The following is from our library of client successes — why not learn how we can help you grow your consulting business?

"I felt like I was literally in kindergarten as a business woman."

Amy McDougal is the president and founder of CLEAResources, LLC, where she helps organizations mitigate business risks associated with ethical and compliance failures. With a background in both the military and as an in-house lawyer working on compliance programs, Amy is passionate about helping her clients build ethical and compliant cultures so they can stay on track with their business missions. She decided to start a consulting firm instead of a law firm so she could focus on preventing legal problems instead of solving them — and so that she could work with clients anywhere around the world.

Amy started her firm in 2013. Like many new consulting business owners, she was a subject matter expert in corporate compliance. But when it came to growing a consulting business, Amy "felt like she was in kindergarten." As an overthinker, she was overwhelmed with the endless amount of information on how to grow a business. So, she sought an expert who helped consultants like her.

Understanding this gap in her skills, Amy looked for resources that would help her improve her consulting skills — and came across our Consulting Blueprint. Her previous business programs helped her dream big and plan for the future. But now, she was looking for help with the execution and making those dreams a reality. Amy joined the Clarity Coaching program shortly after working through our Consulting Blueprint, ready to take action and implement everything she'd learned.

The Power Of Business Coaching

Right before she joined the Clarity Coaching Program, Amy was hesitant about the investment. As a small business owner, she had to allocate her profit intelligently. Like any other smart entrepreneur, she wanted to make sure that she would see a positive return on her investment. From the coaching calls and course materials to the forum and group sessions, there is a lot to digest in the program. How would Amy navigate all of the information, take action on it, implement it, and see results?

For Amy, the coaching was the piece that tied it all together. In the Clarity Coaching Program, there are hundreds of hours of material. For someone who is very analytical and tends to overthink, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by information, and therefore, take action on it. This is why coaching is so important. Amy's coach, Grant, helped her hone in and focus on what from the program she should implement (and in what order) to get the best results.

As a specific example, Amy used to send over her proposals as branded PowerPoint presentations with several slides. In our program, Amy learned to pivot to our proposal letter format. She adjusted a section of her proposal to promise the client that if the goals she sets out with the client are not met, then she will work with them for free until they are met. Using this template, she's won 100% of her proposals sent to her ideal clients. Examples like this made the investment a no-brainer, helping her see a tangible return.

Surpassing Her Yearly Revenue Goal In Q1

As a result of investing in the Clarity Coaching Program and working with her coach, Amy busted her revenue goal this year before April 1st. She landed 3 new clients in the last 10 days of March. And she feels as though she's on track to building her dream consulting business, where she can attract clients and do amazing work for them — without having to manage other people.

One of the keys to Amy's success? Setting a clear revenue goal and getting specific about the type of business she wanted to create. She doesn't want to grow just for the sake of growing. She wants to grow in a way that meets her personal goals and fits within how she likes to work. With the help of the Clarity program, she's learned how to define what success means to her — and has the mentorship, information, and community to help her realize that success.

When asked if she'd recommend the Clarity Coaching Program to other consultants, here's what Amy said:

"Of course, I would recommend it! I've been in it for several years now because if you work the program, it works. If someone really wants to be a consultant and they've stumbled across this program and they're asking that question, the answer is, yes, you want to do the program. If you've gotten that far, if you've never been a consultant before, you're going to need all of the resources on how to do it because consultants are experts in their field in what they do. The knowledge they have is immense. But like me, their knowledge and skills on actually marketing it, branding it, pricing it, selling it — all of that, those are the skills you need to make sure your knowledge gets to as many people as you possibly want so that you can do the good work that you do. You need to have these skills, and I would tell them, you'll not regret it. Make the investment, and make the most of it."

Key Takeaways

• To succeed in this business, you must be more than an expert in your field. You must learn business development skills like marketing, sales, and pricing. — the skills of a consulting business owner.
• There is endless information out there to help you grow your business. But how do you prioritize and act on that information? Coaching is essential for helping you figure out what to focus on and why.
• Don't underestimate the power of setting goals. Start by defining your revenue goal. Then, work backward from how you can achieve that goal. A coach will help you stay accountable, focused, and on track.
• Your consulting proposal win rate is a key metric in determining the trajectory of your business. Winning 80% of your proposals versus 50% will make a massive difference in your bottom line. Use our consulting proposal template and strategies to increase your win rate.

Work With Us To Grow Your Consulting Business

In our Clarity Coaching program, our coaches have helped over 1000 consultants to build a more strategic, profitable, and scalable, consulting business. To discover how we can help grow your consulting business:

• Read our case studies, client success stories, and testimonials.
• Learn about us: our story, mission, values, and beliefs.
• Visit our Clarity Coaching landing page to learn about our program and community.
• Schedule your FREE growth session call with one of our experts.