9/30/25
Getting off the Hamster Wheel of Death
THE KEY CONCEPT YOU NEED TO GET BETTER CLIENTS AT HIGHER FEES.
I WAS THAT HAMSTER tWENTY YEARS AGO.
In 2003 I decided to exit the marketing firm I built and become an independent consultant. I envisioned a scenario in my head where the F100 clients followed me with checkbooks out, ready to engage me at a fee that reflected my value and experience.
That was the first of many mistakes. I thought that experience, track record, and past accomplishments were enough. I was wrong.
I went from a regular salary of $600K a year to earning less than $30K in 2003. It was a brutal wake up call.
With my first child hitting the “deliriously insane threes” something had to change. My first answer was to work even harder. I made a hundred calls a day, I attended trade events, I built websites and collateral – hell, I even started wearing a suit.
I FINALLY STARTED WINNING. ALL THE WRONG CLIENTS.
I felt that I had no choice but to take anything I could get. I lowered my fee, broadened my capabilities and doubled down – nothing changed.
I spent two years reading, working with coaches, and experimenting. I had uncovered a lot of pieces, but even with my bona fides in marketing, I couldn’t seem to solve the puzzle.
It was only until someone shared these three FOUNDATIONAL IDEAS that I was able to build the “high dollar” puzzle. I’m going to save you two years of wandering the desert in just 30 minutes.
- The High Value Mindset
- The Value Curve
- Positioning
I thought I understood these concepts. But I had to understand the ideas in the context of being an independent consultant – a very different role than “founder of an agency”.
Only after I saw how to leverage these concepts together was I able to attract and close six figure consulting deals with clients including AMF Worldwide, GE Medical, Abbott Laboratories, Lachat-Zellweger, Quest Technologies, Insinkerator and many other global brands and countless lesser known mid-sized companies.
Partial client list:
JOIN MY UPCOMING WEBINAR "5X YOUR FEE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR COACHES AND CONSULTANTS
I’ve created a 30 minute webinar that walks you through the three crucial ideas you must understand – in the context of running a highly profitable independent practice.
Whether you are a fractional executive, a consultant, coach, trainer, speaker or other expert, I’ll help you avoid years of grinding and guessing.
In 2006 I literally increased my fees 500%. It wasn’t a gamble or last ditch attempt. I began carving out a clear position as a “high value advisor” – an elite problem solver that focused on tough revenue challenges for global companies.
Since then, I’ve been featured in prestigeous media outlets, gained high profile awards from two sitting U.S. Presidents and, more importantly, I felt like I could finally charge what I was worth.
And everything started with the three concepts I’ll show you in this live webinar.
