Logo
Grow Your Independent Consulting Business

Independent Consulting Business Retreats, Productizing, Mid-Funnel Focus, and More with Claire Elvers | Ep. 215

· Summarized

Listen in Apple Podcasts Pocket Casts Castro
Share this episode
Anyone with this link can open it.
Share Link
Start at 0:00

Key takeaways

  • Host a corporate retreat to reflect on your business, identify your goals, and strategize for future growth.
  • Mid-funnel strategy is crucial; building relationships and nurturing leads can significantly impact the growth of your consulting business.
  • Productizing your services allows for scalability and can lead to greater client engagement and satisfaction.
  • Your journey as an independent consultant may not be linear; embrace the unpredictability and be open to discovering your niche.
  • Understanding and clarifying your 'why' is essential to drive your business forward and maintain motivation during challenging times.
  • Maintain and nurture your network, as these relationships can provide valuable insights and opportunities in your consulting career.

Summary

Introduction to Corporate Retreats for Solopreneurs

In this episode of the podcast, Melissa Lieberman introduces industry professional Claire Elvers, who shares her insights on facilitating a corporate retreat for a solo consulting business. Claire emphasizes the importance of taking dedicated time away from daily tasks to reflect on business strategies and personal goals. The discussion revolves around how such retreats can be transformative, providing clarity and direction for independent consultants.

The Importance of Mid-Funnel Strategy

Claire discusses the often overlooked concept of mid-funnel strategy in consulting. Melissa and Claire delve into why many consultants focus primarily on client work rather than nurturing leads that are within the mid-funnel. They emphasize that building relationships and effective communication during this stage is crucial for maintaining momentum and creating more opportunities.

Productizing Services for Growth

Claire shares her journey of productizing her expertise, describing it as a transformative process that facilitates easier client engagements. By developing structured offerings and training programs, she can leverage her skills for greater impact and reach. This conversion from service-based to product-based offerings not only enhances her brand but also fulfills an essential market need.

The Journey into Independent Consulting

During the conversation, Claire recounts her non-linear path to becoming an independent consultant. She reflects on her experience transitioning from a corporate background and the pivotal moments that led her to pursue entrepreneurship. This segment highlights the idea that many independent consultants enter the field through an exploratory mindset, gradually discovering their passion and niche along the way.

Key Strategies and Mindset Shifts

The latter part of the episode focuses on the mindset shifts crucial for success as an independent consultant. Claire emphasizes the significance of knowing your 'why' and aligning business activities with personal motivations. She encourages listeners to embrace the iterative nature of business, conveying the idea that continuous follow-through and being adaptable can lead to lasting success.

Connecting and Leveraging Your Network

Claire concludes with advice on maintaining and cultivating connections within one’s network. She underscores the importance of relationships in consulting, not just for securing work but also for gaining fresh perspectives and insights. The conversation encourages independent consultants to regularly engage with their network to foster collaboration and innovation.

Sponsors

  • Melissa Lieberman · Download The Independent Consultant's Corporate Retreat Checklist
  • Melissa Lieberman · Apply for a Coaching Exploratory call
  • Melissa Lieberman · Get Melisa’s Book
  • Melissa Lieberman · Visit with Melisa’s Website

Show notes

What if you could run a corporate retreat... for a company of one? 

That’s exactly what independent consultant and brand strategist Claire Elvers did. In this episode, Claire joins Melisa to share why she carved out the time and space to take her business offline — and what she learned from zooming out.

This conversation is packed with real talk about the real work of running a consulting business:

  • Facilitating a productive, impactful retreat for your solo consulting business,
  • Why consultants often neglect mid-funnel strategy (and the impact of doing so), 
  • How to create more leverage without hiring a team, and 
  • How to stay focused on building a business — not just delivering client work.

Claire also opens up about her non-linear path into independent consulting, how she made her first project happen, and why productizing her expertise has become a game-changer for her growth and freedom.

Whether you’ve been thinking about taking yourself “offsite,” or you’re stuck in the weeds and need to see your business with fresh eyes, this episode will challenge you to think like a business owner — not just a service provider.

Tune in to Episode 215 for practical insights and peer-level perspective on building an independent consulting business that reflects your goals and plays to your strengths.

Timestamps for Key Moments

  • [08:12] Why Claire created a solo business retreat — and what it revealed about her next stage of growth
  • [15:47] The strategic questions she asked herself to get clarity and create focus
  • [21:30] How she’s productizing her expertise and making it easier for clients to say yes
  • [29:22] Mid-funnel blind spots most consultants overlook (and how to fix them)
  • [36:50] The most important mindset shift Claire made to start and grow her consulting business
  • [43:03] Advice from one consultant to another on making the leap and finding your footing

Related Resources

Want More?

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Follow this show on AudioBrevity and new episodes get summarized for you. Create a free account

Couldn't load the audio. A blocker may be stopping the show's tracking links. Open the file