You got here by being the go to expert who does it all. That same approach is now the ceiling. In this episode, I show you what must change in your offer, operations, team, and mindset so your firm can run without you. We also check back in with our fictional consultants Riley and Jean. Same talent, very different weeks. Which one sounds like you right now? Want help applying this to your firm Book a 90 minute Intensive. NatalieMBA.com/intensive Decisions and a plan in one session, plus my Sales Forecast Tool and a focused Game Plan. ***Clarity Guarantee. Not worth the investment? Request a full refund within 24 hours. 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) Next enrollments: January 2026| September 2026 ☎️Book A Complimentary Call - Let's see if we are a fit! For consultants who have revenue above $200K a year. 📩 Get my newsletter.
Most consultants don’t think about scalability until it’s too late. By then the options are often shutting down, taking a job, or rebuilding from the ground up. In this episode, I share three stories that illustrate what happens when a business depends on one person to hold it all together. You’ll also hear why a scalable consulting firm isn’t just about growth, but about protection and possibility. You’ll learn: Why waiting to scale can leave your business fragile What protection and possibility really mean for consultants. The four key facets of a scalable consulting firm. How scalability creates margin in your time, money, and energy. This episode will help you reflect on the foundations of your own consulting business and what might need to shift before life interrupts. 🎧 Listen now and start building it before you need it. Mentioned in this episode: Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive (This includes access to my sales forecasting tool, one of my workshops and my custom coaching tool which helps us anaylze your business in a way you may never have before. Our prework allows us to hit the ground running and accomplish in 90 minutes what can otherwise take months to acheive. It will be the best $997 you'll ever spend on your business!) ☎️Book A Complimentary Call - Let's see if we are a fit! For consultants who have revenue above $200K a year. 🎉Work with Me! MASTERMIND 📌 Apply to 1:1 Coaching (6-month program) For consultants with revenue greater than $100K per year. 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) Next enrollments: January 2026| September 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue from $200K to $1M, who want to build a scalalbe consulting firm! Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!Tell me you listen to the podcast.
Mindset blocks aren’t always obvious. But they might be running your business. If you’ve been revisiting the same decisions, putting off your next hire, or waffling over your pricing, the problem might not be strategy. It might be mindset. In this episode, I walk through the Scalable Mindset framework and check in with the two fictional consultants we have been following, Riley and Jean, whose weeks look radically different based on how they respond to fear, capacity, and growth. ☎️Book A Call - Let's see if we are a fit! For consultants who have revenue above $200K a year. 🎉Work with Me! MASTERMIND 📌 Apply to 1:1 Coaching (6-month program) For consultants with revenue greater than $100K per year. 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue from $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!Tell me you listen to the podcast.
Are you the bottleneck in your business? Is your calendar packed with back to back appointments and constant task switching? Does every project depend on you? Have you mastered bringing in work, yet dread saying yes to one more client? Join us as we check in with our fictional consultants, Riley and Jean, to show how the same talent can lead to very different weeks when the business is set up differently. You will see that a scalable team is the engine that expands capacity without adding more of you. It sits on top of a repeatable offer and solid operations. When those foundations are in place, the team works independently, meets deadlines, anticipates client needs, and protects your calendar for true CEO work. Sounds dreamy, right? 🎉Work with Me! Book A Call - Let's see if we are a fit! For consultants who have revenue above $200K a year. MASTERMIND 📌 Apply to 1:1 Coaching (6-month program) For consultants with revenue greater than $100K per year. 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue from $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!Tell me you listen to the podcast.
Operations can be your greatest growth asset or your biggest roadblock. In this episode, we return to Riley and Jean to see how their very different approaches to running their consulting businesses are playing out. One is stuck in complexity and constant firefighting. The other is building something that runs smoothly, even when they step away. We will explore what makes operations truly scalable and why it matters so much once you start to grow. You will walk away with a fresh perspective on where your own systems might be slowing you down and what to focus on next. Listen now to see which consultant’s week feels more like yours and what could change if you focused on scaling simplicity. 🎉Let’s work together!! MASTERMIND 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue from $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! 📌 Apply to 1:1 Coaching (6-month program) For consultants with revenue greater than $100K per year. Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!Tell me you listen to the podcast.
Most consultants hit a ceiling. A scalable offer breaks it. If you’re a consultant who wants to grow but still feels stuck in client delivery, don't miss this episode. You’ll hear about two consultants. One is stuck managing everything. The other has space to think, lead, and grow. I break down what makes that shift possible. We walk through what a scalable offer actually is and why it matters. We’re not talking about theory. We’re talking about the difference between staying at capacity and building something that can run without you. I’ve helped clients make this shift again and again. It’s one of the most important changes you can make if you want to lead a business that supports your life and has even MORE IMPACT! 🎉Let’s work together!! MASTERMIND Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue from $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive Open to ALL consultants at ALL levels. Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!Tell me you listen to the podcast. 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow/Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.
WHAT IF TWO CONVERSATIONS A WEEK COULD FILL YOUR PIPELINE? Listen in as Impact Collective Mastermind member Kyle Huelsman of Advocacy Rising turns two STRATEGIC weekly conversations with ideal clients into a consulting firm overflowing with work and options. IN THIS EPISODE, KYLE SHARES the “two conversations” rule that keeps his pipeline warm how co-creating scope with a prospect turned a $5K idea into a contract 10x’s larger how consistent revenue gave him the confidence to hire a full-time Senior Associate You’ll hear the mindset shifts, practical steps, and quick wins that moved Kyle from hustle to momentum. If you need more consistency in your business development, his story will spark ideas you can use right away. Press play to discover what happens when steady outreach meets consultative selling. Then share your biggest takeaway with us on LinkedIn. Connect with Kyle: Linked In Advocacy Rising Website 🎉Let’s work together!! MASTERMIND 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue from $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive Open to ALL consultants at ALL levels. Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!Tell me you listen to the podcast. 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow/Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.
If your business is growing but YOUR ROLE still looks the same, it’s time to make a bigger shift. In this episode, I walk through the real, and often messy, process of moving from solo consultant to business owner, and what that looks like day to day. We talk about the mindset, money, and leadership shifts that come with growth. If you’re ready to move from doing the work to building a business, this episode will help you take the next step with clarity and confidence. 🎉Let’s work together!! MASTERMIND 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program)Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue form $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensiveOpen to ALL consultants at ALL levels. Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect! 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow/Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.
ARE YOU RIDING THE REFERRAL ROLLER COASTER? Listen in to hear how Impact Collective Mastermind member Jennifer Hunter of Gensyn Design turned a stop-and-start project pipeline into a multi-year contract that stabilized the business. Her next step was to narrow here services menu to a focused Strategic Planning offer that fuels steady growth. IN THIS EPISODE I sit down with Jennifer to unpack: why word-of-mouth alone stopped moving the needle the negotiation moves that expanded one conversation into a multi-year partnership with a foundation she loves the clarity and breathing room that came from trimming a crowded service menu to one signature offer how the mastermind program accelerates each step with real-time feedback while increasing her business acumen You’ll hear the mindset shifts, practical steps, and quick wins that followed. If you have been juggling multiple services and craving predictable revenue, Jennifer’s story will spark ideas you can use right away. Press play to discover what happens when focused vision meets confident negotiation. Then tell me on LinkedIn—what will be your next move toward stability and scale? Connect with Jennifer: LinkedIn Gensyn Design Website 🎉Let’s work together!! MASTERMIND 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue from $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive Open to ALL consultants at ALL levels. Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!Tell me you listen to the podcast. 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow/Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.
LinkedIn strategist Sara Royf joins me to share her Relationship-First DM Strategy: an active, conversation-driven approach that replaces content overwhelm and referral 🍀luck with steady pipeline growth. If you want genuine outreach that feels good and lands clients, this episode serves up the mindset shift and practical tips you’ve been missing. CONNECT WITH SARA ROYF: • Website • LinkedIn 🎉Let’s work together!! MASTERMIND 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue from $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive Open to ALL consultants at ALL levels. Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!Tell me you listen to the podcast. 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow/Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.
ARE YOU STUCK AT CAPACITY BECAUSE YOU OFFER “A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING”? Listen in to hear how Frances Rowen of Fundraising Sol ditched the buffet of fundraising services, zeroed in on capital campaigns, and created a business that can scale. IN THIS EPISODE I sit down with Impact Collective Mastermind member Frances Roen to unpack: the aha moment that pushed her from generalist to go-to capital-campaign expert the unexpected freedom that comes from one focused offer the role our mastermind plays in speeding up results You’ll hear the mindset shifts, the practical steps, and the quick wins that followed. If you’ve been flirting with a niche but worry it’s too risky, Frances’s story will inspire you. Press play to find out what happens when clarity meets courage. Then share your biggest takeaway with me on LinkedIn—I’d love to know which part sparks your next move or provides confidence in what you are already focusing on. CONNECT WITH FRANCES: Linked In Fundraising Sol Website 🎉Let’s work together!! MASTERMIND 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program) Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue from $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive Open to ALL consultants at ALL levels. Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect!Tell me you listen to the podcast. 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow/Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.
If you’re feeling the pressure to bring in more work, you’re not alone. And you’re not doing anything wrong. But your next move matters. In this episode, I walk you through what to do when your consulting pipeline slows down, how to rebuild momentum, and how to avoid this cycle in the future. Whether you’ve been heads down with client work or focused on hiring, this is your reminder to shift back into proactive business development. If your pipeline has been quiet lately, this episode will give you a clear plan to get it moving again. Mentioned: Episode 3: Positioning Your Consulting Business Episode 48: Stop Waiting for Referrals — The Dream 15 Strategy 🎉Let’s work together!! MASTERMIND 🔗 Apply to Join the Impact💫Collective Mastermind (12-month program)Next enrollments: September 2025 | January 2026 For experienced nonprofit consultants with revenue form $200K to $1M, who want to build an enduring business! 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensiveOpen to ALL consultants at ALL levels. Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect! 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow/Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.
Feeling stuck as you push past $200K toward $1M in annual revenue? This episode uncovers the recurring focus areas that will keep your business moving forward in that messy middle phase. In this episode, I break down the critical areas every consultant needs to revisit as they scale their business and share client stories and strategies to help you make progress. Episodes Referenced Episode 3: Deep dive on positioning, specialize by what you do and niche by who you do it for Episode 24: Sales strategies for nonprofit consultants Episode 29 through 32: Micro positions, the five team-member roles, and all things hiring and team building Episode 45 through 48: Conversations, sales growth, and the proposal process Episode 50: Christine Schweitzer’s journey streamlining her grant consulting offer Listen to This is Working podcast hosted by Daniel Roth to hear from other leaders RESROUCES AND NEXT STEPS Revisit any of the above episodes for deeper guidance on the area you need next Ready for personalized support? 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive Resources: 🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist (12-month program) Next enrollment: September 2025 | January 2026 🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect! 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow & Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode. Learn more at NatalieMBA.com
Does delegating still feel risky? Hear how Public Health Consultant and Qualitative Research expert, Dr. Andrea Mantsios, moved from doing every task herself to leading a growing team. She also shares how navigated this unprecendented and extremely challenging time for the Public Health sector. In this “Client Success” episode you’ll learn: Why Andrea’s first shifted her mindset around help The simple exercise she used to decide what to hand off first How following our hiring course freed up billable hours The systems she installed so quality improved as the team grew The one metric she now tracks weekly to stay in CEO model I also ask her perspective of first working with me 1:1 and now inside the Impact Collective Mastermind. Connect with Andrea LinkedIn (tell her you heard her episode) Website (PHIA Consulting) Connect with NatalieLinkedIn (tell me you're a podcast listener) Website Other Episodes Mentioned (apple links) 5: From Accidental Consultant to Leading a Team of 6 with Rachel Cahill 12: The Power of Specializing with Leah Roman Let's Work Together! 📍If you’re earning $200K to $800K and ready for strategic support with your growth and to be part of a curated community of experienced consultants, please apply to my Impact💫Collective Mastermind Program. Doors open 2x's a year for new members to enroll in September and January. (all genders welcome) Apply here Need immediate assistance: • Book a 90-Minute Intensive (intensives are open to all levels of consultants)
If you’ve ever asked, “What kind of support do I actually need right now?” you’re not alone. In this episode, I walk through the key differences between coaching, courses, masterminds, and membership sites. You’ll learn how to choose what fits your business stage, learning style, and goals as a nonprofit consultant. Here’s what to expect: • When 1:1 coaching, group coaching, or subcontracting makes the most sense • Why I don’t recommend masterminds for beginners, and when they truly work • The difference between learning and implementing • How to think about ROI in three ways: immediate, compounding, and future • Why sometimes the smartest investment isn’t a program at all You don’t need more noise. You need support that fits. 📍If you’re earning $200K to $800K and ready for strategic support with your growth, please apply to my Impact💫Collective Mastermind Program. Doors open 2x's a year for new members to enroll in September and January. Apply here Need immediate assistance: • Book a 90-Minute Intensive (intensives are open to all levels of consultants) DM me on LinkedIn and let me know you are a podcast listener! https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieeckdahl/ For more resources and ways I can support you visit NatalieMBA.com.
Ready to trade busywork for revenue-boosting conversations? Hit play to discover what a mastermind really is, where the idea first took shape, and what today’s research says about its power. I also help you determine whether your smartest next move is building your own circle or joining one led by a seasoned coach-facilitator. NEXT STEPS Want in before my October Charleston retreat? Apply now to the Impact Collective Mastermind Program accepted summer applicants receive bonus mastermind-prep resources the moment they commit. Have an urgent challenge? Book an Intensive and get clarity in 90 minutes. Listen to Episode 49: Inside The Impact Collective Retreat to hear about our February retreat in San Diego. (apple link) Other Resources: Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill Benjamin Franklin: An American Life – Walter Isaacson Harvard Business Review – “The Power of Peer Groups for CEOs” (March 2024) Vistage × Ohio State University – “CEO Confidence & Growth Study” (2023 PDF) Visit: NatalieMBA.com for more information.
Worried that growth has stalled for nonprofit consultants this year? After analyzing my clients whose businesses are growing, I'm sharing what is working right now. Links & Resources Book a 90-Minute Intensive ($997) – the fastest on-ramp to these shifts NatalieMBA.com/intensive Follow me on LinkedIn for daily tips and conversation Learn the Dream 15 outreach method in “Stop Waiting” (Ep 48) Impact Collective Mastermind – next cohort forms in September; retreat in Charleston, SC, October 2025 **open to all genders! Join the converation on LinkedIn for this episode Visit NatalieMBA.com for any other questions.
If your consulting business is feeling the ripple effects of canceled projects, stalled funding, or client uncertainty, you’re not alone. In this episode, I share how to stay resilient during hard times, drawing on real client wins, business cycles, and lessons from the pandemic. We’ll talk about mindset, emergency funds, pivoting your messaging, and staying grounded in your numbers. There are still opportunities...let’s make sure you’re positioned to find them. Mentioned in this episode: 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive Resources: 🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist (12-month program) Next enrollment: September 2025 | January 2026 🔗 Work with me 1:1 (six-month program) 🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect! 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow & Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.
If the idea of “selling” makes you cringe or even hestiate, you’re not alone. For many nonprofit consultants, sales feels out of step with your mission—even though your business depends on it. But what if selling wasn’t about pressure or persuasion? What if it was simply about making it easier for the right people to say yes? In this episode, I’ll walk you through a powerful reframe that will shift how you think about sales conversations. Whether you avoid follow-ups, downplay your value, or rely entirely on referrals, this mindset shift will help you step more confidently into your role as a leader—and open the door to more aligned client relationships. Mentioned in this episode: 📌 Book a 90-Minute Intensive: NatalieMBA.com/intensive Resources: 🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist (12-month program) Next enrollment: September 2025 | January 2026 🔗 Work with me 1:1 (six-month program) 🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re thinking about joining the next mastermind or just want to connect! 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow & Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.
Kel Haney was doing a little bit of everything: directing theater, consulting non profits, coaching others, and it left her burned out and unsure of how to grow. But everything changed when she made the decision to specialize in mid-level donor fundraising. In this episode, Kel shares how focusing on the work she does best helped her build a thriving, fully booked fundraising business. We talk about the clarity and momentum that came with refining her services, why mid-level donor strategies are often overlooked, and how this specialization allowed her to scale with more ease and impact. If you’re feeling spread too thin or unsure how to grow, Kel’s story is a powerful example of what’s possible when you align your business with your zone of genius. Mentioned in this episode: Kel Haney’s Website Kel on LinkedIn Book: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks Resources: 🔗 BOOK A ONE TIME COACHING SESSION (90 minutes) Let's tighten your positioining so you can get fully booked. Includes a workshop to complete before our call so we can make the most of our time together. 🔗 Join the Impact Collective Mastermind Waitlist (12-month program) Next enrollment: September 2025 | January 2026 🔗 Work with me 1:1 (six-month program) 🔗 See Impact Collective retreat photos Connect With Me: 📩 DM me on LinkedIn if you’re considering working with me or just want to connect! 💛 Enjoy the episode? Follow & Subscribe to The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants so you never miss an episode.