Confessions with Jess and Cindy – Details, episodes & analysis

Ever wonder how some consultants seem to effortlessly land high-paying clients while you're still struggling to break the $5K mark? This week's guest, Kel Haney, spills the tea on her journey from theater director to six-figure fundraising consultant.

Kel shares how she transitioned from a 20-year career in theater to becoming a sought-after fundraising consultant, specializing in mid-level donors and her signature "5-minute fundraising ask." She candidly discusses her initial resistance to networking, her mindset shifts around pricing, and how she learned to articulate her unique value proposition.

But here's the kicker: Kel reveals how she went from charging $30-50 an hour to a $15K minimum for her consulting packages. And spoiler alert: clients are saying yes!

We dive into the nitty-gritty of Kel's business model, including how she structures her offers, her approach to business development (hint: it's all about relationships), and why she's committed to keeping her business lean and mean.

Kel also shares her secret weapon for staying motivated during the less-than-glamorous parts of running a business. Let's just say it involves a green visor and a healthy dose of playfulness.

Key Takeaways:

• Clarity is queen: Kel's business took off when she got crystal clear on her niche and how to articulate it. Take the time to refine your messaging – it pays off.
• Invest in yourself: Kel credits her rapid success to investing in coaching and professional development. It's not an expense, it's a fast pass to success.
• Relationship-building trumps cold outreach: Kel's high-ticket clients come from nurturing her network and being genuinely curious about people's needs.
• Keep it lean: By maintaining low overhead, Kel maximizes her profit margins and gives herself more flexibility in her business.
• Don't be afraid to raise your rates: Kel's story proves that when you offer unique value, clients are willing to pay premium prices. Know your worth and price accordingly.

Today on Confessions, we're diving into a topic that's been on all our minds lately: online courses. We all know the appeal, right? Scale your impact, ditch the time-for-money trap, and make some serious cash. But, like everything in life, it's not as simple as it seems.

On our recent Mastermind retreat, we enlisted our friends Rhea Wong, Brooke Richie-Babbage, and Rachel Bearbower to have a raw, honest chat about the challenges of creating a course that actually sells. Spoiler alert: the world doesn't need more pretty content. As one of our peers put it, "Nobody cares about how cute your content is if it doesn't solve a problem for them." Ouch, but so true! It's a wake-up call to focus on crafting experiences that genuinely transform our clients' lives, not just info dumps.

We also dove into the nitty-gritty of actually building a successful course – from how to structure it for maximum impact to finding your ideal audience and getting them excited to buy. It's a journey, guys, not a sprint.

We're sharing all the behind-the-scenes secrets, from validating your ideas (goodbye, biased "mom calls" 👋) to pricing strategies that attract high-paying clients. We even get real about the emotional roller coaster of charging for your expertise.

Get ready to ditch the fluff and create courses that truly matter. Tune in and join the conversation!

As you immerse yourself in this unfiltered conversation, you'll uncover:

• Strategies for validating course ideas through authentic audience conversations, avoiding the pitfalls of biased "mom calls"
• A framework for scaling your business methodically, from stabilizing your core offering to optimizing and expanding strategically
• Insights into pricing models that cater to your highest-paying clients, fueling sustainable growth without burnout
• Candid reflections on the emotional toll of pivoting from free to paid offerings and navigating dissenting voices

Find Us Online:  https://www.confessionswithjessandcindy.com

Connect with Cindy:

Cindy Wagman Coaching: cindywagman.com

Fractional Fundraising Network: fractionalfundraising.co/

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/cindywagman

Connect with Jess:

Out In the Boons: outintheboons.me

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jesscampbelloutintheboons/

Imagine pouring countless hours of unpaid labor into cultivating a vibrant online community, only to face the daunting decision of monetizing it. That's the raw reality Jess confronted with her nonprofit consultants' group, Build Better Together. In this unfiltered convo, Jess pulls you into the emotional whirlwind of pivoting a once-free offering, sharing the psychological toll and resilience required.

From agonizing over potentially alienating loyal members to weathering scathing criticisms questioning her integrity, Jess holds nothing back. Yet her vulnerability gives way to triumph as the vast majority rallied behind the change, empowering her vision. Discover how this pivotal shift transformed the community's dynamics, fostering deeper engagement, generous knowledge-sharing, and an environment of mutual respect.

But behind the tactics lies a profound lesson in nurturing communities aligned with your values. Witness Jess's journey from trepidation to fulfillment as she cultivated this cherished digital space. Her tenacity exemplifies the mindset shift required to monetize your offerings without compromising authenticity.

Key Highlights:

• Understand Jess's decision-making process and the factors that influenced her transition to a paid model.
• Learn how she managed member expectations and addressed dissenting voices during the monetization process.
• Gain insights into fostering a supportive, collaborative environment that encourages knowledge-sharing and networking.
• Explore the systems, processes, and roles Jess implemented to facilitate community growth while maintaining quality.
• Hear her candid reflections on the lessons learned and the impact the transition has had on her business one year later.

If you've ever wrestled with the complexities of building a paid community or simply crave an honest look at an entrepreneur's trials and triumphs, immerse yourself in this empowering narrative. You'll emerge with a deeper appreciation for the grit required and inspiration to boldly pursue your own passion projects.

Find Us Online:  https://www.confessionswithjessandcindy.com

Connect with Cindy:

Cindy Wagman Coaching: cindywagman.com

Fractional Fundraising Network: fractionalfundraising.co/

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/cindywagman

Connect with Jess:

Out In the Boons: outintheboons.me

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jesscampbelloutintheboons/

“We have this headwind of constantly trying to remind the nonprofit sector that we are people too, and we deserve to be compensated for our time.” - Rachel Bearbower

Everyone keeps talking about the need for consultants to move from 1:1 work to 1:many, but what does it really take to get there? In this episode of the Confessions podcast, Rachel Bearbower, the founder and CEO of Small Shop Strategies, shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of her experience creating a membership program in her business. It’s not all sunshine and roses, but there is definitely a payoff to patience. 

Highlights:

1. Going from 1:1 work to 1:many doesn’t happen overnight
2. A membership is a great way to build a community (and recurring revenue) but is a huge commitment and requires you to show up for that community consistently.
3. What has worked and what hasn’t when it comes to growing an audience
4. Not apologizing for wanting to earn a good living

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

Connect with Rachel:

• Website: https://www.smallshopstrategies.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelbearbower/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallshopstrategies
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallshopstrategies/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachelbearbower

Find Us Online: https://www.confessionswithjessandcindy.com/

Connect with Cindy:

Cindy Wagman Coaching https://cindywagman.com/

The Good Partnership https://www.thegoodpartnership.com/

Connect with Jess: 

Out In the Boons: https://www.outintheboons.me/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“If you wanna know our strategy for the first year, it was make as many friends as possible, put out incredible content and don't ask anybody for anything other than your shares and your friendship. And that was literally our business model for the first year before we actually monetized really anything.” - Jon McCoy

Are Partnerships Worth It? With Jon & Becky

In this episode of the Confessions podcast, Jon & Becky share their journey and intentions behind building their business We Are For Good. If you haven’t heard of We Are For Good you might be sleeping under a rock. These two (along with their amazing team) have exploded on the scene and are taking us behind their strategy, successes, and learnings.

Highlights:

Getting strategic on your long term goals and having the patience to build them 

How to work with partners and sponsors in a way that is aligned with your values and brings benefits to your community 

The importance of mental health for you as a business owner

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

Slack

Calendly

Connect with Jon & Becky:

We Are For Good

Jon’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanpmccoy/

Jon’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonforgood_/?hl=en 

Becky’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-endicott/ 

Becky’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckyforgood/?hl=en 

Find us online: Confessions with Jess and Cindy

Connect with Cindy:

Cindy Wagman Coaching https://cindywagman.com/

The Good Partnership https://www.thegoodpartnership.com/

Connect with Jess: 

Out In the Boons: https://www.outintheboons.me/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“And so I just, I don't know if this is my finest hour, but one week I was you know what? Y'all I quit. I was, I looked at my numbers and I realized that y'all is just happy to hear what is going on in the world. And you don't care nothing about what I have to teach, so I will not be writing to you anymore. Follow me on Instagram. Good night.” - Kishshana Palmer

Enjoy as you listen to this very inspirational, uplifting, and lighthearted episode with the one and only, Kishshana Palmer as she shares her origins, how she made her business successful,  her journey with how her business grew, evolved… and basically how she started from needing to survive, to being really intentional and thoughtful about what she does!

Tune into this awesome conversation with Jess and Cindy as they have a fun discussion with the best storyteller sharing what business she has today.

Highlights

1. How Kishshana got started consulting and her journey along the way.
2. What are the metrics Kishshana and her team measure and hold value towards?
3. Showing up on stages and selling from the stage became Kishsana’s best asset!
4. Why are you in business? The value of getting really clear on your lifelong goals.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

• Kishshana & Co.

Find Us Online:  https://www.confessionswithjessandcindy.com/

Connect with Cindy:

Cindy Wagman Coaching https://cindywagman.com/

• The Good Partnership https://www.thegoodpartnership.com/

Connect with Jess: 

Out In the Boons: https://www.outintheboons.me/

Connect with Kishshana Palmer: 

• Kishshana’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kishshanapalmer 
• Kishshana’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kishshanapalmer/ 
• Kishshana’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/kishshanapalmer 
• Kishshana’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kishshanapalmer/?hl=en 
• Kishshana & Co.: https://kishshanaco.com/ 
• Talk to Kishshana: [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“At the end of the day, if you don't see the value of what I'm offering or you aren't willing to find the money to make it happen, then you're probably not the person I wanna work with. The people I wanna work with are ready to say yes and ready to make a change. ” - Rhea Wong

Tune into this episode of Confessions Podcast with your hosts, Jess and Cindy, as we talk to Rhea Wong on how she created and scaled her $7500 signature program.

Rhea drops so many golden truth bombs about fundraising, building businesses and the power of consistency as she shares the knowledge she learned from her journey. She is the founder of Rhea Wong Consulting (obviously) and she works specifically with nonprofit organizations to raise major gifts.

We’re basically fangirling over Rhea in this episode and we’re sure you’d love her even more!

Highlights:

1. Rhea’s journey to building Rhea Wong Consulting that made her realize, “Why did it take me so long to do this?”
2. ‘It’s not you, it’s them’ - why people still won’t work with you even if you had tons of great feedback.
3. Starting your email list from the people you know because as Cindy said, “Who the hell else are you gonna know?”
4. Consistency is key! Rhea shares how she wears multiple hats by maintaining a schedule.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

• Rhea Wong Consulting
• Get That Money, Honey! By Rhea Wong

Connect with Rhea Wong: 

Website: https://www.rheawong.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rheawong/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nonprofit-lowdown/id1436858854

Find Us Online: https://www.confessionswithjessandcindy.com/

Connect with Cindy:

Cindy Wagman Coaching https://cindywagman.com/

The Good Partnership https://www.thegoodpartnership.com/

Connect with Jess: 

Out In the Boons: https://www.outintheboons.me/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tune into a behind the scenes conversation with Jess and Cindy as we share what you can expect from our new podcast for nonprofit-serving coaches and consultants.

In this podcast, we are giving you access to the business leaders who serve nonprofits as their clients - you know - the people who truly get it. No more gatekeeping, no more secrets - this podcast is going to give you an inside look at what running a successful nonprofit coaching and consulting business looks like. Basically, we’re asking people how much money they make, how they get paid and what has and hasn’t worked in their businesses.

We're kicking things off with our own confessions - and it's juicy!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You know that feeling of dread when someone asks you to do unpaid work? That sinking sensation that you're being taken advantage of, yet again? Well, if you're a nonprofit consultant, requests for free labor might hit a little too close to home.

But what if there was a way to turn those asks into opportunities to get properly compensated for your expertise? In this refreshingly candid discussion, we pull back the curtain on a topic that's often brushed under the rug: referral fees.

Key Highlights:

• How to reframe your mindset around monetizing referrals, breaking free from the "martyr mentality" that plagues the nonprofit sector.
• Practical tips for initiating referral fee conversations upfront, setting clear expectations with potential partners.
• Specific percentage structures Jess and Cindy implement

Find Us Online:  https://www.confessionswithjessandcindy.com

Connect with Cindy:

Cindy Wagman Coaching: cindywagman.com

Fractional Fundraising Network: fractionalfundraising.co/

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/cindywagman

Connect with Jess:

Out In the Boons: outintheboons.me

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jesscampbelloutintheboons/

In this unfiltered glimpse into her entrepreneurial journey, Maria Rio pulls back the curtain on the relentless work ethic, strategic systems, and authentic team-building approach that is skyrocketing her firm's rapid growth.

With refreshing candor, Maria also confesses the challenges she's faced - from difficult hiring decisions to struggles with boundaries and self-care amidst her relentless work ethic. Her resilience and commitment to constant growth will leave you feeling empowered to tackle your own entrepreneurial obstacles with renewed clarity and determination.

In this episode of Confessions, Maria shares:

• Her multi-pronged lead generation tactics that keep her pipeline consistently full, from leveraging LinkedIn to hosting webinars and fostering strategic partnerships.
• The meticulous preparation and onboarding systems she implemented to seamlessly embed her first hire and maintain a consistent, values-driven client experience.
• Her evolved mindset on transitioning from a subcontractor model to hiring employees, and the unique considerations involved in that pivotal decision.
• The authentic, community-centric principles that guide her firm's culture and approach to building a diverse, mission-aligned team.

So tune in as Maria shares the truth about her first year building a thriving, multiple six-figure nonprofit consulting firm. You'll walk away with actionable strategies to implement in your own business and the inspiration to approach your ambitions with the same tenacious passion that propelled Maria's success.

Connect with Maria: 

Go Further Together (Website): https://www.gofurthertogether.ca/ 

The Small Nonprofit Podcast: https://www.gofurthertogether.ca/podcast 

Maria Rio (Linkedin):https://ca.linkedin.com/in/mariario 

Connect with Cindy:

Cindy Wagman Coaching: cindywagman.com

Fractional Fundraising Network: fractionalfundraising.co/

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/cindywagman

Connect with Jess:

Out In the Boons: outintheboons.me

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jesscampbelloutintheboons/