When Performance Pay ACTUALLY Works (And When It Fails)

Want to learn how we can help you grow your consulting business? Schedule your free Growth Session Call today!  www.consultingsuccess.com/growMentioned in this episode:Double Your Revenue & Gain Control with Clarity 2.0's Proven Growth System.Stop grinding and start leading. Clarity 2.0 is more than coaching; it's an ROI-verified Growth System built for consultants. Gain personalized coaching, proven frameworks, and intelligent AI-powered tools to accelerate your learning. Discover how to attract ideal clients, command premium fees, and build confidence. Over 1,000 consultants have already transformed their businesses. Learn how to intentionally lead your growth. Book your Growth Session Call: www.consultingsuccess.com/grow

Reaching a million-dollar net worth is a significant achievement, but finance expert Nick Maggiulli argues it can be a "dangerously misleading" milestone, creating a false sense of security. He joins Michael to reveal why your next financial moves are far more crucial than your last. Drawing on extensive data, Nick uncovers the surprising realities of wealth accumulation, highlighting the critical role of business ownership, strategic decision-making, and long-term consistency. If you’re a business owner aiming for true financial independence, Nick offers a fresh perspective and a practical roadmap for the journey from $1 million to $10 million and beyond.In this episode, you will learn about:Why a million-dollar net worth can be a misleading financial milestone.The six distinct levels of the "wealth ladder" and how financial strategies must adapt at each stage.The surprising math behind the journey from $1 million to $10 million for wage earners versus business owners.Why business equity and entrepreneurship are the primary drivers of extreme wealth.The "1% rule" framework for evaluating new income opportunities and prioritizing high-value clients.How to strategically approach selling your business, avoiding forced sales and planning backward from your idealized life.Key financial and business metrics to benchmark your progress on the wealth ladder.The immense power of compounding, consistency, and outlasting your peers in building wealth.How to navigate the AI era by identifying automation-resilient business opportunities.Understanding inflation and the "4% (or 5%) rule" for sustainable long-term financial security.Welcome to the Consulting Success podcast. I'm your host Michael Zipursky, and in this podcast, we're going to dive deep into the world of elite consultants where you're going to learn the strategies, tactics and mindset to grow a highly profitable and successful consulting business.Before we dive into today's episode. Are you ready to grow and take your consulting business to the next level? Many of the clients that we work with started as podcast listeners just like you, and a consistent theme they have shared with us is that they wished they had reached out sooner about our Clarity Coaching Program rather than waiting for that perfect time. If you're interested in learning more about how we help consultants just like you, we're offering a free, no pressure growth session call. On this call, we're going to dive deep into your goals, challenges and situation and outline a plan that is tailor made just for you. We will also help you identify where you may be making costly and time consuming mistakes to ensure you're benefiting from the proven methods and strategies to grow your consulting business. So don't wait years to find clarity. If you're committed and serious about reaching a new level of success in your consulting business, go ahead and schedule your free growth session. Get in touch today. Just visit Consulting Success - Grow to book your free call today.Nick Maggiulli is the creator of ‘Of Dollars And Data’ and COO at Ritholtz Wealth Management. He started blogging in 2017 as a New Year's Resolution, combining his passion for personal finance with data-driven insights. This journey led to his role at Ritholtz and the release of his bestselling book, Just Keep Buying, which has sold over 100,000 copies globally, and his latest...

Want to learn how we can help you grow your consulting business? Schedule your free Growth Session Call today!  www.consultingsuccess.com/grow

What happens when your perfectly timed, booming consulting niche suddenly goes bust? Dr. Sherry Boodram and Dr. Lucas McCann, co-founders of the cannabis consulting firm CannDelta, join Michael to share their incredible journey of navigating a volatile industry. They launched their firm from a kitchen table during the "green rush" of Canadian cannabis legalization, quickly growing to a profitable, 20-person team with phones ringing off the hook. But when the market cooled and the inbound leads dried up, they were forced to make a bold choice: adapt or die.Sherry and Lucas detail their strategic and risky pivot into the complex, state-by-state U.S. market. They reveal the multi-channel marketing machine they built from scratch to overcome the "buy local" bias - from a complete rebrand and "boots on the ground" presence to a sophisticated content and SEO strategy. Tune in now for a masterclass in resilience, strategic risk-taking, and building a thriving firm by knowing exactly when and how to pivot.In this episode, you will learn about:Launching and scaling a firm in a brand-new, rapidly growing industry.Recognizing the early warning signs of a market downturn.The strategic pivot from a national market to a complex international one.Overcoming the "buy local" bias when expanding into a new country.Building a multi-channel client acquisition strategy from scratch.The high ROI of a "boots on the ground" and in-person event strategy.Combining SEO, content marketing, and strategic partnerships to generate leads.Why taking calculated financial risks is essential for long-term survival.Navigating complex, multi-layered regulatory and compliance challenges.The role of fitness and a resilient mindset in entrepreneurial success.Welcome to the Consulting Success podcast. I'm your host Michael Zipursky, and in this podcast, we're going to dive deep into the world of elite consultants where you're going to learn the strategies, tactics and mindset to grow a highly profitable and successful consulting business.Before we dive into today's episode. Are you ready to grow and take your consulting business to the next level? Many of the clients that we work with started as podcast listeners just like you, and a consistent theme they have shared with us is that they wished they had reached out sooner about our Clarity Coaching Program rather than waiting for that perfect time. If you're interested in learning more about how we help consultants just like you, we're offering a free, no pressure growth session call. On this call, we're going to dive deep into your goals, challenges and situation and outline a plan that is tailor made just for you. We will also help you identify where you may be making costly and time consuming mistakes to ensure you're benefiting from the proven methods and strategies to grow your consulting business. So don't wait years to find clarity. If you're committed and serious about reaching a new level of success in your consulting business, go ahead and schedule your free growth session. Get in touch today. Just visit Consulting Success - Grow to book your free call today.Mentioned in this episode:Get Expert Insights into Your Consulting Business: Claim Your FREE Growth Session Now!Want to get personalized feedback and actionable insights on your consulting business from seasoned experts who've been in your shoes? The...

Want to learn how we can help you grow your consulting business? Schedule your free Growth Session Call today!  www.consultingsuccess.com/growMentioned in this episode:Get Expert Insights into Your Consulting Business: Claim Your FREE Growth Session Now!Want to get personalized feedback and actionable insights on your consulting business from seasoned experts who've been in your shoes? The Consulting Success Clarity Coaching Program offers just that, and you can experience a taste of it with a FREE, no-obligation Growth Session. On this call, you'll explore how to optimize your business model, refine your messaging, and build a predictable stream of high-value clients. https://www.consultingsuccess.com/coaching-for-consultantsDouble Your Revenue & Gain Control with Clarity 2.0's Proven Growth System.Stop grinding and start leading. Clarity 2.0 is more than coaching; it's an ROI-verified Growth System built for consultants. Gain personalized coaching, proven frameworks, and intelligent AI-powered tools to accelerate your learning. Discover how to attract ideal clients, command premium fees, and build confidence. Over 1,000 consultants have already transformed their businesses. Learn how to intentionally lead your growth. Book your Growth Session Call: www.consultingsuccess.com/grow

Is your firm's growth strategy inadvertently creating more complexity and less value? David C. Baker, Practice Lead, Advisory Services at Punctuation, and leading expert in strategy and M&A, joins Michael today to challenge conventional wisdom and reveal the fact that fear of insufficient work often dilutes positioning, turning specialists into undifferentiated generalists.David dissects firm growth, the generalist/specialist paradox, and effective marketing, and explains why truly insightful marketing, distinct from mere content, must offer a clear, research-backed, and memorable point of view. He shares his rebranding journey to Punctuation, the impetus for his new M&A book, and current M&A trends favoring sellers. David also offers a pragmatic view on AI, emphasizing its role in enabling better, not just faster, work. Tune in now and learn the critical factors enhancing a firm's sellability and overall health.In this episode, you will learn about:Fear of insufficient work as the biggest positioning obstacle.Generalist versus specialist firm dynamics and evolution.Distinguishing insightful from standard content marketing.Strategic publishing for impactful, resonant messages.Current M&A trends, including a seller's market.Key factors for higher valuations: profit, process, team.Optimizing client concentration and recurring revenue.David's "Sellability Index" for firm valuation.Challenging the "always growing" expectation for fulfillment.Leveraging AI for research and strategy as an opportunity.Welcome to the Consulting Success podcast. I'm your host Michael Zipursky, and in this podcast, we're going to dive deep into the world of elite consultants where you're going to learn the strategies, tactics and mindset to grow a highly profitable and successful consulting business.Before we dive into today's episode. Are you ready to grow and take your consulting business to the next level? Many of the clients that we work with started as podcast listeners just like you, and a consistent theme they have shared with us is that they wished they had reached out sooner about our Clarity Coaching Program rather than waiting for that perfect time. If you're interested in learning more about how we help consultants just like you, we're offering a free, no pressure growth session call. On this call, we're going to dive deep into your goals, challenges and situation and outline a plan that is tailor made just for you. We will also help you identify where you may be making costly and time consuming mistakes to ensure you're benefiting from the proven methods and strategies to grow your consulting business. So don't wait years to find clarity. If you're committed and serious about reaching a new level of success in your consulting business, go ahead and schedule your free growth session. Get in touch today. Just visit Consulting Success - Grow to book your free call today.Mentioned in this episode:Double Your Revenue & Gain Control with Clarity 2.0's Proven Growth System.Stop grinding and start leading. Clarity 2.0 is more than coaching; it's an ROI-verified Growth System built for consultants. Gain personalized coaching, proven frameworks, and intelligent AI-powered tools to accelerate your learning. Discover how to attract ideal clients, command premium fees, and build confidence. Over 1,000 consultants have already...

Want to learn how we can help you grow your consulting business? Schedule your free Growth Session Call today!  www.consultingsuccess.com/growMentioned in this episode:Double Your Revenue & Gain Control with Clarity 2.0's Proven Growth System.Stop grinding and start leading. Clarity 2.0 is more than coaching; it's an ROI-verified Growth System built for consultants. Gain personalized coaching, proven frameworks, and intelligent AI-powered tools to accelerate your learning. Discover how to attract ideal clients, command premium fees, and build confidence. Over 1,000 consultants have already transformed their businesses. Learn how to intentionally lead your growth. Book your Growth Session Call: www.consultingsuccess.com/growGet Expert Insights into Your Consulting Business: Claim Your FREE Growth Session Now!Want to get personalized feedback and actionable insights on your consulting business from seasoned experts who've been in your shoes? The Consulting Success Clarity Coaching Program offers just that, and you can experience a taste of it with a FREE, no-obligation Growth Session. On this call, you'll explore how to optimize your business model, refine your messaging, and build a predictable stream of high-value clients. https://www.consultingsuccess.com/coaching-for-consultants

What if the relentless pursuit of growth is actually making your business more complex and less profitable? This week, Michael is joined by Blair Enns, founder of Win Without Pitching and author of The Four Conversations, who returns to the podcast to share how his business has evolved since 2018. Blair reveals how a forced pivot to online training during the pandemic led to significant growth, but also to a profound realization: bigger isn't always better. He explains his counterintuitive decision to stop chasing scale and instead re-engineer his business for simplicity, profitability, and personal fulfillment, a process that involved reducing complexity and empowering a team of coaches to take over training delivery.Blair gets into the nuts and bolts of his powerful sales philosophy, which is built on the idea that experts should stop acting like salespeople and start showing up as the discerning, in-demand advisors they truly are. He walks through his "Four Conversations" model, a framework designed to move prospects from vendor to expert, qualify opportunities, establish value, and close deals without resorting to traditional pitching. Blair also shares his strong opinion on the common trap of "moving down market" by creating lower-priced offerings, explaining why this strategy almost always fails for consultants. Finally, he offers a grounded, practical perspective on AI, detailing how he's building a "Blair Bot" to support his business while being brutally honest about the technology's current limitations.In this episode, you will learn about:The single biggest mistake experts make in sales conversations.Why the most important "conversation" happens before you ever speak to a prospect.How to scale a service business with a team of coaches without sacrificing quality.The philosophical shift from chasing revenue to embracing "continuous growth."The Four Conversations model for a more authentic and effective sales process.The common trap of "moving down market" and why it rarely works.How to leverage AI as a powerful tool while understanding its limitations.Welcome to the Consulting Success podcast. I'm your host Michael Zipursky, and in this podcast, we're going to dive deep into the world of elite consultants where you're going to learn the strategies, tactics and mindset to grow a highly profitable and successful consulting business.Before we dive into today's episode. Are you ready to grow and take your consulting business to the next level? Many of the clients that we work with started as podcast listeners just like you, and a consistent theme they have shared with us is that they wished they had reached out sooner about our Clarity Coaching Program rather than waiting for that perfect time. If you're interested in learning more about how we help consultants just like you, we're offering a free, no pressure growth session call. On this call, we're going to dive deep into your goals, challenges and situation and outline a plan that is tailor made just for you. We will also help you identify where you may be making costly and time consuming mistakes to ensure you're benefiting from the proven methods and strategies to grow your consulting business. So don't wait years to find clarity. If you're committed and serious about reaching a new level of success in your consulting business, go ahead and schedule your free growth session. Get in touch today. Just visit Consulting Success - Grow to book your free call today.Blair Enns is...

Want to learn how we can help you grow your consulting business? Schedule your free Growth Session Call today!  www.consultingsuccess.com/growMentioned in this episode:Get Expert Insights into Your Consulting Business: Claim Your FREE Growth Session Now!Want to get personalized feedback and actionable insights on your consulting business from seasoned experts who've been in your shoes? The Consulting Success Clarity Coaching Program offers just that, and you can experience a taste of it with a FREE, no-obligation Growth Session. On this call, you'll explore how to optimize your business model, refine your messaging, and build a predictable stream of high-value clients. https://www.consultingsuccess.com/coaching-for-consultantsDouble Your Revenue & Gain Control with Clarity 2.0's Proven Growth System.Stop grinding and start leading. Clarity 2.0 is more than coaching; it's an ROI-verified Growth System built for consultants. Gain personalized coaching, proven frameworks, and intelligent AI-powered tools to accelerate your learning. Discover how to attract ideal clients, command premium fees, and build confidence. Over 1,000 consultants have already transformed their businesses. Learn how to intentionally lead your growth. Book your Growth Session Call: www.consultingsuccess.com/grow

What if the key to explosive growth isn't finding new clients, but delighting the ones you've already got? This week, Michael is joined by Vance Morris, President and Chief Experience Officer at Deliver Service Now institute, who has reverse-engineered the magic of Disney to create what he calls a "Loyalty Profit Engine." Vance shares his unconventional journey from working at Disney to building a portfolio of highly profitable (and seemingly "boring") home service businesses. He reveals how the success of these companies, built on a foundation of unforgettable customer experience, led him to his true calling: teaching other business owners how to master the art of client retention.Vance gets into the nuts and bolts of his retention system, revealing why he believes a tangible, print newsletter is far more powerful than any email campaign. He details the specific, intentional touchpoints he uses to create deep emotional connections - from sending curated articles via FedEx to giving meaningful gifts that keep him top-of-mind long after a project is complete. He argues that the key is to be systematic and personal, creating "tellable" moments that not only retain clients but also turn them into a powerful source of word-of-mouth referrals. Vance also shares a powerful case study of a dentist who transformed her practice by niching down and creating a "pirate" persona, proving that a remarkable client experience is the ultimate competitive advantage.In this episode, you will learn about:The single most important mindset shift for client retention.How to build your own "Loyalty Profit Engine" with tangible touchpoints.Why a print newsletter can be your most powerful marketing tool.The surprising power of sharing personal stories to build client loyalty.How niching down unlocks premium pricing and higher retention.How to create meaningful client gifts that reinforce your value.The steps to systematize your business so you can remove yourself from daily operations.Mentioned in this episode:Get Expert Insights into Your Consulting Business: Claim Your FREE Growth Session Now!Want to get personalized feedback and actionable insights on your consulting business from seasoned experts who've been in your shoes? The Consulting Success Clarity Coaching Program offers just that, and you can experience a taste of it with a FREE, no-obligation Growth Session. On this call, you'll explore how to optimize your business model, refine your messaging, and build a predictable stream of high-value clients. https://www.consultingsuccess.com/coaching-for-consultantsDouble Your Revenue & Gain Control with Clarity 2.0's Proven Growth System.Stop grinding and start leading. Clarity 2.0 is more than coaching; it's an ROI-verified Growth System built for consultants. Gain personalized coaching, proven frameworks, and intelligent AI-powered tools to accelerate your learning. Discover how to attract ideal clients, command premium fees, and build confidence. Over 1,000 consultants have already transformed their businesses. Learn how to intentionally lead your growth. Book your Growth Session Call: www.consultingsuccess.com/grow