The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants

One of the most challenging transitions for consultants is shifting from handling all client work to having a trusted team member take over. In this episode, I explore the stages of handing off clients to team members, how to establish and communicate core values, and the mindset shifts needed to let go of control. This journey is a path to a sustainable business that's less dependent on you as the owner. I hope you enjoy the practical tips to help you confidently move from a solo “I” to a team-focused “we.” You've got this! May I support you as your grow your consulting business? There are 3 ways we can get started: 💫Book a 90 Minute Intensive with Natalie  (Usually I have a few spots open. This is for any consultant that has been in business at least a year.) 💫 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a customized approach to your stage of business AND life? I work with all business levels in private coaching. Step one, submit and application. Step two, we hop on a zoom call, so we can determine if it's a mutual fit. 💫 Impact Collective Mastermind APPLICATIONS are open for our 2025 Impact Collective Mastermind Program which begins in January. This comprehensive program is for established Nonprofit Consultants who are averaging at least $8K/month. This program helps you grow to high multi-six figure years. I'd love to introduce you to a community of other consultants at your level who value collaboration, education, impact and profit!    Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn - let's discuss this episode!

Are you an accidental business owner? Has your business grown faster than you expected? With growth comes mindset challenges, like self-sabotage and imposter syndrome, that can limit both success and impact. In this episode we cover concepts and tools to help you shift your mindset and set inspiring goals and navigate common barriers we all experience on our growth journey including: Growth MindsetFuture Self VisioningBreaking Through Upper LimitsThe RESET Framework Resources mentioned in the episode: 🎥Video Interview on Future Concepts w/Dr. Benjamin Hardy Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Dr. Carol Dweck Amazon link Your Future Self Now by Dr. Benjamin Hardy Amazon link The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks Amazon link RESET Your MINDSET by Natalie Eckdahl (me!!) Amazon link   May I support you as your grow your consulting business? There are three ways we can get started: 💫Book a 90 Minute Intensive with Natalie  (Usually I have a few spots open. This is for any consultant that has been in business at least a year.) 💫 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a customized approach to your stage of business AND life? I work with all business levels in private coaching. Step one, submit and application. Step two, we hop on a zoom call, so we can determine if it's a mutual fit. 💫 Impact Collective Mastermind APPLICATIONS are open for our 2025 Impact Collective Mastermind Program which begins in January. This comprehensive program is for established Nonprofit Consultants who are averaging at least $8K/month. This program helps you grow to high multi-six figure years. I'd love to introduce you to a community of other consultants at your level who value collaboration, education, impact and profit!    Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn - let's discuss this episode!

High ticket projects which I define it as a project anywhere from $25K to $300K and everything in between require more sophistication in several areas to protect yourself as a business owner. High ticket projects are normally delivered over the course of several months and for multi-six figure projects, those can extend beyond a year and even up to 3 years. While the big project numbers I just shared likely sounds amazing, there are several things that make this type of business more complicated. I have 5 watchouts to cover with you in this training episode. 1) Longer Sales Cycle 2) Pricing 3) Scope Creep 4) Project Management 5) Advance Cash Flow Techniques Required This episode is an example of things that I help my clients with regularly and demonstrates how I teach and train. May I support you as your grow your consulting business? There are three ways we can get started: 💫Book a 90 Minute Intensive with Natalie  (Usually I have a few spots open. This is for any consultant that has been in business at least a year.) 💫 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a customized approach to your stage of business AND life? I work with all business levels in private coaching. Step one, submit and application. Step two, we hop on a zoom call, so we can determine if it's a mutual fit. 💫 Impact Collective Mastermind The waitlist is open for our 2025 Impact Collective Mastermind Program which begins in January. This comprehensive program is for established Nonprofit Consultants who are averaging at least $8K/month. This program helps you grow to high multi-six figure years. I'd love to introduce you to a community of other consultants at your level who value collaboration, education, impact and profit!    Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn - let's discuss this episode!

What if the clients that got you here, might not be the clients that get you there?  If you’ve been thinking that it’s time to uplevel your clients, then this episode is for you.  (Need help with positioning your business, go back to episode #3!) Could you use support from an experienced coach? It would be an honor to support you. 💫Book a 90 Minute Intensive with Natalie  (Usually I have a few spots open. This is for any consultant that has been in business at least a year.) 💫 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a customized approach to your stage of business AND life? I work with all business levels in private coaching. Step one, submit and application. Step two, we hop on a zoom call, so we can determine if it's a mutual fit. 💫 Impact Collective Mastermind The waitlist is open for our 2025 Impact Collective Mastermind Program which begins in January. This comprehensive program is for established Nonprofit Consultants who are averaging at least $8K/month. This program helps you grow to high multi-six figure years. I'd love to introduce you to a community of other consultants at your level who value collaboration, education, impact and profit!    Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn - let's discuss this episode!

Kelly is at a CROSSROADS in her business. She could stay where she is with one employee and a marketing contractor or she could grow.  This is an on air coaching episode where you get to listen in as I coach fractional fundraiser Kelly McLaughlin and it is worth every minute of your time! I guarantee you will find at least ONE idea you can apply to your consulting business. You will learn: How Kelly specialized and niched her business and why this driving growth.Why she almost closed her business last year.Her innovative way of finding clients.My coaching on what roles she should hire and the order in which to do so. Connect with Kelly McLaughlin: WebsiteLinkedIn Listen to our previous on air coaching call from 2023 on episode #590 of The BizChix Podcast. Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn - let's discuss this episode!   📋 Do you have our free guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make?   💫 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a customized approach to your stage of business AND life? I work with all business levels in private coaching. Step one, submit an application. Step two, we hop on a zoom call, so we can determine if it's a mutual fit.   💫 Impact Collective Mastermind The waitlist is open for our 2025 Impact Collective Mastermind Program which begins in January. This comprehensive program is for established Nonprofit Consultants who are averaging at least $8K/month. This program helps you grow to high multi-six figure years. I'd love to introduce you to a community of other consultants at your level who value collaboration, education, impact and profit! You are 💌invited to join the waitlist today.

Creating and holding boundaries with your team can be a challenge (especially if you already struggle with boundaries in your personal life). Once you have team members, a good portion of your time needs to be devoted to leading them by coaching, training and providing feedback. In order, to communicate well you also need to document and communicate your policies and procedure.  I have some great examples from current and past clients and some scenarios from my own life and business that might surprise you and give you ideas for your business.  Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn - let's discuss this episode! 📋 Do you have our free guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make?   💫 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a customized approach to your stage of business AND life? I work with all business levels in private coaching. Step one, submit and application. Step two, we hop on a zoom call, so we can determine if it's a mutual fit.   💫 Impact Collective Mastermind The waitlist is open for our 2025 Impact Collective Mastermind Program which begins in January. This comprehensive program is for established Nonprofit Consultants who are averaging at least $8K/month. This program helps you grow to high multi-six figure years. I'd love to introduce you to a community of other consultants at your level who value collaboration, education, impact and profit!

Do you know the IDEAL team structure if you want to build a lean dream team where every team member is a high performer and does their role with excellence? (Yes, you are worthy of that level of support.) You will learn the actual positions you need to hire and learn where you are headed and what the  next step is in growing your consulting firm.  Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn - I'd love to know what team members you have and what position you plan to hire next.   📋 Do you have our free guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make?   💫 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a customized approach to your stage of business AND life? I work with all business levels in private coaching. Step one, submit and application. Step two, we hop on a zoom call, so we can determine if it's a mutual fit.   💫 Impact Collective Mastermind The waitlist is open for our 2025 Impact Collective Mastermind Program. This comprehensive program is for established Nonprofit Consultants who are averaging at least $8K/month. This program helps you grow to high multi-six figure years. I'd love to introduce you to a community of other consultants at your level who value collaboration, education, impact and profit!

Are you at CAPACITY in your business, where you can’t really grow unless you start taking more off your plate, BUT the business can’t afford to hire the person you think you really need? In this episode, I share a workaround. A way to start delegating small tasks in your business so you can focus on your zone of genius and increase your capacity without overwhelming your time or your bank account. 👉 Enter – The Micro-Position! Today I’m covering the benefits and steps of hiring for micro-positions in your business, including how to determine what tasks you can delegate to give yourself more time to focus on clients.   Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn - tell me if you need to hire a micro-position! 📋Do you have our free guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make?   💫 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a customized approach to your stage of business AND life? Step one, submit and application. Step two, we hop on a zoom call, so we can determine if it's a mutual fit.

My clients do NOT yearn to have a massive team, but they DO want to hire some support so they can focus on their zone of genius -- the work that they love and is most highly valued by clients. In fact, you can build a highly profitable consulting busines with a LEAN DREAM TEAM! This often includes a combination of help at home and in the business including at least one team member who shares the client workload (so you can go on vacation or navigate life's curveballs). The challenge in leading a small business, is that EVERY team member needs to be high performing. Listen for all the details. Remember your team includes anyone you pay to support you — either in your business, or in your personal life.  In this episode, we define a Lean team and share how to rate your team members to determine if you have a Dream team as well as some ideas of what to do if your team is not working. 💫 Learn More About 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a customized approach to your stage of business AND life? Step one, submit and application. Step two, we hop on a zoom call, so we can determine if it's a mutual fit.  Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn - tell me if you are building a lean, dream team! 📋Do you have our free guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make?

What do you think of the term “thought leader”? Almost every client I work with needs to create MORE visibility for their business to attract and nurture clients. My hope is that this episode will help you embrace your own thought leadership because the world NEEDS your voice and your point of view. I'm joined by Tania Bhattacharyya who helps social impact leaders and organizations share their thought leadership on LinkedIn. We tackle self-doubt, the power of personal narratives, and the courage to share your unique perspective.  We also discuss how cultural nuances influence self-promotion, particularly for women, immigrants, and minorities. I also open up about my own journey, including the hurdles I faced and how it took me 150 episodes to record my first solo podcast. This episode is packed with practical advice to help you confidently embrace and project your thought leadership. Listen to Tania's podcast The Campfire Circle   Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn  Connect with Tania on LinkedIn 📋Do you have our free guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make? 💫 Learn More About 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a Customized Approach to your stage of business AND life? You are cordially invited to apply today so we can determine if we are a mutual fit to work together. I can't wait to host a ☎️call with you!

It can be tricky to get started posting or to RESTART posting on LinkedIn. Perhaps you are a perfectionist worried about getting each post just “right”. Or maybe you don’t want to seem like a “know it all” or step on another expert’s toes. Ready for some actionable tips? We break down five types of posts that work wonders ,, but first we help you navigate any mindset issues which might be holding you back. I’m joined by Elizabeth Cook, who coaches with me in our group coaching programs, and our mission is to help you show up and shine. The world needs to hear about your area of expertise from YOUR point of view. Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn  Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn 📋Do you have our free guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make? 💫 Learn More About 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a Customized Approach to your stage of business AND life? You are cordially invited to apply today so we can determine if we are a mutual fit to work together. I can't wait to host a ☎️call with you!

🔑Unlock the power of LinkedIn for Nonprofit Consultants! We dive into strategies for enhancing your profile, creating a captivating headline, and leveraging your network to attract ideal clients. You will hear real-world examples and expert tips to help you navigate LinkedIn more effectively. Let’s elevate your LinkedIn strategy today! ☝️And before you head to another episode, pop on over to LinkedIn and connect with us (and tell us you are a podcast listener). Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn  Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn 📋Do you have our free guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make? 💫 Learn More About 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a Customized Approach to your stage of business AND life? You are cordially invited to apply today so we can determine if we are a mutual fit to work together. I can't wait to host a ☎️call with you!

Have you ever felt intimidated or disconnected from the word "Sales"? Does your stomach clinch at the thought of "working a room"? My client Trina Willard, an introvert at heart, has turned her nature into a 💪superpower for her management consulting firm. She’ll reveals how she maintains meaningful connections and fosterslong-term relationships that drive mutual success. Trina's authentic aproach to nurturing relationships with quick touchpoints and a true heart of service keeps momentum going at her company Knowledge Advisory Group, which provides research and evaluation services to nonprofit clients. Be sure to note any specific tactics Trina shares that feel authentic to YOU and implement them into your weekly routine to deepen connections with ideal clients and referral partners. 🤝Join us on LinkedIn for a discussion about Authentic Business Development. Connect with Trina on LinkedIn Trina's Website Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn 💫Learn More About 1:1 Coaching with Natalie Eckdahl, MBA Ready for a Coach and Mentor who provides a Customize Approach to your Stage of Business and Stage of Life? The first step is to apply so we can determine if we are a mutual fit to work together. I can't wait to host a call with you!

Ever wondered how the flow of money differs in nonprofits compared to for-profit companies? It’s essential to understand this ecosystem you are operating within. We discuss how identifying the source of funding for your consulting project matters. Also we share how the 🔌  power of leaning into relationship marketing creates a winning sales strategy for our clients.   ⭐️⭐️APPLY FOR 1:1 COACHING WITH NATALIE⭐️⭐️ Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn  📋 Get our new guide to the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make!

Feeling overwhelmed? You're not alone.  Running a business is not for the faint of heart and combine that with parenting, caregiving, volunteering, a challenging relationship or #alltheabove and it is enough to paralyze even the most productive and high-functioning consultants. Join my colleague Elizabeth Cook and me as we share ideas, tactics and strategies to navigate business and personal overwhelm including: Brain DumpsSlow MondaysTaking BreaksWhite SpaceLow Power Modeand more!! ⭐️⭐️APPLY FOR 1:1 COACHING WITH NATALIE⭐️⭐️           Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn          Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn 📋Get our new guide to the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make!

Seizing every opportunity that comes your way isn't always the best strategy. Doing all the tasks you “can” do in your business and home, may inhibit your business growth and lead to overwhelm. But how do you know what tasks to do and what not to do? How do you decide what opportunities to say yes to and what to decline? Elizabeth Cook, who coaches alongside me in our programs, joins me as we discuss practical filters for assessing opportunities, the importance of strategic thinking, and even provide scripts for gracefully declining offers that don’t align with your goals. If you’re striving to build an enduring business while keeping your mission front and center, this episode is a must-listen! Are you looking for more support to grow your business beyond this podcast? 💫 Learn more about the Impact Collective Mastermind for nonprofit consultants with $10K+ a month in revenue, who want to have More Impact while working Fewer Hours. Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn  Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn 📋 Snag our new guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let us know what you think about this new podcast by leaving a review.

When you’re no longer doing client work or have delegated a majority of it, what should you focus on next? Elizabeth Cook, who coaches alongside me in our programs for nonprofit consultants, joins me to discuss four key activities that founders should focus on after delegating client work. Our mission is to help you gain more time for these pivotal activities, so you can continue to grow and sustain a thriving consulting business! Need support as you grow your consulting practice? Our Impact 💫 Collective Mastermind program is open for applications. We help established nonprofit consultants create more impact while working fewer hours. Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn  Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn 📋 Snag our new guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let us know what you think about this new podcast by leaving a review.

You will get fired up in this conversation with Cindy Wagman. We talk about her rebel days in high school and how this rebellious spirit serves her mission for women, especially those who “grew up” in the nonprofit world, to go against the grain and embrace financial success. Cindy does this with 100% care for her consulting clients and shares her collaborative process for creating proposals, including how to get more comfortable with discussions around pricing and budget. She also shares how she helps Fractional Fundraisers and other Nonprofit Consultants start and grow their businesses through her programs. Connect with Cindy on LinkedIn Cindy’s Website Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn Listen to Confessions with Cindy and Jess 👀 Looking for support to grow your established nonprofit consulting practice? Consider the Impact 💫 Collective. We help you create more impact while working less!

Would you say you have a CHAOS business or an ENDURING business? The three pillars in my model of an ENDURING business are that it is enjoyable, profitable AND sustainable.  It is common to have seasons where any of the above are out of sync, but long term we won’t stay in business if all three pillars are not addressed. In this episode, we provide actionable steps to help you get out of overwhelm and “chaos” and build a business that endures. If you could use support in your business, consider our mastermind with 1:1 coaching and a retreat. 💫 Learn more about the Impact Collective Mastermind for nonprofit consultants with $10K+ a month in revenue, who want to have More Impact while working Fewer Hours. Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn  📋 Snag our new guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let us know what you think about this new podcast by leaving a review.

Building a team is a journey full of lessons and we get to explore those with Stephanie Skryzowski, founder of 100 Degrees Consulting - which provides Fractional CFO services to Nonprofit Organizations.  Originally a solo consultant, Stephanie's business has grown to include a diverse team of 16 full-time employees.  We talk about the evolution of her hiring process, overcoming mindset challenges, and making strategic decisions like selling part of her business to focus exclusively on nonprofits. Stephanie also shares how niching down led to exponential revenue growth. Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn Visit Stephanie’s Website 💡Apply for the Impact Collective Mastermind for Established Nonprofit Consultants Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn 📋 Snag our new guide on the 5 Mistakes Even the Smartest Consultants Make! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let us know what you think about this new podcast by leaving a review.