge you still need to deliver AI-first solutions for clients.Wondering where to place your bets as AI reshapes the entire SaaS landscape? In this episode, I talk with Scott Stafford, an AI strategist working at the intersection of Salesforce, robotics, and human-centric technology. We dig into why companies that rushed to replace humans with AI are now reversing course, and what that shift means for consultants building practices today. Scott also shares his vision for how personal agents will become your new user interface, making traditional software interactions feel like relics. If you're trying to figure out where to invest your learning time and how to stay relevant as voice interfaces take over, this conversation maps out the territory ahead.About Scott Stafford Scott Stafford is a Human-Centric Technologist, AI Strategy Lead, and technology evangelist with 20+ years of experience bridging business strategy and emerging technology. A 27-time Salesforce certified All-Star Ranger and community leader, Scott focuses on helping people and organizations adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He is co-founder of RiseWithVoice, an initiative that helps individuals strengthen both their literal and metaphorical voice to thrive in an AI-augmented future.Resources and LinksScottstafford.aiScott's LinkedIn profile625 - The Salesforce Partner's AI Dilemma with Sanjeet MahajanBolt.newSuperwhisperPrevious episode: 659 - How This Salesforce Partner Grew to 25 People by Saying No with Dennis KnodtCheck out more episodes of The Paul Higgins PodcastJoin our newsletterSuggested resourcesFind out more about Paul and how he can help you

Why you should listenDennis Knodt grew Valuent from freelancing in 2019 to a 25-person Salesforce consultancy by narrowing focus to one product line (quote-to-cash) and one geography (Germany), offering a blueprint for partners drowning in "we do everything" positioning.Learn how to structure your Salesforce AE relationships so successful projects create internal bragging that generates referrals without you having to ask, including why mid-market and enterprise AEs are more valuable than SMB relationships.Get Dennis's approach to running proof of concepts at full market rate on larger projects, giving clients tangible results before committing to six or nine-month implementations.Trying to grow a Salesforce practice while competing against every other partner who claims they "do it all"? In this episode, I talk with Dennis Knodt, co-founder of Valuent, a Berlin-based consultancy that went from freelancing in 2019 to a 25-person team by making deliberate choices about what to say no to. We dig into why Dennis doubled down on Germany instead of chasing international expansion, and how a setback with Salesforce (when they brought in a competitor) actually led to recruiting the architect who now leads their revenue cloud practice. If you've ever wondered whether focus is really worth the short-term sacrifice, this conversation will challenge how you think about building a defensible position.About Dennis KnodtDennis Knodt is the Co-Founder of Valuent, a bootstrapped Salesforce consultancy specializing in Quote-to-Cash optimization. After working at Bain and VC-backed startups like Rocket Internet and Enpal, Dennis chose to build a profitable boutique firm focused on deep expertise over growth-at-all-costs.Resources and LinksValuent.ioDennis’s LinkedIn profileLovablePrevious episode: 658 - The Delivery TrapCheck out more episodes of The Paul Higgins PodcastJoin our newsletterSuggested resourcesFind out more about Paul and how he can help you

Spending 60+ hours a week on client work and wondering why your pipeline is empty? In this episode, I break down why being brilliant at delivery is actually keeping you stuck. You'll learn the four-step framework I use to help consultants escape the delivery trap and start tracking the metric that actually matters: growth hours. If you've built a job instead of a business, this episode shows you how to change that.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 657 - What's Your Resolution?Check out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Heading into the new year without a clear focus for your consulting business? In this quick episode, I reflect on 2025 and encourage you to use any downtime to dig into the podcast archives. Whether you're looking for episodes on AI, positioning, partnerships, pricing, or escaping delivery, there's something here for you. I'd also love to hear from you directly. What's your resolution for 2026? What challenge are you tackling first? Drop me a message and let's connect.Resources and LinksEmail me at: paul@paulhigginsmentoring.comPrevious episode: 656 - Don't Do It AloneCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Did you hit your targets in 2025? Or are you still stuck chasing clients and trying to figure it out alone? In this solo episode, I get brutally honest about my own struggles, including when I couldn't see what needed to change from inside my own business and had to bring back my mentor to push me. I share how one client, Jack, made the WHO and WHAT decisions he'd been avoiding and increased his revenue by 29% with his highest month ever. I also explain why AI, as powerful as it is, can't make the fundamental strategic decisions for you. If you're heading into 2026 without a clear plan, this episode is the wake-up call you need.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 655 - From Hourly Rates to Outcome PricingCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Stuck waiting for your platform's marketplace to send you your next lead? In this episode, I break down the three traps that keep SaaS partners grinding on low-margin implementations, and what happened when a Monday.com partner finally made the WHO and WHAT decisions he'd been avoiding. We dig into how he went from competing on price with thousands of other partners to closing his biggest deal ever by selling outcomes instead of configurations. If you're a Salesforce, Zoho, or HubSpot partner who's tired of being at the mercy of algorithm changes, this one shows you what it looks like to own your pipeline.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 654 - How to Build Automations That Actually Scale With Your Business with Jared WeissCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Why you should listenLearn the specific signals that indicate a client is ready for automation support, including the "cusp of scale" indicators Jared uses to identify businesses where systems work can deliver immediate ROI.Get the scoping questions Jared asks before every automation project, from "Is this always going to be assigned to this person?" to the scale and maintenance questions that prevent tech debt before it starts.Discover how Jared positions automation services as strategic partnership rather than task execution, allowing him to charge for advice and push back on client ideas rather than just building what they ask for.Scaling your business but drowning in systems that don't talk to each other and growing pains that get louder by the week? In this episode, I talk with Jared Weiss from Matix Flows, who spent over a decade in the startup trenches before launching his own automation consultancy. We dig into why so many business owners end up with tech debt they don't even realize they're building, and what it takes to create systems that actually support growth instead of creating constant firefighting. If you've ever wondered whether your automation setup is helping or secretly holding you back, this conversation will challenge how you think about your operations.About Jared WeissJared Weiss is the founder of Matix Flows, where he helps growing businesses turn messy systems and scattered workflows into smooth, scalable operations. With over a decade of marketing and automation experience—including serving as Director of Marketing at SaaS company Redlist—Jared specializes in business automation, CRM optimization, and strategic consulting with hands-on execution.Known for his holistic approach from working across multiple departments, Jared bridges the gaps between marketing, sales, and operations to create systems that actually work. He partners directly with business owners buried in manual tasks, helping them automate follow-ups, lead routing, and task handoffs so they can focus on growth instead of getting stuck in the weeds. His philosophy is simple: ideas alone don't drive growth—systems do.Resources and LinksMatixflows.comJared’s LinkedIn profileZapierUpworkPrevious episode: 653 - Why Plumbers Get Paid More Than Most ConsultantsCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

Tired of hearing "let me think about it" after every proposal? In this episode, I break down why most tech consultants are stuck grinding on $3K projects while plumbers are one of the highest paid trades. I share the story of David, a CRM consultant who was targeting the right companies but solving the wrong problem, and how one shift took him from $5K projects to his first $250K contract in six months. If you've been told you need better marketing, better positioning, or a tighter niche but nothing's moving the needle, the real issue might be simpler than you think.Resources and LinksApply for a Multiplier CallPrevious episode: 652 - Building a Top 3% HubSpot Partner Through Vertical Focus and Culture-First Leadership with Gemma PriceCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources