The Smart Gets Paid Podcast

How do you make more money without taking on more and burning out? That's the question we tackle in this episode as Leah sits down with Brynne Krispin. Join us as Brynne shares her transformative journey of turning her business from burnout to spaciousness, where she works with fewer clients, earns more revenue, and cherishes more time with her son. Get ready to be inspired by Brynne's success story! --- When you're ready to break through to the next revenue level in your consulting business, here are three ways I can help you.   1. Connect with me on LinkedIn for weekly insights on landing better clients and charging for the value you deliver.   2. Get your copy of my Referrals on Repeat guide, and learn five strategies you can implement straight away to take control of the referral process and attract more of the right inquiries – no more sitting around hoping they'll happen. Get your free copy at smartgetspaid.com/referrals   3. Build a repeatable sales and marketing system that gets you better clients, better rates, and less stress in your consulting business. If you're ready to stop leaving your success to chance, learn the proven system women consultants are using to attract ideal clients consistently and get paid for their value. Plus, you'll get help from me and my team every step of the way. If you've been in business for at least two years, you're making at least $120k, and you want to implement a system that's designed specifically for B2B consulting businesses, email team@smartgetspaid.com with "BREAKTHROUGH" in the subject line and I'll get you the details.

A client asks for something small - a quick deliverable, perhaps. But you see the bigger problem they’re really trying to solve. What do you do? In this episode, Leah talks with a consultant who’s learning how to turn tactical requests into strategic engagements. You’ll hear how to reframe the ask, guide the conversation, position yourself as the expert your clients truly need, and sell in more strategic work. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

After selling her company and launching a new consulting business, Joanne Sonenshine found herself burned out, undercharging, and putting others first. In this episode, she shares how she reclaimed her confidence, started valuing her work, and built a business that supports her life. It’s a powerful look at what happens when you finally put yourself first, even in mission-driven work. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn   → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

What happens when a stay-at-home mom (Leah's Mom, in fact!) goes back to school at 37 and completely rewrites her career and her confidence? In this special episode, Leah talks with her mom, Julie Neaderthal, about ambition, reinvention, and the ripple effect of showing up. Whether you knew your purpose early on or you found yours later, this one will stick with you.   Connect with Leah on LinkedIn   → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

In this episode, we shift our focus to the early stages of consulting business - the startup phase. If you're in the first two years or even just starting out, this is for you. We examine the differences between the "messy middle" and the startup phase, providing insights, reassurance, and specific strategies for those navigating this critical stage. Whether you're feeling lost, behind, or unsure.. or having great momentum and want to keep up your success... this episode will guide and empower you through the unique challenges of the startup phase. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

When Alli Myatt’s business partner left their consulting firm, Alli faced a challenge she never expected: having to get clients all on her own. In this episode, Alli shares how she went from relying on a partner to mastering business development herself. She talks about the mindset shifts, strategies, and lessons that helped her build a thriving business, without a safety net. If you've ever wondered how to grow your business when you’re the only one selling, this conversation is for you. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.  

With everything going on, clients are starting to hesitate, budgets are starting to shrink, and getting work sold in is getting harder. So what now? In this episode, Leah coaches two consultants who just lost three proposals they thought were a slam dunk. Listen in as they unpack what’s really happening, what to do when clients start pulling back, and how to keep winning work even when the economy is a mess. If you’re worried about getting clients right now, you need this episode. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

As you reach new revenue milestones in your business, who do you need to BECOME? As a business owner, as a leader, and as a person? In this episode, Leah chats with business coach Jessica Fearnley, about essential shifts in leadership and mindset required to navigate the complexities of growth in later stages of your consulting business. With this leadership and mindset shifts, you'll be able to grow as a business owner, weather challenges, and thrive as your business grows.   → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

Many consultants find themselves subcontracting to other agencies. But what happens when they want to stop subcontracting and start getting their own clients? In this episode, Leah talks to Anna Schardt Baker, who successfully made that transition. You'll hear the moment she realized she wanted to get away from subcontracting, how she got her own consulting clients, and what this shift has allowed her to do as a business owner. Get ready for a candid conversation filled with insights, tips, and Anna's real-world experiences you can use on your consulting journey. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.    

What can you do TODAY to get consulting clients? In this episode you'll learn three key strategies to help you communicate your value effectively, attract clients, and help clients say yes. From mastering client communication to defining clear and compelling client offers using the ETSY (Easy To Say Yes) Framework, tune into this episode and learn actionable tools to build and nurture your client pipeline, position your work for value, and create services your clients can say yes to.   Connect with Leah on LinkedIn   → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

Marketing your consulting business can feel like a chore. But it doesn't have to. Join Leah and marketing specialist, Darby Days, in a candid conversation about The 5 Mindset Shifts That Make Marketing Easier. Learn how to apply lessons from Nike and Oprah to your consulting business, how to stand out on LinkedIn amidst the noise, and how to make marketing more fun. Whether you're struggling to get started or need some new ideas, this episode will help you market your consulting business with more ease and fun. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn   → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.  

Have you ever worried that if you do marketing or business development, you'll get too busy with client work? It's FOCO, fear of client overwhelm, and it's a really common fear among women consultants. In this episode, Leah illustrates why business development doesn't lead to FOCO, and how to structure your business development time so you're not overwhelmed. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.  

What happens when your income is mostly reliant on one client... and that client cancels their contract? Enter the world of fractional HR consultant Cara Barnes, who faced this exact situation. Join us in this episode as we share the remarkable journey of how Cara transformed her business from depending on a single client to nurturing a diverse client base. Discover the steps she took to secure her income and build financial security into her business, and learn what you can do to build security into your business as well. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

Discover the unfiltered truth every consultant needs to hear, as Leah delivers a raw and honest pep talk. In this episode, she confronts hard realities, shares practical strategies, and offers actionable steps to propel your business forward, so you can stop stalling and start succeeding. Tune in for invaluable insights and a roadmap to a profitable and fulfilling year ahead. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

What happens when you go from taking consulting projects here and there, to building your business with intention? That's the journey that leadership consultant Beth Messich is sharing in this episode. Join us as Beth Messich shares how she decided to go from from casual consulting gigs to intentional entrepreneurship. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

How do you run a successful business, when your brain works a little differently? That's the question we're diving into today with Latrice Prater, founder of the Digital Solutions Team and advocate for women business owners with ADHD. We explore how Latrice Prater has leveraged her ADHD to shape her work approach and business strategies, the transformative impact ADHD has had on Latrice's journey to building a successful consultancy, and you'll gain valuable insights into making your business work the way your brain works. Whether you have ADD/ADHD or simply looking to better understand those around you, tune in for a unique perspective on thriving with ADHD in the consulting industry. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

Do you ever wonder if you're working on the right things in your consulting business? You're not alone. In this episode of The Smart Gets Paid Podcast, join Leah in conversation with leadership coach and consultant Laura Eigel, as she shares her journey from struggling with mismatched business advice to building a thriving B2B consulting practice. You'll discover why so many of those "must-do" tactics often fail for B2B consulting, how to transition your business development to attract corporate clients, and the right way to scale a consulting practice. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.  

Ever feel like the sales process is a jungle? In this episode, Leah and her client dive into practical tools for navigating the twists and turns of selling in consulting work. You'll learn strategies for taking control, guiding prospects with confidence, and leading the process to a successful close. Tune in to gain insights on managing each stage of the journey and turning challenges into clear paths toward the win. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

In this episode, Leah is joined by attorney Amanda Moncada-Perkins as she shares her journey of blood, sweat, and tears in building her business, only to see things take an unexpected turn. Learn how Amanda's resilience and determination led her towards a new direction, filled with hard work and redemption. The lessons Amanda shares are a raw and inspiring reminder of what can happen when you give it your all. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.

In this episode, Leah is exploring the systems that can take your consulting business to the next level—without the chaos. If you’re still juggling business development and follow-ups in spreadsheets or sticky notes, it’s time to talk about why you need a CRM. Learn how the right tools can streamline your workflow, nurture client relationships, and help you scale smarter. Whether you’re just starting or leveling up, this episode will show you how to stop letting business slip through the cracks and start running things like a pro. Connect with Leah on LinkedIn → Get Higher-Paying Consulting Clients: If you’re a woman running a consulting business, learn how you can get paid more for your consulting contracts and attract more of the right kinds of clients at smartgetspaid.com.