Episoder
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Categories: Growing Revnue + Wealth, Niching
Link: https://rochellemoulton.com/soloist_podcast/pulling-out-of-a-revenue-nosedive-with-chris-ferdinandi/?utm_source=subscriber
What do you do when your consistently growing revenue suddenly takes a nosedive—and your peers are feeling it too? Soloist Chris Ferdinandi walks us through the experience and the experiments he conducted to start lifting himself out of it.
Why he built his business as a side hustle and didn’t go solo until he matched his corporate salary.
The financial and emotional hit of a 50% revenue drop—and how to experiment without morphing to panic.
What to do when you’re “too feral” to go back into Corporate: the experiments that failed and those that gave hope.
How selling to a 640-person email list outsold the results from a 14,000 list—by over 3X (hint: the new sale was in his genius zone).
Two moves to make when your revenue is tanking—and one surprising upside.
LINKS
Chris Ferdinandi ADHD Tips | Mastadon
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Chris helps people build a simpler, faster, more resilient web.
Early in his career, he felt like he couldn’t get anything done. Since then, he’s discovered a bunch of systems and strategies that let him turn his ADHD into a superpower. His ADHD tips newsletter is read by hundreds of developers each weekday.
He creates courses and workshops, publishes several daily newsletters, speaks at events, and has advised and written code for organizations like NASA, Apple, Harvard Business School, Chobani, and Adidas.
Chris loves pirates, puppies, and Pixar movies, and lives near horse farms in rural Massachusetts.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:20
Chris Ferdinandi: I also feel very positive about my ADHD. Much in the same way on your episode, the phrase like ruthless self-acceptance or there...
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When you started your business, you probably imagined steady revenue growth under your original business model—only to discover that the only way to grow the way you want is by experimenting! Business Coach Jessica Lackey (a McKinsey and Nike alum) shares her year-by-year experience in crafting her ideal business model:
How she contracted for “bridge jobs” in Year 1 to ensure cash flow—and why she’d do it again.
Year 2: building a “whale” delivery model with enough whales so you’re not overly dependent on any one.
Why she pivoted from a 1-1 delivery model to group and membership options (and it wasn’t because she had a large email list).
The pros and cons of running multiple revenue models as you pivot vs. making a faster shift.
How building interchangeable assets allows you to leverage your authority faster.
LINKS
Jessica Lackey Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Jessica Lackey is a strategy and operations advisor who blends business strategy, practical application, and a human-centric approach to create sustainable businesses.
With a background in corporate leadership, McKinsey & Company consulting, and a Harvard Business degree, Jessica knows a thing or two about hustle culture and what it feels like to judge success by the bottom line…at all costs.
Now, she combines her deep experience in consulting, Fortune 500 operations leadership and coaching to help businesses grow without sacrificing the well-being of their clients, team, and community.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:19
Jessica Lackey: I had a social media team, but I actually dropped Instagram in 2023 and I stopped doing as much LinkedIn. And I really focused on those marketing platforms that took more time, but had a bigger result. So again, I write once a week, I guess teach once a month. And people are like, you do that for free? I'm like, well, yeah.
00:24 - 01:05
Rochelle Moulton: Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all...
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Manglende episoder?
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If this last year was NOT smooth sailing for your Soloist business finances, now is an ideal time to pave the way to better. There’s still time to avoid unpleasant surprises (think giant tax bills) and start streamlining your financial life before year-end:
The five strategic pieces of information you want in your hands before year-end.
How to think about your financial team (and why it’s worth investing in the right experts).
How a financial surprise made me completely shift how I managed my business cash flow.Why you want to build a cash reserve for your business and a resource to get you started.
LINKS
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Consultants + Money podcast episode on cash reserves (Erica Goode)
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:43
Rochelle Moulton: Think of it like a non-emergency emergency fund for your business. It's a way to smooth out the inevitable cash flow variations in our kinds of businesses. And once you fully fund a cash reserve, I can guarantee you will like the comfort and freedom that it provides. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton, and today I want to talk to you about getting your finances straight. It's late October as I'm recording this and it's the perfect time to get both strategic and tactical
00:43 - 01:18
Rochelle Moultob: as you pave the way for the year you want for your business and for your life. So let's start with the strategic. Okay, at this point in the year, you wanna have several things in the bag. 1, you want a reasonable idea of your current and projected financial position. That means how much revenue have you already closed and what's likely to hit before year end. Same thing with your expenses so you can get a feel for your bottom line year. It also means how much more can you tuck away in your taxed advantage solo 401k. Now
01:18 - 01:59
Rochelle Moultob: remember, you can make additional employer contributions above and beyond your salary deferrals. Don't have a solo 401k yet? Talk to your financial advisor or your CPA about the best options for you. Contributing consistently to your 401k is a baller move, especially for soloists since we don't have anyone funding our future life but ourselves. 2, take this understanding and
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When you’re in the midst of an overwhelming business challenge—your revenue plummets, your audience dries up, you can’t seem to make a sale—what do you do?
Award-winning author and podcaster Jenny Blake takes us through the messy middle, sharing her story of challenge, resilience and percolating without yet knowing the answer:
Why her first reaction to a pandemic-induced 80% revenue drop was “I wrote a book called Pivot—I’ve got this.”
How that reaction turned to “I couldn’t fake it anymore—I couldn’t pretend anymore. I didn’t have any hope left…” when she lost a six-figure client.
Channeling her angst and uncertainty into a popular (paid) substack as she semi-publicly worked through what to do next.
The health scare that made her dramatically change how she was working.
The glimmers of her next chapter—how they appeared and how she thoughtfully nurtures them.
LINKS
Jenny Blake Substack | Free Time | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Jenny is an author and podcaster who runs a Delightfully Tiny media company. She is the author of three award-winning books, including Free Time (Ideapress, 2022) and Pivot (Penguin/Random House, 2016). She hosts two podcasts with over two million downloads combined: the Webby-nominated Free Time for Heart-Based Business owners, and Pivot with Jenny Blake for navigating change.
On her Substack Rolling in Doh, she shares personal essays about the messier parts of running a small business.
She lives in New York City with her husband and her angel-in-fur-coat German shepherd Ryder.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:30
Jenny Blake: I have no judgment about anybody working at a job, but I get sick with that kind of work schedule or the meetings and calls. It drains me of all life, all the creative juice I have. It's just not the format. I've known that about...
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Being a podcast guest pays some excellent dividends: introducing you to new audiences, practice delivering your point of view and honing your message for starters. But how do you get yourself booked?
The qualities that will make you a solid, bookable podcast guest.
The 5-step system to get consistent results to your podcast guesting requests.
The one thing you must have before pitching yourself to a single podcast.
Why smaller, niche podcasts may be ideal, especially when first starting to guest.
How to craft your pitch—and the 3 paragraph format to improve your chances of a YES.
LINKS
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:42
Rochelle Moulton: The best pitches are short, impactful, and do not make the host do any work to say yes, because the second you require them to do work, your chances of a yes drop dramatically. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Molten and today I want to talk about getting yourself booked on podcasts. Now, maybe it's because I've seen some of the most god-awful pitches in the 7 plus years I've been hosting podcasts. I so don't want you to write pitches like those. But it's
00:42 - 01:23
Rochelle Moulton: really because I believe in the merits of guesting on podcasts, even when, maybe especially when, you're not hosting a show of your own. Being a solid podcast guest pays all sorts of dividends in terms of introducing you to new audiences, filled with potential clients and buyers. You also get to practice delivering your point of view and honing your message, becoming a better communicator of your message in the process. Now, what do I mean by being a solid podcast guest? Well, you like to be interviewed and have a conversation. You have some compelling stories to share and
01:23 - 02:04
Rochelle Moulton: you have something valuable to teach. If all you're trying to do is sell your services or products and you genuinely don't like to be interviewed or share stories or teach something valuable, podcast guesting is not a good strategy for you. But if you wanna do more guesting, it helps to create a very simple system, 1 that you can partially outsource if you like to get consistent results. And think of it as 5 steps. So number 1, decide why you want to be on podcasts. Number 2, Research
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You’ve heard the hype about AI, but how can you tactically and strategically use it to manage and grow your Soloist business? Global AI consultant Heidi Araya—who says “experts should be experts, not task-jugglers”—gets highly specific on how we can best use AI right now:
Why your most productive use of AI starts with where friction currently lies in your business.
Saving time: buying or building AI assistants for the time-intensive tasks typical with knowledge work.
Creating a “librarian” to answer questions from your existing content—internally, externally (with or without monetizing).
Protecting your proprietary content from being used to train large learning models (LLMs).
Strategic use cases that may surprise you (and replace the thousands of dollars you might otherwise spend to uncover this data).
LINKS
Heidi Araya Website | LinkedIn
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Heidi Araya is a global consultant, keynote speaker, and patented inventor who has dedicated her decades-long career to driving multimillion-dollar business improvements using a people-first approach.
Fueled by a desire to continuously learn and push boundaries, Heidi pivoted from leading large scale change initiatives inside organizations and has embarked on her third career, first upskilling in AI and then starting her own AI Agency. Leveraging her deep expertise in business operations, coaching, and change management, she now empowers solopreneurs, startups, and small businesses to unlock their full potential in the AI era.
Heidi's passion lies in bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI technology and practical applications for small businesses. She doesn't just talk AI, she implements it. Her people-centric approach focuses on AI enablement, AI automation, and productivity coaching, allowing smaller businesses to compete with larger corporations.
When she's not empowering businesses with AI, she enjoys raising butterflies, tackling home improvement projects, and staying active.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:18
Heidi Araya: I had 1 creative agency who their clients were asking for competitor insights. So it could go out and actually look for the competitors on the internet and...
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This episode is inspired by a listener question that I’ve been hearing a lot lately: how can you pull yourself out of a slump? And does a prolonged slump mean you’re not cut out to be a Soloist?
The gift (and the hidden cost) of a great first year as a Soloist.
Why hitting the wall—where your revenue tanks or plateaus—happens, especially with new-ish Soloists.
When it’s time to invest in positioning yourself appropriately and developing a sales system to consistently fill your pipeline.
One simple action to ensure you’re ready to turn around a difficult revenue situation.
Why it’s never too late to niche down—and how to do it without wasting months getting it right.
LINKS
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:45
Rochelle Moulton: If you haven't honed your messaging to focus on your ideal clients and buyers, and you haven't built a recurring system to find, nurture, and close those people, eventually you'll hit that wall. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton. And today I want to share a listener question about pulling yourself out of a slump because I've been hearing variations on this lately and it's worth addressing. So this particular question goes like this. I'm feeling stuck in my business and I just don't know what
00:45 - 01:21
Rochelle Moulton: to do next. In the past, I hit over $100, 000 in revenue easily. And 2 years ago, I broke $200, 000 for the first time and I was thrilled. The last year though, has been pretty miserable. I just barely hit $100, 000 in 2023 and I won't in 2024 unless something changes dramatically. Is this a sign I need to go get a job or is this fixable? Okay, so let's call this person Chris because they didn't want to identify themselves in the show. Chris and I tossed a few emails back and forth, and this is what
01:21 - 01:57
Rochelle Moulton: else I learned that I think is important to talk about what to do next. 1, Chris is a B2B consultant with a respectable level of expertise, about 8 years in their specialty. 2, if we were to look at Chris's website and social media, we'd see they focus more on talking about their expertise versus identifying their ideal client and the specific problems they solve. 3, Chris has been in business for almost 4 years and they need about $100, 000 in...
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Does your brain seem to work differently than those around you—maybe you even went solo so you could operate at your best? Coach (and former psychotherapist) Diann Wingert shares her experience advising the neurodiverse:
Neurodiversity—what it is, why it’s a spectrum and how experts look at it today (hint: don’t think of it as a disorder).
Why so many neurodiverse people become entrepreneurs—and serial entrepreneurs.
The signs you might be on the ADHD spectrum (and what to do with that if you are).
How understanding the unique challenges and opportunities of how your brain works plays into the design and success of your Soloist business.
Why radical self-acceptance—whether you’re neurodiverse or not—is the way to go.
LINKS
Diann Wingert Shiny Objects | LinkedIn | Instagram
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
After a twenty-year career as a psychotherapist and mental health administrator, Diann pivoted into business strategy and coaching for neurodivergent entrepreneurs. Her passion is helping those who think differently build a profitable, sought-after business based on their unique brilliance.
Diann has extensive experience working with neurodivergent individuals, especially those who are gifted, ADHD, or both. On the personal side, Diann loves dark fiction, strong coffee, and laughing out loud. She is also a Peloton enthusiast, practicing Buddhist, and host of the newly re-branded ADHD-ish podcast.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:25
Diann Wingert: Understanding, oh, there is a name for my difference. I am actually neurodivergent. I've always known I was different. And trust me, if you're listening to my voice and you are neurodivergent, You've always known it. We know we're different, but if we don't know why, what most people do is go to shame.
00:30 - 00:45
Rochelle Moulton: MUSIC Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton and today I'm so happy to welcome my new pal, the incomparable Diann Wingert.
00:45 -...
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If you’ve ever hesitated to put your voice “out there” because you’re not the “right” size, shape, age, race, gender, orientation, know that you’re not alone. But it’s time to step up and be heard:
Why it’s harder to sashay on stage with your megaphone when you’re different from the norm in your community (and yet you’ll be more memorable when you do).
How creating a routine—a schedule—can keep the fear harnessed.
Enlisting a partner(s)-in-crime to push you forward or back you up.
Scoping out the “competition” to remind yourself of how you’re different—and why you need to publish.
Using archetypes to rise above traditional thinking and claim a unique niche in your marketplace.
LINKS
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:39
Rochelle Moulton: Walking into a gym full of more or less fit people when you're struggling with your weight and fitness requires a certain kind of courage. The wrong coach, and I've witnessed a few of them, could easily make you turn around and never come back. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast, where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton. And today, I want to tell you a quick story and then talk about why your voice needs to be out there and we can talk a little bit about the how. So I
00:39 - 01:14
Rochelle Moulton: go to a gym where you have the option of buying sessions with 1 of their staff personal trainers. Now I've been a member there for about 5 years, so I've seen trainers come and go. And with few exceptions, they're usually in their 20s or early 30s, incredibly fit with the patience to work with whoever walks through the door. Sometimes, when I have nothing better to do, I eavesdrop on their conversations with clients to hear how they encourage or explain or just shoot the breeze. And it's kind of fun, you know, professionally really to see their techniques
01:15 - 01:52
Rochelle Moulton: and personality and action with all different kinds of people. But every once in a while, an outlier shows up. And I've been watching this 1 guy who's been around maybe a year. He doesn't look like any of the usual characters. He appears maybe 30 to 40 pounds overweight, and he wears their uniform in a baggy style, not like any of the other gym gods. And he seems like a nice enough guy, and he has 1 of the most infectious laughs I've ever heard. But I...
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Have you ever considered moving yourself and your business to a new country? Content marketer Casey Kelly-Barton did just that and shares her challenges and opportunities as an ex-pat:
Her journey to niching into the intersection of three related niches— including how niching bumped up her revenue and reduced her hours worked.
Meeting the challenges to building a business while single-parenting after a divorce (and the most freeing thing she let go of).
Why she decided to move countries with her business—and how long she let the idea simmer first.
How she identified and evaluated target locations including the resources she tapped to explore the expat experience in advance.
The dividends from intensely focusing on that critical first year of transition.
LINKS
Casey Kelly-Barton Website | LinkedIn
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Casey Kelly-Barton provides content marketing and brand development for B2B companies in cybersecurity, fintech, and fraud prevention.
When she started her business, she was a newly single parent looking for ways to make the most of her writing and strategy skills.
Now, her business is well established with a roster of clients she enjoys working with, her kids are grown and she works from Portugal, where she moved in late 2023.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather, connect and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:28
Casey Kelly-Barton: So I started researching and I was very methodical. I made a list of countries that met my criteria for like weather, time zones, languages, blah, blah, blah. And so I was looking at Latin America and Central America pretty carefully because I speak Spanish. My parents are still in Texas. It would be time zone friendly for my American clients. And then both my kids ended up in the EU.
00:32 - 01:11
Rochelle Moulton: Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton and today I'm joined by Soloist and new expat, Casey Kelly Barton. She provides content marketing and brand development for B2B companies in cybersecurity, fintech, and fraud prevention. When she started her business, she was a newly single parent looking for ways to make the most of her...
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Demand is feeling lighter—you’re getting fewer inquiries or buyers seem to be more price-sensitive and you’re starting to worry about the economy. What do you do next?
Why it doesn’t matter what the economy is doing when you play your own game.
How “Mariah” added a new revenue stream when her primary one started losing steam (and a low-risk way to experiment with pricing).
A tiny niching down test that can pay big dividends.
Why experimenting with tactics can sometimes uncover a profitable new direction.
When to consider offering group options including paid communities.
LINKS
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
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Thinking about hosting a live event, but not sure how to make it well-attended, profitable and worth your time? Renowned author, speaker and creative firm advisor David C. Baker lifts the curtain on his wildly successful MYOB conference and live events:
The role of in-person live events in David’s expertise business model (plus a peek at the numbers for his four revenue streams).
How his pandemic pivot from in-person gatherings became a new lead generation source—and removed travel from his client engagements.
Why his conferences and events include multiple opportunities for attendees to engage with each other; he shares a few ideas you can borrow.
His philosophy on outside speakers: how he chooses, pays and manages them.
The one thing you must do if you want to make sure your conference doesn’t lose money.
LINKS
David C. Baker MYOB Conference | LinkedIn | Twitter
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
David C. Baker is an author, speaker, and advisor to entrepreneurial creatives worldwide. He has written 6 books, advised 1,000+ firms, and keynoted conferences in 30+ countries.
His work has been discussed in the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, USA Today, BusinessWeek, CBS News, Newsweek, AdWeek, and Inc. Magazine. He lives in Nashville, TN.
His two most recent books can be found here and here. His work has also been featured in the NY Times, where he was recently referred to as “the expert’s expert”. He co-hosts the most listened to podcast in the creative services field (2Bobs).
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:17
David C. Baker: You know, here's the easiest way to lose money with an event. When I learned this, my whole world changed about events. Do not sign up for room blocks because you're having to guarantee them. And then you have this pressure to sell and then you cheapen your brand by starting to beg people to come to these things and so on.
00:24 -...
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How can you work less and make more than you are right now? There is a glide path if you’re willing to experiment insists Jonathan Stark, author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts. Yes, the dynamic Business of Authority duo is baaaaaaaaack for an episode:
Two experiments to try if you’re currently billing by the hour and want to explore alternatives.
How to start thinking about value vs. time, especially when you hit the maximum number of hours you are able—or want—to work.
What options to consider to ratchet up your revenue past the low 6 figures—and how to think about the audience or transformations you’ll need to deliver to get there.
Why being a “ruthless” minimalist can keep your business easy to run and avoid time sucks.
Exploring—and testing—ways to use AI right now in your expertise business.
LINKS
Jonathan Stark Website | LinkedIn
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Jonathan Stark is a former software developer who is on a mission to rid the world of hourly billing. He is the author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts, the host of Ditching Hourly, and writes a daily newsletter on pricing for independent professionals.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Soloist Women community: a place to connect with like-minded women (and join a channel dedicated to your revenue level).
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:29
Jonathan Stark: As you're growing your audience and you've got just more people aware of what you're doing, you can deliver smaller bits of value at a lower price, but a way lower cost. If you've got enough of an audience, then that completely support you. The classic example is like if you have a bestselling book. So if somebody goes to Amazon, they buy the book, they read the book, you're not involved. The author doesn't even know about you. And if you sell enough of them, if the audience is big enough, you can live like a king off of that.
00:29 - 00:37
Jonathan Stark: It's a great example of the kind of thing where you're delivering a little bit of value for 20 bucks to 10 million people and it's like, oh, that's pretty cool
00:42 - 00:55
Rochelle Moulton: Hello hello Welcome to this soloist...
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Is it possible to build a profitable expertise business that is 100% values-aligned and mission driven?
Lucy Flores—who has built a design studio dedicated to co-creating a more just, joyful and sustainable U.S. food system—says yes, with the results to prove it:
Why she niched her business into food equity right from the beginning—and how it played out.
How she thinks about and builds alliances, coalitions and partnerships (hint: she doesn’t have competitors).
Her approach—as an introvert—to investing in relationships and meeting new people in her field.
Why niching alone wasn’t enough—and what changed when she started marketing regularly.
Adopting a mindset of cautious optimism and deciding when it’s “safe to fail”.
LINKS
Lucy Flores Website | LinkedIn
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Lucy is the founder of Studio Magic Hour, a collaborative design studio working to advance equity in the food system, and a former Equitable Design Fellow at Hopelab.
She's partnered with organizations including the California Academy of Sciences, the Fair Food Network, Hopelab, The Nature Conservancy, Plant Futures, Share Our Strength, and the Southern Poverty Law Center to lead design and design research projects, facilitate workshops, and coach in-house design and innovation teams.
Previously, she helped launch FoodCorps, a national nonprofit dedicated to cultivating joy, health, and justice for kids through nutritious food, in partnership with schools and community. She is a member of the Design Justice Network, the Democracy & Belonging Forum at the Othering and Belonging Institute, Equity Army, and AIGA.
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RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Soloist Women community: a place to connect with like-minded women (and join a channel dedicated to your revenue level).
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:25
Lucy Flores: Being open to learning, right? Lessons learned is a part of what we do. And I think if you go in with this perfectionist mindset, expecting that it either needs to work out or it was a total miss, like that's certainly not gonna serve the folks you're working with and it's not gonna serve you...
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Everyone has difficulties in life—and sometimes our unique genius arises from how we deal with them. Take Psychotherapist Jeff Eamer who turned a challenging mental health diagnosis into a life of purpose:
How he moved from being an award-winning ad agency wonderkind to nabbing a 3-picture Hollywood deal.
Why crashing—hard—led him to get help with his mental health.
When saying yes to a $100K investment and six years of study and practice was exactly the right move.
The importance of building and maintaining routines and boundaries.
The signals that might mean it’s time to ask for help with your mental health.
LINKS
Jeff Eamer Website | LinkedIn | Desert Sun
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Jeff is an international award-winning advertising art director, copywriter and commercial film director. He had a brief stint in Hollywood as a screenwriter and producer on the film Coyote Ugly.
He has dedicated much of the last 25 years supporting the mental health community as a Suicide Prevention Counselor, Psychotherapist, and member of the Los Angeles Crisis Response Team.
He currently lives on his desert ranch with his two dogs: Koda, a 14-year-old black Lab and Ruby, a 10-month old Border Collie. Along with 11 chickens: Scarlett, Mrs. T., Cathy, GPT6, Beatrice, Gypsy Rose, Betty White, Griswald, Honey and Seva.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Soloist Women community: a place to connect with like-minded women (and join a channel dedicated to your revenue level).
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:33
Jeff Eamer: I've been influenced profoundly by the symptoms of mental illness, and it created a phenomenon that created certain challenges that I could then relate to with my clients. So if I have a superpower in all of this, it's a greater sense of relatedness. And so when clients come spend time with me, I'm much more perhaps congruent or authentic and transparent than probably most therapists are. And so...
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What if the standard productivity advice gets it wrong? What if your performance, health and happiness are grounded in how well you manage your energy, not your time?
Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz’s The Power of Full Engagement makes an excellent case for the role of energy in performance:
The four types of energy—physical, emotional, mental and spiritual—and how they interrelate.
How harnessing all energy sources allows us to optimize our productivity, happiness and engagement in the world around us.
Why life—and work—isn’t a marathon, but a series of sprints (and why you want to manage your energy like a sprinter).
How to get back on track when your energy sags.
The role of your purpose and the amount of energy you invest in yourself vs. others.
LINKS
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Soloist Women community: a place to connect with like-minded women (and join a channel dedicated to your revenue level).
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:47
Rochelle Moulton: We have to learn to adapt our system, our bodies, our emotions, our minds, and our spirits to be able to flex up to perform and then down to rest and rejuvenate. Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton and today I want to talk to you about managing energy instead of time. Now I started down this path when podcast guest, Joe Jacoby recommended the book, The Power of Full Engagement, Managing Energy, Not Time, is the key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by
00:47 - 01:27
Rochelle Moulton: Jim Lehrer and Tony Schwartz. I mean, when an Olympic gold medalist recommends a book on performance, you pay attention. So this came up because a few weeks back, I dedicated an episode to productivity for soloists. And I did that because a lot of us have internalized productivity as going 90 miles an hour to complete an endless to-do list versus carefully choosing what you want to pay attention to so you can Optimize your results. Optimize, not maximize. Well, this book, which I heartily recommend, by the way, is all about making sure you have the energy to tackle
01:27 - 02:06
Rochelle Moulton: what you decide is most important to you. You can't do everything you want, but you can manage your energy so you can do
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When you’ve been on staff at an organization—especially in the lead role— transitioning to consulting can be a bit disorienting. Consultant to credit unions Mark Triechel talks about the lessons learned in his switch from regulating an industry to advising them:
How to quickly morph from “retirement” into a Soloist expertise business serving your former constituents.
Dealing with non-competes and ethics clauses honorably while building your new business.
Becoming a “Soloist with a twist”—why you don’t have to work alone.
How “changing teams” allows you to continue serving an existing niche in new (and profitable) ways.
Turning what could have become a pure compliance practice into a strategic advisory business.
LINKS
Mark Treichel Website | LinkedIn
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
In 33 years at the federal agency known as the National Credit Union Administration, Mark led the agency as Executive Director after starting at the entry level. His varied positions at every level give him a unique perspective on all things NCUA.
He “changed teams” and is now in his fourth year of consulting with NCUA credit unions so they save time and money. He has two credit union educational podcasts: With Flying Colors and Credit Union Regulatory Guidance.
His clients consider his team as secret weapons in the regulatory battles they face every year.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Soloist Women community: a place to connect with like-minded women (and join a channel dedicated to your revenue level).
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:16
Mark Treichel: It's really important that your ideal client knows that you exist. And figuring out who the ideal client is 1 big piece. If they're not aware that I'm here, they're not going to know that they can hire me.
00:22 - 01:01
Rochelle Moulton: Hello, hello. Welcome to the Soloist Life podcast where we're all about turning your expertise into wealth and impact. I'm Rochelle Moulton and today I'm here with Mark Treichel. In 33 years at the federal agency known as the National Credit Union Administration, Mark led the...
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Can you build a six to seven figure Soloist business doing the opposite of what “the experts” recommend? Consultant Kris Jennings has created exactly that by forging her own path:
How her “tiny, tiny” email list delivered over $1 million in revenue (and provides a vehicle to nurture key referral relationships).
How she thinks about and serves her list (hint: it’s exactly the opposite of what most every email marketer recommends).
What she does with advice from experts and “gurus”.
How she measures success—and how her metrics have changed as her business matures.
The evolution of her risk-taking philosophy in business—and what elements must be present for her to say an unqualified “yes”.
LINKS
Kris Jennings Website | LinkedIn
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
With nearly thirty years of experience, Kris Jennings’ work has helped more than a million people change. From large technology implementations to digital products for Type 2 diabetes, she designs ways to help people take small steps forward.
She has run a consulting and advisory business since 2012 and her clients include Fortune 100 global organizations. She now primarily supports change leaders and project teams. Her first book will be released this fall (2024).
She holds a bachelor's degree from The Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
Kris and her husband live in Minneapolis, Minnesota with their two delightfully curious, mischievous kittens. She dedicates time each year to bucket list adventure travel with their two young adult sons.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Soloist Women community: a place to connect with like-minded women (and join a channel dedicated to your revenue level).
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 - 00:11
Kris Jennings: To me, it's not about selling something. It's about reaffirming the relationship that I have with those past clients, because they're gonna be the ones that are gonna refer me to other business. And I'm
00:11 - 00:16
: gonna be the 1 that's gonna refer me to other business. And I'm gonna be the 1 that's gonna refer me to...
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You’ve got a bookkeeper, a CPA, maybe even a CFO/strategic financial resource for your business—when and where does personal financial planning fit in? Advice-only financial planner and author Sean Mullaney walks us through financial planning for Soloists:
The types of financial advisors Soloists are likely to encounter—how they work and are compensated (and why that matters).
The signs that tell Soloists you’ll likely get value from engaging a personal financial advisor.
How to get started and identify potential planners that will meet your needs (and why geography just doesn’t matter anymore).
One key question to ask any financial advisor candidate to assess whether they might be a fit.
Why a Solo 401(k) often beats a SEP IRA for tax-advantaged retirement savings.
LINKS
Sean Mullaney Blog | Book | LinkedIn | YouTube | Twitter
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Sean Mullaney is an advice-only financial planner and the President of Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. Through Mullaney Financial & Tax, Sean provides advice-only financial planning for a flat fee. Sean writes the Plutus Award winning blog FITaxGuy.com on the intersection of tax and financial independence. He also has a personal finance YouTube channel and wrote Solo 401(k): The Solopreneur’s Retirement Account.
DISCLAIMER
This discussion is intended to be for general educational purposes and is not tax, legal, or investment advice for any individual. Rochelle and The Soloist Life podcast do not endorse Sean Mullaney, Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. and their services.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
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None of us are immune to transitions—it’s just that they seem start piling up at “mid-life”. Olympic gold medalist and performance coach Joe Jacobi shares his story and how you too can navigate resistance and uncertainty to pursue purpose, performance and impact:
What working as part of a two-person boat teaches you about collaboration (and it’s probably not what you think).
Why sometimes winning comes down to making fewer mistakes than your peers—and correcting them more quickly.
How focusing on the unique ways your experiences and expertise can help others will magnify your impact.
Learning to appreciate where you are “in the river” and navigate toward what you value most.
When seeking alliances as a Soloist can provide more opportunities for fruitful collaboration.
LINKS
Joe Jacobi Linktr.ee
Rochelle Moulton Email List | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
BIO
Joe Jacobi is an Olympic Gold Medalist, Performance Coach, Transition Expert and Author who collaborates with high performance leaders to unlock purpose, achieve peak performance, and create a lasting impact.
Joe practices and refines these core principles and strategies in his own life and pursuits at his Pyrenees mountains home beside the 1992 Olympic Canoeing venue in La Seu d’Urgell in the Spanish state of Catalunya - the same canoeing venue where he and his canoeing partner, Scott Strausbaugh, won America’s first-ever Olympic Gold Medal in the sport of Whitewater Canoe Slalom at the 1992 Olympic Games.
In 2022, Joe published his first book, Slalom: 6 River Classes About How To Confront Obstacles, Advance Amid Uncertainty, & Bring Focus To What Matters Most - Joe's reflections, experiences, relationships, and strategies from more than 40 years on the river transferred to navigating your river of the life.
Today, he writes and publishes Thinking In Waves, short and focused weekly essays that transfer his experiences and lessons from surfing off-shore ocean waves on a surfski kayak to an innovative model for clear thinking, better choices, and increased value alignment.
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL WITH ROCHELLE
RESOURCES FOR SOLOISTS
Join the Soloist email list: helping thousands of Soloist Consultants smash through their revenue plateau.
Soloist Events: in-person events for Soloists to gather and learn.
The Authority Code: How to Position, Monetize and Sell Your Expertise: equal parts bible, blueprint and bushido. How to think like, become—and remain—an authority.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00 -...
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