In this episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I tackle one of the misconceptions that I hear from B2B consultants all the time! They want to get to seven figures, but they also love the idea of a lifestyle business - and they think they can't have both. I talk about how it's possible to create a 'seven-figure lifestyle business' by offering high-ticket consulting packages, streamlining operations, and pricing based on expertise - not hours. I also introduce my VIP Strategy Intensive, designed to help consultants craft $100,000 offers and a clear revenue map. With the right strategy and support, you can achieve both financial success and personal freedom. Quotes: "The big thing that we all want post corporate and that feels elusive for so many consultants, is the freedom lifestyle. The time freedom. Not just replicating your 80 hour working weeks in your business, or feeling like you just swapped entities from being employed to self employed but apart from that very little has changed." "Because this work involves getting paid for your brain and your corporate experience, not getting paid for the hours you work or the outputs and deliverables you produce - this can be very light on time. They're not paying you for the hours, they're paying you for the years." "I often say to my clients: look we are taking you into unknown territory here. You've worked hard all your life - through school, in your exams, through college, through your corporate career. You know how to work hard but you're ready to learn how to work smart. And it might feel uncomfortable at first but it is worth it." Useful Links Free Guide: The Business Remodel - Craft Your $100k Offer Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Buy Too Much on Amazon Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
In this episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I reflect on the evolution of the podcast and how my coaching now supports B2B consultants at all revenue stages. I talk about the three key business growth 'eras' I coach and the importance of creating a $100K consulting offer so you can work less and earn more. I also introduce my new free guide, The Business Remodel, and announce limited spots for private coaching in 2026. If you're ready to elevate your consulting business, this episode is for you! Quotes: "When you start to offer high ticket consulting where you're serving the top of the market - the companies who can actually afford you, using your whole brain and the depth of your expertise and experience instead of just 3% of your skills and abilities - this means you can serve a handful of clients and make insane money as a result." "It's not always about doing loads of really hard and scary things. It's about finding that alignment - doing the things that come naturally to you, instead of feeling like you have to become a completely different person and override all your natural instincts and your intuition." "You aren't yet financially free and you plan to invest more into your retirement fund. You want to serve at a higher level, and work with senior leaders and C suite level leaders. You want your advice and expertise to make a difference in companies that shape the world. And this is my favourite bit - you want all of these things AND to be back in time for dinner. You want your weekly yoga class and coffee with your friends and time outdoors with your pets, and to live a healthier lifestyle without perpetual stress and rushing. I'm not even exaggerating when I say that your $100K consulting offer will put your business in a place where it delivers all of these things." Useful Links Free Guide: The Business Remodel - Craft Your $100k Offer Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Buy Too Much on Amazon Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
In this week's episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I talked to Deb Boulanger, a sought-after speaker, business mentor and thought leader, and an expert in guiding women from corporate roles to successful consulting businesses. We explored how public speaking can be a powerful and strategic tool for consistently closing new clients. Deb shared actionable tips on audience engagement, crafting compelling offers and the importance of follow-up. We also discussed mindset shifts, preparation and how to avoid common pitfalls like over-teaching. Whether you're new to speaking or looking to refine your approach, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you turn talks into tangible business growth. In This Episode: [00:00:00] Introducing Deb Boulanger and her transition from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship.. [00:03:08] Deb discusses the unexpected difficulties of starting her own business and learning new skills. [00:04:43] Exploring the mindset changes required when moving from corporate to entrepreneurial life. [00:06:06] Conversation about embracing individuality and being different as an entrepreneur. [00:07:32] Using public speaking strategically to close clients, and the value of both paid and unpaid speaking. [00:09:30] The common mistake of over-teaching and how it can overwhelm audiences. [00:10:46] Deb shares tips on structuring talks for impact, including using simple points and stories. [00:12:30] The importance of pre-launch content, audience engagement, and reverse engineering event goals. [00:14:32] Discussion on the need for thorough follow-up with attendees and registrants after a talk. [00:17:21] Tips on using social media, direct messaging, and ensuring attendees have access to event links. [00:18:50] Advice for speakers on managing perceived audience disengagement and keeping energy high. [00:20:38] How to address audience pain points and provide new perspectives during talks. [00:22:28] Deb explains how to transition to offers, the difference between soft and hard offers, and best practices. [00:26:00] Guidance on making appropriate offers when selling consulting services to organizations. Key Takeaways: The allure of paid speaking gigs is strong, but Deb emphasizes that unpaid talks, when delivered to the right audience, can generate far greater business value. Many speakers try to prove their expertise by overloading their audience with information. This "over-teaching" leaves listeners overwhelmed and less likely to take action. Success starts long before you step on stage. Effective pre-event marketing and engagement can dramatically increase attendance and conversion. The offer is where many speakers falter, either by being too aggressive or too timid. The key is to make offers that feel natural and valuable. Quotes: "The mindset is totally opposite than corporate, right? In corporate, you're rewarded for something absolutely different, which is fitting in, coloring inside the lines, and in entrepreneurship you're rewarded for being different. So how different can you be? How creative can you be? And coloring outside the lines." - Deb Boulanger "The things that you used to aspire to, you now need to be the opposite. And it's actually great news for us because it was never that fun to fit in and be less. Whereas suddenly it's like your job depends on you being more and showing the world 'this is who I am.'" - Jessica Fearnley "You can do lots of things, but if you're in the wrong rooms, not speaking to the right audience for your business, it's lovely that you did it, but it doesn't always drive sales." - Jessica Fearnley "If you're leading a webinar, if you're speaking from stage, if you're leading a workshop or even if you're on a panel, the primary mistake people make is they want to be seen as smart. They want to showcase their thought leadership, and they end up over teaching, over coaching, leaving the audience overwhelmed or needing to sort it all out so that they can apply it on their own. And that is the first mistake that in our desire to help serve, inform, we end up giving away too much information. People aren't able to take action." - Deb Boulanger "Keep it to three simple points, right? Three simple points that people can take away and give them a core premise and a paradigm shift that makes it memorable. And this is where true thought leaders really stand out, because when you ask people at the end of your talk, what was the number one thing you took away? They're repeating back to you your paradigm shift that you left them with." - Deb Boulanger Useful Links Deb: LifeAfterCorporate.com Life After Corporate Podcast Connect with Deb on LinkedIn Seven Easy Steps to Convert More Clients Today Expert Pricing Calculator Ebook - A Free Guide on How to Make More Money, Meaning, and Impact Doing Work You Love Jessica: Buy Jessica's book, Too Much, on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Guest Bio Deb Boulanger is a sought-after speaker, business mentor, and thought leader helping high-achieving women leaders successfully transition from corporate careers to profitable coaching and consulting businesses. With a 25-year background in corporate leadership - where she managed multi-million dollar business lines - she now guides women through the complexities of entrepreneurship with proven strategies in sales, marketing, and business growth. As the CEO of Life After Corporate and host of the Life After Corporate podcast, she shares deep insights on business strategy, overcoming mindset blocks, and building sustainable six-figure businesses. Her engaging, no-nonsense approach has made her a go-to expert for professional conferences, masterminds, and top-ranked podcasts.
In this episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, originally broadcast in September 2023, I dive into the topic of returning to work after a break. It's so important to take time off so that we can recharge and avoid burnout, especially as high achieving, ambitious women consultants and thought leaders, but how can we smoothly transition back into work mode In this episode I share some key strategies to help you prepare before your vacation and how to get your brain back when you return to work, including the value of checking in with yourself and prioritizing self-care during this transition period to regain your natural energy, maximize your productivity and enjoy jumping back into your consulting business. Quotes: "We get into the rhythm of work, leads, sales delivery, onboarding, offboarding, and it can suddenly actually feel quite stark to jump out of the business to take a vacation. When we get back, suddenly things feel less certain. Do I really post on LinkedIn that many times a week? What will I say at that meeting? How do I jump back on the horse now that I've tumbled off? If you've taken a break this summer and you're feeling the brain fog this week, this episode is for you." "One of the key temptations for entrepreneurs is to be always on. It's so great for us to have that digital detox, to break the patterns that we spend a lot of our weeks wrapped up in online." "Take that vacation, have that day off, block off that week. We get so blind to the habits that we're falling into when we never break them. How many times have you come back with fresh eyes after some time out and thought, 'wait a minute, why are we even doing this?'" Useful Links: Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Buy Too Much on Amazon Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
In this week's episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, originally broadcast in August 2024, I interviewed my wonderful client, Amanda HarNess, an executive coach specialising in leadership development. Amanda shared her journey from working as an occupational therapist to becoming a successful business owner and coach, adapting and transferring her skills from her previous career. We discuss the challenges and motivations behind Amanda's career shift, her signature Leadership First Approach™ and the importance of strong leadership for organisational success. In this episode: [00:00:40] Amanda shares about her role as an executive coach in leadership development and her leap from occupational therapy to starting her own business. [00:03:23] Amanda reflects on her experiences as a good but unsatisfied employee, seeking more influence. [00:06:38] 'Realising the Entrepreneurial Itch' - Amanda describes how her desire for entrepreneurship grew during her career and the impact of COVID-19. [00:10:58] What advice Amanda would give her past self as she embarked on her entrepreneurial journey. [00:12:28] Amanda explains her signature framework, emphasising the importance of strong leadership at the top of organisations. [00:15:00] The value of focusing on leadership to foster positive organisational change. [00:16:07] Discussion on LinkedIn, content creation and brand photography. [00:18:55] Amanda reflects on the value of having a startup coach and seeking help early on. [00:19:38] The necessity of investing in oneself for business success. [00:26:14] The importance of overcoming past limitations to pursue future goals. [00:28:11] The parallel growth of personal and business development over time. Key Takeaways: One of the most valuable pieces of advice Amanda offers is the importance of trusting your intuition and having confidence in your ideas. She acknowledges that while she has made progress, having a stronger belief in herself earlier on could have accelerated her journey. Amanda also emphasises the significance of investing in yourself, whether through hiring a coach or seeking professional development opportunities. This investment can lead to significant growth in both business and personal life. Effective leadership creates a strong foundation for the entire organisation. Poor leadership can lead to misalignment and ineffective communication, which ultimately trickles down to the rest of the organisation. Leaders must be willing to acknowledge their shortcomings and invest in their development to create a positive organisational culture. By focusing on enhancing leadership skills, organisations can foster high-performing teams and achieve their goals. Quotes: "I like to say that I was a great employee, but I was also not a great employee, because I either met or exceeded the status quo or the expectations. But I was also still unsatisfied. And so I wasn't one of those employees that just kind of did my work and showed up. I was always pointing out something that could be better and how it could be better, and you know, that wasn't always received well." - Amanda HarNess "I felt like I would come up with these ideas or find the things that needed to be changed and just get shushed or someone would smile and nod and then not do anything, and it always felt like I was being held back. And this idea in my mind felt like 'if I owned my own business, what could hold me back?'" - Amanda HarNess "If you have misalignment, poor communication, either just bad leadership skills or untrained leadership skills, whatever's happening at the top is going to roll downhill and trickle down in the organisation. … You have to make things strong at the top in order to create the real progress that you want in the organisation." - Amanda HarNess "I think a lot of us, we have this thing of like, 'I can't invest in myself, that would be a waste of money'. But actually the difference that it makes when a business is making money on a regular basis, like those kinds of investments, if you do it properly, it can really make such a huge difference to how the early years of your business actually play out." - Jessica Fearnley Useful Links Amanda: Visit Amanda's website to learn more about her approach and services. Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn to get more insights and expert advice. For access to exclusive content and special events become an Email Subscriber. Amanda's Photographer, Danielle Uhl. Jessica: The Seven Figures Club Wealth Dynamics Join the weekly email newsletter for women consultants Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Guest Bio Amanda is the CEO and Founder of Business Excelerated. She is a coach and consultant who works with leadership teams of organizations with high stakes environments, helping them to make REAL progress using the Leadership First Approach™. By leveraging her expertise in human behavior, psychology, leadership development, and effective communication, she helps leadership teams close the gap between where they are now and where they want to be.
In this week's episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, originally broadcast in March 2025, I interviewed my wonderful client, Sherry Lukey, an extraordinary executive and life coach who helps successful professionals worldwide unlock their full potential, cultivate meaningful relationships, and create a life of purpose, peace, and presence. Sherry shared her inspiring journey into the world of coaching, emphasizing how trauma can significantly impact both personal and professional success. We talked about the disconnect between outward success and internal struggles, especially within corporate environments, plus the importance of creating safe spaces for healing and exploring how the subconscious mind plays a crucial role in shaping our beliefs. In this episode: [00:00:00] Sherry shares her journey into coaching, influenced by her family dynamics. [00:02:59] The disconnect between outward success and internal struggles faced by clients. [00:06:52] The feelings of isolation experienced by successful individuals in corporate environments. [00:10:07] The difference between conscious and subconscious minds and their roles in trauma. [00:11:34] Discussion on the different types of trauma and the ingredients that contribute to it. [00:13:27] Insights on how early experiences shape negative narratives about oneself. [00:16:16] Discussion on the disconnect between rational thought and bodily feelings related to safety and trauma. [00:17:16] How addressing trauma can transform long-standing patterns and behaviors in clients. [00:18:24] Creating safe environments for deep coaching work and personal transformation. [00:21:58] Advice on conducting body scans to maintain awareness of emotional states throughout the day. [00:23:36] Discussion on how women often feel guilt for others' emotions and strategies to overcome this. [00:24:32] The dangers of taking on others' emotions and the need for clients to experience their own breakthroughs. [00:26:10] Challenges faced in pricing coaching services appropriately for transformative work. [00:29:14] Discussion on the disparity in pricing between genders in coaching and the need for women to charge appropriately. [00:31:59] Sherry discusses her decision to double her prices and the mental challenge behind it. [00:34:35] The hidden struggles of seemingly successful individuals. [00:35:06] The value of understanding everyone's unique story behind their success. [00:36:27] The importance of women achieving financial independence and success. Key Takeaways: Healing trauma unlocks success. Many high-achieving women unknowingly hold themselves back due to past experiences that created deep-seated fears around visibility and success. Trauma isn't just 'big' events. Trauma can stem from experiences that left us feeling shocked, isolated, and powerless - even if they don't seem significant from the outside. The subconscious mind runs the show. While we may consciously want success, our subconscious fears can sabotage us - like avoiding opportunities, procrastinating, or feeling deep discomfort when we try to step up. Women tend to 'freeze' or 'fawn' under stress. Instead of fight or flight, many women default to people-pleasing or shutting down, which keeps them stuck in unhealthy patterns. Your next level is waiting - if you're willing to claim it. Success often requires shifting from 'Why me?' to 'Why not me?' and confidently stepping into your worth. Once you change your internal narrative, everything else shifts. Quotes: "It's certainly something that I think all of us as coaches see, we have clients who come to us and they are so outstanding as individuals. They have this amazing potential, and quite often they have things that are already going really well. But for whatever reason, there are these deep traumas sometimes really holding them back and old narratives that don't serve them, but everything just feels completely tangled up and they can't move forward." - Jessica Fearnley "We can heal trauma and we can have patterns that have plagued us for decades. You always kind of know that you're destined for great things, and every time it's in front of you, you manage to swerve. But to actually be able to heal those patterns, it changes everything." - Jessica Fearnley "When the subconscious perceives a threat, whether it be real or perceived, that stress response comes on and then your options are fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. And fawn being people pleasing, which is one of the things that women really, really tend to do." - Sherry Lukey "What people don't realize is that really a trauma at any level has three ingredients. One is shock, it's sort of like you've been blindsided, something that just totally came out of nowhere, a feeling of isolation and a feeling of powerlessness. And if you have those three ingredients, you end up with trauma." - Sherry Lukey "People have to break down to break through. And so by you taking that on, you're actually preventing their breakthrough. And it completely turns it on its head to be like, 'oh, this is a massive disservice to take this on for someone' because you subconsciously and energetically, you're actually saying to them 'you're not capable of handling this. So I'm going to handle it for you'." - Sherry Lukey Useful Links Sherry: Sherry's website - sherrylukey.com Jessica: Buy Jessica's book, Too Much, on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Jessica's LinkedIn Guest Bio Sherry Lukey is an extraordinary executive and life coach who helps successful professionals worldwide unlock their full potential, cultivate meaningful relationships, and create a life of purpose, peace, and presence. Using her unique expertise and Tap into Power Method™, she guides clients to break free from deep-rooted subconscious patterns and biases, empowering them to lead confidently and leave a legacy. Sherry's expertise has been showcased in top media outlets like Forbes, Beyond the Couch, and the Fearless and Successful podcasts. She captivates audiences with powerful presentations, expertly moderates events, and delivers game-changing insights on panels. When she's not empowering leaders to lead with greater compassion for themselves and others, you'll find her pursuing her passions for personal growth and pottery in her home studio. She shares a beautiful life in British Columbia, Canada, with her husband of thirty-seven years and takes immense pride in being the mother of adult twin daughters.
In this episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I'm outlining the ways you can work with me in 2025 and 2026 if you're ready to grow your consulting business. The message I'm hearing again and again is that things have felt uncertain in the world this year, but this is beginning to shift in a lot of markets. I've been speaking to B2B consultants at all stages of business who are seeing all these opportunities opening up and I'm so passionate about helping them to take advantage of these opportunities to grow their business - all while working less and earning more. Tune in to hear more about the stages of a consulting business and how I can help you grow in 2025 and 2026! Quotes: "You can work less - fewer hours, fewer clients, less context switching through your week, less time needed on lead gen and sales - and earn more - by pricing your services competitively for the market you are targeting." "You might not have realized it yet but one of the biggest determining factors in terms of whether your business will grow further than it has already is you. You are likely the bottleneck to all future progress." "Your business doesn't need to feel hard or attritional. We don't need to believe the story that in order to grow to 7 figures you have to sacrifice your life or your wellbeing. I love to help consultants make this season of growth feel safer, and calmer and something they are in command of." "When we align your services with your Zone of Genius, instead of just your Zone of Excellence or your Zone of Competence, we can create a consulting business that feels fun again, and where you are building the reputation of being an expert at a specific thing." Useful Links Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Buy Too Much on Amazon Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
This week's episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, originally broadcast in June 2023, is all about taking a truly restorative vacation as a seven figure consultant. Drawing from my own experiences, I discuss recognizing burnout, tuning into your emotional and physical needs, and intentionally planning time off to maximize rest, highlighting the importance of listening to your intuition during your break and setting intentions for your return. I also talk about practical tips for managing client communications, setting boundaries, and preparing your business for your absence so you can create a vacation that allows you to recharge, inspire and support both personal wellbeing and business growth. Quotes: "My calendar experiment this year has been tapering my work schedule before the very end of term, so I can actually get that breather before it feels like the wheels are about to fall off. And similarly with returning to the office after time away, I'm doing more to really ease into it and make it a gentle experience, rather than the whiplash feeling when you've jumped off the work wagon and you just can't quite get back into it full speed." "So often the information we need is right in front of us. But we just can't hear the whispers our body is sending. Are you tired? Are you exhilarated? We need to get way more curious about the depth and variety of our emotions." "Create the blueprint and then plan your business around it. Otherwise, you'll find that business expands to fill the space and it will totally sabotage your plans. There's also an important consideration here about how to ensure that the business can run smoothly without you." Useful Links Buy Too Much on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
This week's episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, originally broadcast in July 2023, is all about how to make the most of the opportunity we are presented with during the Summer months for a reset, before we jump into the Fall. It's a chance to reflect on the changes you are ready to make in your business – and the things you are ready to leave behind. I share my experience of letting go of money fears, embracing abundance, and building self-trust, and invite you to do the same! Summer can be a powerful time for business reset and personal growth, using this quieter season to gain clarity on your goals and desires, and to approach the coming months with intention. Quotes: "One of the things I love in these quieter seasons is the opportunity to reflect and really look back on the last 6 or 7 months since the holiday season and ask ourselves, what do I want to bring with me into the next season?" - Jessica Fearnley "We can't just give up a bad mindset habit. We need to replace it with something better. Switch out fear and choose abundance and self-trust instead. 'I don't need to think about this, because if we end up in a worst case scenario, I will know what to do.'" - Jessica Fearnley "Never say to yourself that you can't have something. I ban my clients from using the word realistic. As women, we are way too quick to shrug our shoulders and accept less when we know we are looking for more. If you can't name your desires to yourself, how will you bring them into being? It starts with getting clarity within ourselves." – Jessica Fearnley Useful Links Buy Too Much on Amazon Episode 153: How to Take a Vacation as a Seven Figure Consultant Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
In this episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I'm sharing practical advice for new and aspiring women B2B consultants aiming to reach their first or next $100K in revenue - including a brand new free resource just for you! I talk about the common challenges of defining your expertise, identifying your ideal clients, pricing and marketing, as well as the importance of taking action over endless planning! Tune in if you want to confidently build a successful consulting business and finally embrace your entrepreneurial journey. Quotes: "If you build your business right, it will not be difficult to make your first $100K in annual revenue as a B2B consultant." "I always say to my clients that the $0-$100K phase of a consulting business can actually feel like the hardest one to crack because you're validating the business. You're selling something sometimes for the first time in your career. And worse than that, you're selling yourself for the first time, which can feel so deeply uncomfortable." "So often I speak to women who want to plan it out so that it's perfect, and then when they know it's guaranteed to work, then they'll put it out in the world. And I have to say, with love - no, no and no - this isn't how entrepreneurship works. There are messy workarounds and creative gaps and best guesses that we road test in the real world by talking to people." Useful Links Free Guide: How To Get Your First B2B Consulting Clients Buy Too Much on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
In this week's episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I spoke to Joanna Lott about the realities of building a coaching or consulting business from the ground up. We explored the challenges new entrepreneurs face, from defining a niche and mastering marketing to overcoming visibility fears and developing a strong money mindset. Joanna also shared practical advice on leveraging personal connections, adapting to client needs, and embracing the messy, rewarding journey of entrepreneurship. Whether you're just starting out or refining your approach, this episode offers actionable insights for growing a thriving consulting business. In This Episode: [00:00:00] Joanna shares her background and motivation for helping coaches. [00:01:17] Discussion about the gap between coach training and actually building a business, and the misleading promises from training organizations. [00:03:21] Joanna describes the shock new coaches face regarding marketing, sales, and the importance of niching. [00:05:20] Clarifying the focus on executive and corporate-facing coaching, and the dual audience of organizations and individuals. [00:09:15] Advice on aligning marketing messages to organizational pain points and the importance of targeting decision-makers. [00:11:45] Joanna's advice on choosing a specialism, researching organizational needs, and being open in client conversations. [00:15:10] Discussing the discomfort around sales, visibility, and the money mindset issues new coaches face. [00:17:17] The value of reaching out to existing contacts for leads, and the vulnerability involved in doing so. [00:21:00] Stories about landing first contracts, learning to ask about budgets, and the evolution of pricing confidence. [00:23:58] The importance of being willing to fail, adapt, and learn from missed opportunities in proposal and offer development. [00:25:16] Encouragement to embrace high-ticket pricing and the reality that there's no single "right" answer in new service creation. [00:28:36] The role of resilience in entrepreneurship, celebrating growth milestones, and the emotional rollercoaster of early business. [00:31:58] Recognizing that business growth takes time, and the need to persist through uncertainty and discomfort. [00:34:40] Stories of how both hosts' businesses changed over time, and the importance of letting your brand and offers evolve. [00:38:38] Practical advice for new coaches. Key Takeaways: Visibility, sales resistance, and money mindset are the biggest hurdles. Getting over the fear of being seen and learning to confidently price your services are non-negotiables if you want to grow. Many high-value corporate contracts begin with a simple message to a past colleague. Be clear, be specific and always end with a question, not a full stop. Successful proposals start with curiosity. Don't cling too tightly to a pre-planned offer - let conversations with organizations shape what you deliver and how you position it. Quotes: "The heartbreaking thing is that people just don't buy freedom or having a great life. They don't buy coaching. They buy the result that they want." - Joanna Lott "I find clients get very attached to their offer. … If they just take a step back and really, really listen in those conversations, they could gain more opportunities. Because if you're trying to only pitch your one little offer that you've got in your head that you want to sell, it's really tricky. Get the other person talking as much as possible as to what their challenges are, and then essentially use your coaching skills to reflect everything you heard and decide at that point, if that's something that you want to offer or not." - Joanna Lott "So I think it is being willing to learn and fail in public in front of people that perhaps you used to know. And yeah, not always knowing the right answers… There is no one right figure that's going to mean you are 100% guaranteed to get this contract." - Joanna Lott "We can only learn in the trenches, in the sandbox, by getting our hands and feet dirty. That's the way it has to be." - Jessica Fearnley "I often find those conversations that I get my clients having have a really fruitful outcome in terms of leads and sales. Even this year, I've got several clients who've made multi six-figure deals just by phoning up people that they've known for 20 or 30 years. It's such a quick win, but that can be such an uncomfortable thing to do because all of these things come up, like, 'who am I to ask for this?'" - Jessica Fearnley Useful Links Joanna: JoannaLottCoaching.com 2025 Success Planner for Coaches Women in the Coaching Arena Podcast Jessica: Buy Jessica's book, Too Much, on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Guest Bio Joanna Lott is a business coach who helps qualified coaches attract clients with honesty, not hype. As the host of The Women in the Coaching Arena, a top 2.5% globally ranked show, she provides practical strategies to help coaches grow thriving, sustainable businesses. With a track record of successfully selling executive, career and business coaching services to both organisations and individuals, Joanna has now supported hundreds of coaches in building profitable, integrity-driven businesses through strategic marketing. She is an ICF Associate Certified Coach and holds an ILM Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching & Mentoring, bringing a wealth of practical experience and professional expertise to her work.
✨ We made it. Episode 200. ✨ That's 200 conversations, reflections, truth-bombs, mindset shifts, and gently delivered mic drops. 200 episodes of holding space for ambitious women B2B consultants who are done with burnout and ready for sustainable, soul-aligned success. Honestly? Hitting 200 episodes feels like a big milestone. Not because of the number - though it's a good one - but because of what it represents. Years of walking alongside you. Of speaking into the void and trusting that the right women would find these words at just the right time. And they have. To celebrate, we're re-releasing one of the most-loved episodes we've ever shared. This one's all about self-trust. Because the deeper I go into this work, the more I see how central self-trust is to everything we want to create. Not just in our consulting businesses, but in how we live, lead, and be. In this episode, I unpack themes like: Radical non-attachment (yes, even to our biggest goals) Letting go of external validation (no more gold stars, thank you very much) Learning to root our confidence internally, rather than chasing it in client feedback or bank balances It's an invitation to loosen your grip on outcomes and instead, lean into trust. Trust in your value. Trust in your process. Trust in the bigger picture. Because when you stop white-knuckling and start listening to your intuition? That's when it gets really good. This episode is for the women who are ready to stop playing small, stop waiting for permission, and start moving from a place of quiet power and unshakable belief in what they're here to do. Here's to the next 200. Let's keep growing, gently and powerfully. Quotes: "Even in a corporate facing consultancy business, by setting our value internally and by practicing radical attachment, I am convinced we set ourselves up to receive more than we can even imagine. Because think about it - It means we can try stuff in our businesses and fail and not be crushed." "We can learn more. We can reach out for the wisdom of others. We can get the support we need to make good decisions. We can hire people with expertise that complements our own. But most of all, we can trust ourselves to make the decision we need to make. Even if we don't get it right the first time." "When we make the source of our fulfillment and happiness something that's external to us, for example, I have to get this job, I have to get that contract, that award, that relationship, that connection in my network… when we make this something external to us, we become completely powerless. Whereas the flip side of this, allowing our source of fulfillment to be something internal to us, we become powerful." Useful Links Buy Too Much on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
Come and join me for an extra-special live workshop I'm hosting this Friday 16th May that you won't want to miss if you're a 6 - 7 figure woman consultant. The workshop is called How To Thrive As a B2B Consultant In Any Economy (Yes, even in 2025), and during this intimate session we will be covering: The proven business model I've taught for the last 10 years - used by my clients right now to land six-figure corporate consulting contracts, even in this economy this month How to still hit your revenue goals - even when you can't predict where your next client is coming from or how many sales are coming in this year How to stay calm, clear, and cash-ready - even when the world feels chaotic and everyone around you is spiraling in fear and anxiety Your ticket also includes a 30 minute strategy call 1:1 with me to nail down your action plan and work out next steps. If you're serious about thriving, not just surviving, in 2025, you won't want to miss it! Find out more and register at jessicafearnley.com/event
In this week's episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I'm delighted to welcome back Leah Neaderthal, a sales coach for women consultants and the founder of Smart Gets Paid. We talked about the shifting landscape of client acquisition in the US, particularly in light of the political and economic climate of 2025, focusing on the importance of resilience and maintaining a positive mindset. We shared personal anecdotes and strategies for overcoming external challenges, encouraging you to stay focused on your goals while fostering a supportive, growth-oriented environment. In This Episode: [00:00:00] Leah shares her journey from corporate marketing to becoming a sales coach for women consultants. [00:03:30] Discussion on narrowing down the niche and discovering a target audience. Leah explains her evolution in focusing on women consultants after initially targeting small businesses. [00:07:12] Leah shares her experience with changing her hair color to grey during the pandemic and its significance, reflecting on the impact of hair color on self-perception and business identity. [00:12:52] Evolving client acquisition strategies in 2025 and how political and economic changes influence client perceptions and business strategies. [00:15:13] The importance of providing a supportive environment for clients amidst uncertainty. [00:16:17] Leah encourages business leaders to maintain a positive outlook and drive forward despite challenges. [00:17:28] Jessica shares her experience of facing a challenging year in 2020 but ultimately growing her business significantly. [00:18:42] Discussion on how negative narratives can hinder business success and the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. [00:20:05] Exploring how entrepreneurs can adapt and respond effectively during crises instead of succumbing to fear. [00:22:04] The need for a relentless approach in achieving business goals, moving beyond mere trust in success. [00:25:10] The importance of positioning services as essential solutions rather than optional benefits during uncertain times. [00:29:08] Tactical advice for consultants to leverage their insights and adjust offerings to meet the immediate needs of clients. [00:33:49] The power of resilience among entrepreneurs to navigate challenges and maintain control over their business outlook. [00:35:23] Insights on how many consultants thrived during the pandemic despite initial fears and the need for proactive women consultants to succeed in changing markets. Key Takeaways: "Be a Painkiller, Not a Vitamin" - Position your services as essential problem-solvers, not just nice-to-haves. Clients still invest in urgent, high-value outcomes, especially during uncertain times. Leah's watchword of this year is 'relentless' - not just trusting goals will happen, but actively and consistently pursuing them with drive and purpose. Fear-based narratives can hold you back. Instead of waiting or shrinking your goals, move forward with intention. Your mindset shapes your results. When you show up authentically, your business thrives. Clients respond to real, confident leadership. Quotes: "I think it's a really amazing opportunity this year to play the mindset game of our lifetimes, because that's the opportunity, isn't it? That comes when the world is just a little bit unpredictable." - Jessica Fearnley "On a number of levels, there is some fear, of course. There's some grief. There's some rage. And I think our responsibility and our opportunity as the leaders of the spaces that we hold is to let that come out and create a safe space for that. And yet, I love what your members are saying, which is 'I want to also hold this space as a space where we don't have to wallow in it', because I think that it can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy." - Leah Neaderthal "We don't always need to make it like an all or nothing where the only options are survival as if nothing's happened or complete catastrophe. Often it's a matter of degrees. We can course correct. If we can't be agile as entrepreneurs and consultants, then honestly, who can? We have this ability to change things." - Jessica Fearnley "A lot of women out there are talking about their work in what we might consider a vitamin, not a painkiller. Everybody knows they need to take their vitamins, but if you go to the store and you forget your vitamins, you'll just pick them up next time. Whereas if you have a real pain, you will go to the store and you will get pain relief, because you're solving a pain in that moment. That's how we need to be thinking about how we position our work, especially right now because clients will solve their pain, but they will not purchase a vitamin." - Leah Neaderthal Useful Links Leah: Leah's website - SmartGetsPaid.com Smart Gets Paid Podcast Smart Gets Paid Podcast - Episode 114 - 'Don't let the economy kill your business – do this instead' Connect with Leah on LinkedIn Jessica: Buy Jessica's book, Too Much, on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Guest Bio Leah Neaderthal is a sales coach for women consultants, and she's the founder of Smart Gets Paid. A three-time business owner who started her career in corporate marketing, Leah didn't learn to sell by being a commissioned salesperson. Instead, she taught herself everything she could about selling, overcame "selling shyness," and created a sales approach that feels comfortable, builds strong client relationships, and gets results. Now she shares the secrets she learned along the way, teaching women how to get the right consulting clients and get paid more for every consulting contract in her program, The Academy. She's also the host of The Smart Gets Paid podcast, where listeners go behind the scenes into her actual calls with clients where Leah is tackling their biggest sales challenges, and they can learn sales strategies they can use in their businesses. You can find The Smart Gets Paid podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Before starting Smart Gets Paid, Leah built, grew, and sold three businesses. Learn more about Leah at smartgetspaid.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.
This episode was originally broadcast in March 2020 but I wanted to share it again because so much of it is just as relevant this year. We are facing uncertainty with huge shifts happening that we cannot control. But that doesn't mean this year will be bad for your business - and it's actually a really key time for developing your mindset and training ourselves to see opportunities. For me, relistening to this episode has also been a powerful reminder that we got through 2020 with all its challenges, so we know we will also get through 2025. In this episode, I talk about: The impact your mindset will have on your business and your day-to-day experience, and how to take control of that. How to move past fear and disbelief and into acceptance and planning. How staying calm and looking for opportunities will help your business survive (and even thrive). The importance of staying connected with others. But not too connected (especially to social media). There's disruption, chaos, and fear around us, but we do have the capacity to respond, adjust and move on. If you're worried about how your consulting business is going to adapt to the current situation, please get in touch and let's discuss how I can help. Quotes: "There will always be things that are unknown, things that we can't control, and we will always need to be ready to make changes in a business to accommodate the external factors that we can't control. This is a core strength in a business to be able to adapt to changing market conditions, and it's important that we don't let current events, whatever scenarios might be playing out, scare us and stop us in our tracks." "So often when we have that feeling of overwhelm, we attribute it to the wrong things and we see what we expect to see. If you're looking for chaos, you will find it. But we need to shift our mindset so that we're able to see the opportunities that are opening up right now." "It's so tempting to sit and complain and do exactly nothing that will help. But businesses that survive are the ones that face the reality. Ask the difficult questions and make a plan to mitigate the impact of the issues you're up against." Useful Links Buy Too Much on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
In this week's episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I interviewed my wonderful client, Sherry Lukey, an extraordinary executive and life coach who helps successful professionals worldwide unlock their full potential, cultivate meaningful relationships, and create a life of purpose, peace, and presence. Sherry shared her inspiring journey into the world of coaching, emphasizing how trauma can significantly impact both personal and professional success. We talked about the disconnect between outward success and internal struggles, especially within corporate environments, plus the importance of creating safe spaces for healing and exploring how the subconscious mind plays a crucial role in shaping our beliefs. In this episode: [00:00:00] Sherry shares her journey into coaching, influenced by her family dynamics. [00:02:59] The disconnect between outward success and internal struggles faced by clients. [00:06:52] The feelings of isolation experienced by successful individuals in corporate environments. [00:10:07] The difference between conscious and subconscious minds and their roles in trauma. [00:11:34] Discussion on the different types of trauma and the ingredients that contribute to it. [00:13:27] Insights on how early experiences shape negative narratives about oneself. [00:16:16] Discussion on the disconnect between rational thought and bodily feelings related to safety and trauma. [00:17:16] How addressing trauma can transform long-standing patterns and behaviors in clients. [00:18:24] Creating safe environments for deep coaching work and personal transformation. [00:21:58] Advice on conducting body scans to maintain awareness of emotional states throughout the day. [00:23:36] Discussion on how women often feel guilt for others' emotions and strategies to overcome this. [00:24:32] The dangers of taking on others' emotions and the need for clients to experience their own breakthroughs. [00:26:10] Challenges faced in pricing coaching services appropriately for transformative work. [00:29:14] Discussion on the disparity in pricing between genders in coaching and the need for women to charge appropriately. [00:31:59] Sherry discusses her decision to double her prices and the mental challenge behind it. [00:34:35] The hidden struggles of seemingly successful individuals. [00:35:06] The value of understanding everyone's unique story behind their success. [00:36:27] The importance of women achieving financial independence and success. Key Takeaways: Healing trauma unlocks success. Many high-achieving women unknowingly hold themselves back due to past experiences that created deep-seated fears around visibility and success. Trauma isn't just 'big' events. Trauma can stem from experiences that left us feeling shocked, isolated, and powerless - even if they don't seem significant from the outside. The subconscious mind runs the show. While we may consciously want success, our subconscious fears can sabotage us - like avoiding opportunities, procrastinating, or feeling deep discomfort when we try to step up. Women tend to 'freeze' or 'fawn' under stress. Instead of fight or flight, many women default to people-pleasing or shutting down, which keeps them stuck in unhealthy patterns. Your next level is waiting - if you're willing to claim it. Success often requires shifting from 'Why me?' to 'Why not me?' and confidently stepping into your worth. Once you change your internal narrative, everything else shifts. Quotes: "It's certainly something that I think all of us as coaches see, we have clients who come to us and they are so outstanding as individuals. They have this amazing potential, and quite often they have things that are already going really well. But for whatever reason, there are these deep traumas sometimes really holding them back and old narratives that don't serve them, but everything just feels completely tangled up and they can't move forward." - Jessica Fearnley "We can heal trauma and we can have patterns that have plagued us for decades. You always kind of know that you're destined for great things, and every time it's in front of you, you manage to swerve. But to actually be able to heal those patterns, it changes everything." - Jessica Fearnley "When the subconscious perceives a threat, whether it be real or perceived, that stress response comes on and then your options are fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. And fawn being people pleasing, which is one of the things that women really, really tend to do." - Sherry Lukey "What people don't realize is that really a trauma at any level has three ingredients. One is shock, it's sort of like you've been blindsided, something that just totally came out of nowhere, a feeling of isolation and a feeling of powerlessness. And if you have those three ingredients, you end up with trauma." - Sherry Lukey "People have to break down to break through. And so by you taking that on, you're actually preventing their breakthrough. And it completely turns it on its head to be like, 'oh, this is a massive disservice to take this on for someone' because you subconsciously and energetically, you're actually saying to them 'you're not capable of handling this. So I'm going to handle it for you'." - Sherry Lukey Useful Links Sherry: Sherry's website - sherrylukey.com Jessica: Buy Jessica's book, Too Much, on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Jessica's LinkedIn Guest Bio Sherry Lukey is an extraordinary executive and life coach who helps successful professionals worldwide unlock their full potential, cultivate meaningful relationships, and create a life of purpose, peace, and presence. Using her unique expertise and Tap into Power Method™, she guides clients to break free from deep-rooted subconscious patterns and biases, empowering them to lead confidently and leave a legacy. Sherry's expertise has been showcased in top media outlets like Forbes, Beyond the Couch, and the Fearless and Successful podcasts. She captivates audiences with powerful presentations, expertly moderates events, and delivers game-changing insights on panels. When she's not empowering leaders to lead with greater compassion for themselves and others, you'll find her pursuing her passions for personal growth and pottery in her home studio. She shares a beautiful life in British Columbia, Canada, with her husband of thirty-seven years and takes immense pride in being the mother of adult twin daughters.
On Thursday 20th March I'm hosting an online book launch party for my newly released book, Too Much. And I would love you to come and join us! I'm going to be speaking about the book, sharing some of my favourite things from the book, and we're also making it a networking call where you can come and connect with other B2B consultants serving corporates. My goal is that this is a really fun session where you can connect with others, make some new professional contacts and talk about the book! RSVP for the Book Launch Party Buy the book on Amazon
In this episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, we dive into what it takes for women B2B consultants to scale from six to seven figures. Pulling from my new book, "Too Much", I talk about finding the balance between self improvement and radical self acceptance. Join me as I share insights from my coaching experience, shining a light on the emotional challenges high achieving women face and how to embrace ambition without fear of burnout. Quotes: "Radical self improvement is great. It drives us forward powerfully. It's the engine for all of the amazing things we achieve. But radical self improvement isn't usually kind. It doesn't go easy on us. We actually don't need to learn how to push ourselves as high achievers, especially when you have a corporate background. What we need to learn is how to be kind to ourselves." "When we match our radical self improvement with radical self acceptance, we change the narrative of growth as being hard and punishing to growth being natural, gentle, beautiful, and deeply, deeply expansive." "I have this inner drill sergeant who barks orders at me all day, and I know you probably do as well. Get up early, eat healthily, be at your desk by 9am, be productive, be more productive, do your workout… and it just goes on all day, like that. And one of the foundational premises with radical self improvement, if we strip it back, is that we do it from a place of feeling like not enough." Useful Links Buy Too Much on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
In this week's episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I'm thrilled to announce the release of my new book, Too Much! As a business coach dedicated to empowering women B2B consultants and thought leaders, I share my journey as a writer and the inspiration that fueled this project. Throughout the book, I explore the common feeling many women experience of being "too much" and how it can shape our entrepreneurial paths and our lives. The book is a powerful exploration of the challenges women face in entrepreneurship and the journey toward self-acceptance and empowerment, with guidance on how to actually take the steps towards changing your life and business. Tune in for a sneak preview of the book! Quotes: "What I noticed in the work I was doing in the early years of my business, was that my clients came to me for strategy and tactics, but they were very often not able to action the plans we made because their resistance got in the way." "The emotional element of the work I do has become really 3 dimensional over the last 5 years, so that was another thing that made me realise, ok I think it might be time to write a book. … The evolution of that PLUS the emotional element of my work, the trauma-informed approaches, dealing with our hard emotions, and finding ways to not get blocked. It's really been such an important development. And it's fundamentally changed the work I do - I coach on a completely different level now to what I did before." "And then that naturally evolved into this logical sequence in my brain of 'wait, if I feel like too much, sure they can go and look for less, but doesn't that also put the onus on ME to go and find more'. … The more I spoke about this with entrepreneurs, because we are the ones who have often left our careers because we just can't make it work or it costs us too much to spend a lifetime trying to be smaller to fit into the corporate landscape and hierarchy, it just became clear that this is a concept that really resonates." Useful Links Buy Too Much on Amazon Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business Join the weekly newsletter for women consultants Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn Follow Jessica on Instagram
In this episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I'm super excited to share some big news with you all. My book, "Too Much," is now available to buy on Amazon! 🎉🎉🎉 This book is a heartfelt shoutout to all the amazing women consultants and entrepreneurs out there who sometimes feel like they're "too much." With over ten years of coaching under my belt, I've seen how this feeling can make us feel a bit isolated. But it also shows that we're ambitious and hungry for more. In "Too Much," I introduce a framework to help you chase those dreams and fully embrace your "too muchness." So, if you're ready to dive in and build your seven figure consulting business, I'd love you to buy your copy today! Buy the book on Amazon - https://mybook.to/toomuchbook