Claim OwnershipThe 2x2 Podcast for Independent Consultants
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© 2025 Lauren Wambold Patel
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If you’re an expert executive considering independent consulting—or already running your own thriving practice—this podcast is for you.
The 2x2 Podcast for Independent Consultants goes beyond the usual business advice. We talk to real-life practitioners—strategists, deep thinkers, and multi-hyphenates who thrive on autonomy, intellectual curiosity, and portfolio careers.
Whether you're exploring the leap from corporate, navigating a career transition, or scaling from solo consulting to a microfirm, we dig into how top independents build, grow, and sustain their businesses.
Hosted by Lauren Wambold Patel, a seven-figure consultant who learned the game the hard way, this show brings you candid conversations with independent consultants and fractional executives who are building successful businesses on their own terms.
We go deep—breaking down their strategies, pricing models, niche positioning, client acquisition, and how they balance working on their business with running it internally.
This isn’t theory—it’s the real playbook.
Subscribe now to The 2x2 Podcast for Independent Consultants and take your expertise up and to the right.
The 2x2 Podcast for Independent Consultants goes beyond the usual business advice. We talk to real-life practitioners—strategists, deep thinkers, and multi-hyphenates who thrive on autonomy, intellectual curiosity, and portfolio careers.
Whether you're exploring the leap from corporate, navigating a career transition, or scaling from solo consulting to a microfirm, we dig into how top independents build, grow, and sustain their businesses.
Hosted by Lauren Wambold Patel, a seven-figure consultant who learned the game the hard way, this show brings you candid conversations with independent consultants and fractional executives who are building successful businesses on their own terms.
We go deep—breaking down their strategies, pricing models, niche positioning, client acquisition, and how they balance working on their business with running it internally.
This isn’t theory—it’s the real playbook.
Subscribe now to The 2x2 Podcast for Independent Consultants and take your expertise up and to the right.
26 Episodes
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Fractional work looks simple – and exciting – from the outside. You leave corporate, land a client, and price your time. You breathe easier because you do the work you’re passionate about. In many ways, it’s wonderful. But here’s what doesn’t get talked about enough: The real challenge of fractional life shows up in about six months. In a bonus episode of The 2x2 Podcast, Anna Wondany – founder of Hey CMO – walked me through the network she built to support fractional leaders. 👉 Join Hey CMO here: https://hey.heycmo.com/a/2148165011/4NwoMab9👉 Watch the FREE Demo here: https://youtu.be/Jem1f7y3tCY
How many tools and platforms do you use in your practice? Do you have a graveyard of unused subscriptions, or do you still do everything manually? I think you only need four essentials – every one of them useful for everyday tasks. Anything else you add should pass the ultimate efficiency test: Reach the least number of clicks to get sh*t done.
The most successful fractional works have tells. Amanda Nizzere is a fractional CMO who has reached full capacity in just two years (impressive, right?). But she’s spent that time doing more than just client work for AN Strategy. As the host of the Female Fractionals podcast, Amanda has had dozens of candid conversations with fractional executives about what works (and what doesn’t) in a fractional practice. If you’re building a fractional or independent consulting practice, this conversation offers a clear framework – and some hard-earned insights – for what actually makes fractional work work.
What can real estate brokers teach consultants?A LOT.So I sat down with Luisa Mauro to trade notes on building trust, earning referrals, and staying authentic in a competitive market.We talked about prospecting, team building, and why genuine care—not just strategy—is what keeps a business growing.
Every consultant can build a deck. But only a few can run the room. Ryan O’Toole spent his entire career inside rooms a lot of us only hear about – PE board rooms and PE-backed leadership teams. He’s been the consultant, the operator, and the advisor. This makes him unusually good at explaining how boards actually work. In this interview, we’re talking about everything you and I need to know about boards.
How long does it take to reach true mastery?Johan Sauer is an experienced independent consultant who worked with over 200 companies over. the course of his career. In this episode, we talk about the evolution of brand management and the importance of creativity and mentorship in consulting.We also discuss the challenges faced in the consulting industry, the significance of continuous learning, and the path to achieving true mastery.
Can we actually trust AI outputs?I sat down with Usman Lakhani, an AI governance expert, to talk about what responsible AI looks like — and why independent consultants need to get literate fast.We covered practical frameworks for aligning AI with strategy, the role of data governance, and how trust, ethics, and risk management all show up in real-world implementation.
This 2026, I have a challenge for you: take home $400K in revenue. Did that number scare you? Or does it sound like a piece of cake? I think $400k is the mark of a successful consulting practice – it means you live a financially comfortable lifestyle without burying yourself with work. Are you up for the challenge?
Leslie Elliott, Poolie CEO and mom of four, is a business builder. And it seems her son is also wired for it. It started when she found a half-empty twelve-pack Sprite in her 6th grader’s backpack. She asked James about it, and he said he goes to an H-E-B before school and sells soda to his friends. He made $20/day and called it SchoolDash. This is when Leslie knew she has an entrepreneur in the house. Now, James is onto his second business venture: Grove Flower – a flower delivery subscription service for assisted living residents. In this episode, we talked about recognizing that your child is afflicted with the curse of entrepreneurship and nurturing it in a positive way. We also exchanged business ideas that we think kids can start today.
How well do you understand your work? In this conversation, Wes Wheless shares his journey from being a consultant to helping other independent consultants articulate their expertise through visual communication. He discusses the challenges consultants face in defining their niche and the importance of intellectual property in establishing a unique brand. Wes emphasizes the power of visual metaphors and frameworks in communicating complex ideas simply and effectively, ultimately helping consultants connect with their clients on a deeper level.
Can you keep climbing the corporate ladder after it collapsed? Anna Wondany did. And so can fractional executives. She' s a fractional CMO and the founder of Hey CMO, a fast-growing network for marketing leaders who want independence without isolation. In this episode, we talk about what it means to work fractionally, how to prevent your own competence from drowning you, and why always saying yes might be your smartest move.
Thanksgiving week is the prime time for gratitude – and crunch time for nonprofits. Seasoned fundraising and development strategy expert, Pradnya Haldipur, has been in the nonprofit world for a long time, working with large organizations like Doctors Without Borders. But now, she’s a newly minted fractional expert already gaining success in just six months. In this interview, she gives us a peak on what happens on this side of business: meeting year-end goals and keeping organizations funded. Let’s dive in. (While we have you here, check out her newsletter: The Chad Chronicles)
Ready for the war room that is Black Friday planning? I sat down with Scott LaBoda to talk about his path from consulting to retail and back again—with stops at Tom’s Shoes and Lululemon along the way. We got into merchandising, supply chains, and what’s ahead for both luxury and mass retail.
In the immortal words of Wu-Tang Clan, “Cash rules everything around me.” They weren’t talking about corporate finance, but Nicki Monson agrees the words are still true. Strangely, she’s not a Wu-Tang fan, but I’ll forgive her for that. Nicki was the VP of finance at Stenograph, a dynamic SaaS startup. And before that, she held leadership positions for over 20 years at bp, a global energy powerhouse. Now, Nicki is an esteemed member of the Keenan Reid consulting team – helping clients with their cash flow problems and leading transformations. In this interview, Nicki breaks down what cash flow really is, why companies lose track of it, and how to get it back under control.
What does it take to actually find your niche? I sat down with Terry Chevalier to talk about his move from big-firm consulting to running his own shop—what’s hard, what’s worth it, and how he’s carved out a niche in telecom and exit planning. We also talked coaching, business transitions, and why defining the problem you solve is half the battle.
Is ESG really that important? I sat down with Cooper Wechkin, founder of RyeStrategy, to talk about climate accounting, sustainability, and why small and mid-sized companies shouldn’t sit this one out. We got into Cooper’s journey from undergrad startup to ESG consulting, and how thoughtful strategy can shrink your footprint, and grow your business.
What’s it like going from BCG to the chaos of startups? I sat down with Sam Hollin to talk about his move into the world of growth consulting —what changes, what carries over, and how to navigate the shift from structure to speed. We dug into networking, intuition, and the kind of personal growth that comes from building in real time.
How do you get your name out there, without feeling cringe about it? I sat down with Tracy Schmidt, former Time Magazine reporter and founder of the PR Accelerator, to talk personal branding, earned media, and what actually works in today’s PR landscape. We covered her path from journalism to consulting, how to think about content distribution, and why a strong messaging framework is non-negotiable.
This is what networking looks like beyond the handshake.I sat down with Melissa Aarskaug, host of Executive Connect, to talk about building meaningful relationships, leading with purpose, and how personal branding surfaces—regardless of your industry. We also got into mentorship, giving back, and the lessons that come from the toughest parts of a career.
What is customer success actually and where is it headed? I sat down with Pablo Bernal, former product leader at Microsoft, to talk about the shift from reactive support to proactive services, and how AI is reshaping the way we align technology with real customer goals. We also got into Pablo’s sabbatical, career transitions, and what the future of the industry might look like with AI at its disposal.
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