Profitable Joyful Consulting – Details, episodes & analysis

“Sometimes the most productive thing I can do is rest.”

Every time I experience envy of another business owner doing something like working fewer hours or being a digital nomad in Bali, I remind myself: “You’re self-employed! You can do whatever you want.” That’s why, today, I'm preparing to leave on an indefinite sabbatical. if you've ever wondered, “What's a sabbatical, and how do I get me one of those?” this episode is for you.

I once heard a fellow business owner talk about taking a sabbatical. It was the kind of thing that I knew was too soon, but I definitely felt a little bookmark activate in my brain. "That'll be me someday," I thought.

And now, it is!

Earlier this year, I heard the call to take a sabbatical. For a change, a HUGE change—I'm not burned out.

The next iteration of my work and life is coming through to me in divine downloads, but I can’t hear what it is with all the activity around me. So, I’m taking a hiatus from everything except my 1:1 clients. 

As I prepare to step away on this indefinite creative sabbatical, I’m diving into what it really means to rest, renew, and create space for the next phase of growth. 

In this final episode of Season 20, I share personal stories of burnout, unexpected sabbaticals, and the intentional decision to pause. You’ll learn about the origins of sabbaticals and why creating rest in your business is essential for long-term growth. 

Whether you’re planning for a future sabbatical, curious about the idea, or just need to integrate more rest into your routine, this episode will inspire you to rethink how you approach your work.

Key Takeaways:

• Why sabbaticals aren’t just for professors (and how to plan your own)
• The difference between unintentional and intentional sabbaticals—and what both taught me
• How business owners can integrate rest into their daily, weekly, and yearly routines
• How to avoid waiting until burnout forces you to stop.

This isn’t just about taking a break; it’s about cultivating a sustainable, joyful business and life. Tune in to this reflective and practical episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting on your favorite podcast app, or listen/read the transcript directly at SamanthasPodcast.com. 

The best way to stay in touch with me during my sabbatical, and after, is through my newsletter. Sign up here when you get free tools to grow your consulting business, like the Self-Assessment: The 10 Drivers of Consulting Business Success on The Path to $2 Million™ Visit: http://SamanthaHartley.com/Super

Take the FREE self-assessment: 

Get 50% off your first month of Armoire ➡️ https://samanthahartley.com/armoire 

For more tips to help you create a profitable, joyful business without exhaustion​, let’s connect on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Whenever you’re ready, here are two ways I can help you grow your consulting business:

🎧 Subscribe to Profitable Joyful Consulting on YouTube and your favorite podcast app:

Learn how to create your most amazing year yet with an exercise I love called “The Million-Dollar Dress™👇

On Profitable Joyful Consulting, I teach you how to increase your profits and enjoy your business more. In this episode, you’ll learn how to create your most amazing year yet with an exercise I love called “The Million-Dollar Dress™.”

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what we want for our future, but a really fun visualization can sometimes help. I use this exercise with my clients all the time to create alignment and help them reach their goals. In this episode, I’m sharing it with you. 

You are a powerful creator, and I believe in your ability to create your best year yet! You already have everything you need to be massively wealthy and successful. 

Key areas discussed in this episode: 

• How the idea for this exercise came about many years ago
• Reaching our goals and intentions with intangible and energetic alignment 
• The Million-Dollar Dress™ exercise and how it can help you get clarity about your business 
• How to pull The Million-Dollar Dress™ exercise into your everyday work 
• A second creative exercise that can help you support your success this year 

Cheers to your most expansive self and your most expansive business this year! Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/96ATtrw3y1k or listen on your favorite podcast app to discover how to use this multi-sensory visualization to create it. 

Take your FREE self-assessment: 

Get 50% off your first month of Armoire ➡️ https://samanthahartley.com/armoire 

For more tips to help you create a profitable, joyful business without exhaustion​, let’s connect on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Whenever you’re ready, here are two ways I can help you grow your consulting business:

🎧 Subscribe to Profitable Joyful Consulting. On YouTube and your favorite podcast app: https://samanthaspodcast.com. 

💃🏻 Work with me to multiply your revenues without exhaustion.

Ready to add $150-750K to your business? Click here to book a 12-minute Clarity Call with my Growth Strategist: https://samanthahartley.com/claritycall/

Mentioned in this episode:

I have a confession to make. I hate shopping, but I love the way I feel in beautiful clothes. I love to have new looks, and I really don't want to be seen in the same outfits over and over, but I also don't want to clog landfills with more fast fashion. Because I despise shopping, I've been known to buy too quickly and end up with a closet full of things I don't wear. But everything changed for me when I discovered Armoire. I was heading to a business event in Hawaii and I wanted to look fantastic. I got a gorgeous dress and the cutest jumpsuit. Armir is like sharing a...

“Are you competing when you could be collaborating?”

Have you ever felt unsupported or isolated in your business journey? Many women consultants find themselves trying to figure it all out alone, and that can slow progress. But what if there was a faster, more effective way to grow? It all comes down to support. 

In this final episode of the series, we dive into the importance of building robust support networks and how finding your place in communities can help you go farther, faster. This is part six of our series The Feminine Advantage, where we’ve explored topics from balancing masculine and feminine energy to overcoming imposter syndrome.

In this episode, you’ll hear real stories from women consultants who have built thriving six and seven-figure businesses by leaning into their support networks. You’ll hear how connecting with like-minded peers can transform your business and personal life, providing you with encouragement, accountability, and new perspectives. Get ready for practical tips, including a coaching question, a journaling prompt, and an affirmation to take action today.

Key Takeaways

1:25 The Power of a Support Network

7:48 Breaking Free from Sexism (external and internal):

11:00 Embracing (Argh!) Vulnerability in Business

13:42 Building the Team and Delegating for Growth

20:54 Investing in Yourself

23:24 Actionable Next Steps

Community is the gift you give yourself to reach your highest potential. If you're ready to grow and want to experience the power of a strong support network, tune into this episode and take action. Listen to Profitable Joyful Consulting on your favorite podcast app or visit us at SamanthasPodcast.com.

Get the complete blog post and transcript: https://samanthahartley.com/how-to-build-a-robust-support-network

Special Thanks: 

Jennifer Frye

Kara Levy

Marcy Browe

Patty Lawrence

Related Episodes: 

▶️TRAILER: The Feminine Advantage

▶️Episode 1: Balancing Masculine and Feminine Energy in Business

▶️Episode 2: Mastering Decisions, Boundaries, and Action in Leadership

▶️Episode 3: Overcoming Communication Challenges Women Face

▶️Episode 4: How Women Are Transforming Leadership Dynamics

The Drivers of a Successful Consulting Business ⤵️

Whether you’ve been in business for a while and are struggling to get traction, have some traction but are stuck on the revenue roller coaster, or are drowning in client work with no time and capacity to grow the business, these drivers of a successful consultancy will help you create and grow a more profitable, joyful business. 

Discover 5 of the 10 drivers of a successful consulting business in this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting (and stay tuned for the next 5 drivers in a part 2 episode!). Some drivers are more important to focus on than others based on where you are in your business, and I break it all down in this episode. 

Key areas discussed:

When you start to master these drivers, you’re going to see different results in your business. You’re going to see yourself getting traction, getting off the revenue roller coaster, and coming up for air in your business. Learn how in this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aNMi9ivR6Pc or your favorite podcast app: http://www.samanthahartley.com/blog-podcast.

#Consulting #ConsultingBusiness 

🔔 Subscribe for more! ➡️ http://bit.ly/PJCYTsub  ​​

WATCH ✅How to Brand Your Consulting Business: Tips for Success ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK4sYadLuyU 

WATCH ✅Strategic Visibility  ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XImX9IGqml0 

READ ✅The Definitive Guide to Winning Six-Figure Clients ➡️ http://6figureclients.com/  

 DOWNLOAD ✅ The 10 Drivers of Success Self-Assessment ➡️ samanthahartley.com/super 

DOWNLOAD ✅Shield App for LinkedIn ➡️https://www.shieldapp.ai/?via=samantha 

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For more tips to help you create a profitable, joyful business without exhaustion​, follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahartley/ or https://www.facebook.com/samantha.hartley.71/

P.S. Here are 3 ways I can help you grow your consulting business:

🎧 Subscribe to my podcast, Profitable Joyful Consulting 

You know who subscribes to my podcast? My clients. — On YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

💜 Connect with other consultants in the  Profitable Joyful Consulting community 

Ask questions, share insights, find colleagues.— Click here to join. 

💡 Work with me to multiply your revenues without exhaustion.

Ready to add $150-750K to your business? Click here to book a 10-minute call with my Growth Strategist.

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Get 60% off your first month of Armoire ➡️ armoire.style/refer/sjh   

Get a free...

It’s not just big businesses that struggle with creating a company culture where people want to work and having leaders who can drive the behaviors they want to see.

Small businesses struggle, too. No matter how small your business, it’s not too small to have a culture. 

My guest, Brittany Drozd, helps small businesses master leadership and company culture. She empowers agency owners and marketers to become confident leaders, build better teams and catalyze culture change.

Learn how to drive leadership and culture in your business in this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting.  

Key areas discussed: 

Learn how to lead and do culture a better way in this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/N6bY3S_q00s or your favorite podcast app: http://www.samanthahartley.com/blog-podcast.

#Leadership #Culture

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WATCH ✅Are You a Leader or a Manager? Find Out What Skills You Need to Succeed  ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M09wQRG7KRQ 

WATCH ✅ Self-Leadership with CK Lin ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVlm29WsqL0 

READ ✅The Definitive Guide to Winning Six-Figure Clients ➡️ http://6figureclients.com/  

DOWNLOAD ✅Shield App for LinkedIn ➡️https://www.shieldapp.ai/?via=samantha  

CONNECT ✅with Brittany on LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanydrozd 

CONNECT ✅ with Brittany on Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/brittdrozd/

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For more tips to help you create a profitable, joyful business without exhaustion​, follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahartley/ or https://www.facebook.com/samantha.hartley.71/

P.S. Here are 3 ways I can help you grow your consulting business:

🎧 Subscribe to my podcast, Profitable Joyful Consulting 

You know who subscribes to my podcast? My clients. — On YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

💜 Connect with other consultants in the  Profitable Joyful Consulting community 

Ask questions, share insights, find colleagues.— Click here to join. 

💡 Work with me to multiply your revenues without exhaustion.

Ready to add $150-750K to your business?

How to position your brand for a more profitable, joyful consultancy ⤵️

Are potential clients confused about what you do? Have you gotten tired of your current clients? Have your specialty or niche changed but you don’t know how to get the word out? 

These issues are all examples of brand positioning, how you’re known in the marketplace. What you are known for or known as shapes everything in your business - from the referrals you get to the kinds of clients you work with to the ways you communicate. 

In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, learn more about what brand positioning is and how to make sure you’re positioned as you choose to be in the market to get the results you want in your business.

Key areas discussed:

Tune in to discover the three key steps you need to take to rebrand or reposition your brand for a more profitable, joyful consultancy on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9dztYBQlsYE or your favorite podcast app: http://www.samanthahartley.com/blog-podcast.

#Consulting #Branding #Positioning

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WATCH ✅Case Study: From Freelance Writer to Communications Strategist  ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpHYJadxuZ0 

WATCH ✅Personal Branding Tips With Samantha Hartley ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjVzhknlFiE 

READ ✅The Definitive Guide to Winning Six-Figure Clients ➡️ http://6figureclients.com/  

DOWNLOAD ✅Shield App for LinkedIn ➡️https://www.shieldapp.ai/?via=samantha  

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For more tips to help you create a profitable, joyful business without exhaustion​, follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahartley/ or https://www.facebook.com/samantha.hartley.71/

P.S. Here are 3 ways I can help you grow your consulting business:

🎧 Subscribe to my podcast, Profitable Joyful Consulting 

You know who subscribes to my podcast? My clients. — On YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

💜 Connect with other consultants in the  Profitable Joyful Consulting community 

Ask questions, share insights, find colleagues.— Click here to join. 

💡 Work with me to multiply your revenues without exhaustion.

Ready to add $150-750K to your business? Click here to book a 10-minute call with my Growth Strategist.

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Get 60% off your first month of Armoire ➡️ armoire.style/refer/sjh   

Get a free month of Jewelry by Rocksbox ➡️

My client Sherry Quam Taylor went from being overloaded with 37 clients to making dramatically more than she’s ever made before (and experiencing a ton of joy) doing longer engagements with fewer, ideal clients and getting stunning results.

She’s a consultant who shows nonprofit CEOs how to raise millions more in gen ops dollars so they can fund their strategic plan and increase budgets by 2 to 10x. With Sherry, their teams break free from the limitations of transactional fundraising and reimagine their entire approach to revenue generation, attracting investment-level donors who want to fund their work. 

She practically doubled her business and had her most financially successful year ever from working together - and in this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, she shares how she did it.

Key areas discussed:

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/plrRoLvBwBg or listen on your favorite podcast app: http://www.samanthahartley.com/blog-podcast to hear firsthand from someone who’s gotten where you want to go and exactly how she did it.

#Consulting

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WATCH ✅ Case Study: Erin Straza ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpHYJadxuZ0 

WATCH ✅Consultants: Find Out "What's My Transformational Offer for My Clients?" ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svAaYhG_gxA 

READ ✅The Definitive Guide to Winning Six-Figure Clients ➡️ http://6figureclients.com/  

DOWNLOAD ✅Shield App for LinkedIn ➡️https://www.shieldapp.ai/?via=samantha  

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For more tips to help you create a profitable, joyful business without exhaustion​, follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahartley/ or https://www.facebook.com/samantha.hartley.71/

P.S. Here are 3 ways I can help you grow your consulting business:

🎧 Subscribe to my podcast, Profitable Joyful Consulting 

You know who subscribes to my podcast? My clients. — On YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

💜 Connect with other consultants in the  Profitable Joyful Consulting community 

Ask questions, share insights, find colleagues.— Click here to join. 

💡 Work with me to multiply your revenues without exhaustion.

Ready to add $150-750K to your business? Click here to book a 10-minute call with my Growth Strategist.

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Get 60% off your first month of Armoire ➡️ armoire.style/refer/sjh   

Get a free month of Jewelry by Rocksbox ➡️

Feeling overwhelmed?

One of the things that consultants often come to me struggling with is being overwhelmed in their business. They’re doing client work, working on their own businesses and usually managing a household, on top of navigating the economy and the pandemic and all kinds of things. 

Overwhelm happens to all business owners, but it doesn't have to knock you off your game. 

There are things that you can do about it if you understand why you get overwhelmed, what you can do when you're overwhelmed, and how you can recognize this as a pattern in your business. Explore why we get overwhelmed and what to do about it in this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting! 

Key areas discussed:

Being self-employed can feel like the work never ends. Learn how to get your work (and overwhelm) under control for a sustainable, profitable, joyful business in this episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/Wg9NQ1SXxCI or your favorite podcast app: http://www.samanthahartley.com/blog-podcast.

Episode Hashtags: #Overwhelm #Consulting 

For more tips to help you create a profitable, joyful business without exhaustion​, follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahartley/ or https://www.facebook.com/samantha.hartley.71/

Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your consulting business:

🎧 Subscribe to my free podcast, Profitable Joyful Consulting. You know who subscribes to my podcast? My clients. On YouTube and your favorite podcast app: https://samanthahartley.com/blog-podcast/. 

 💜 Connect with other consultants in the Profitable Joyful Consulting community.

Ask questions, share insights, find colleagues. — Click here to join: http://bit.ly/3rVPsUo  

 💃🏻 Work with me to multiply your revenues without exhaustion.

Ready to add $150-750K to your business? Click here to book a 12-minute call with my Growth Strategist: https://calendly.com/jeanette_g/

My client Erin Straza was once “just” a copywriter. When she first started working with me, she shared her vision of what more she could do for her clients. Not quite a year later, Erin is bringing transformational engagements to nonprofits and helping them no longer just with copywriting, but with strategic marketing communications. 

In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, hear how Erin has changed her business by focusing on transformation and working with perfect clients - large enough to really value her services. Erin never had trouble attracting clients, but she was yearning to do deeper work with fewer clients. Now, she’s repositioned herself as a communications strategist and she’s making a bigger impact for her clients. Erin is solidly working in her Joy & Genius Zone™ and, to my delight, she’s grown her revenues dramatically - tripling in two years! 

Key areas discussed:

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EpHYJadxuZ0 or listen on your favorite podcast app: www.samanthahartley.com/blog-podcast to hear how Erin has transformed her business by focusing on transformational engagements and working with perfect clients.

Episode Hashtags: #Consulting

🔔 Subscribe for more! ➡️ http://bit.ly/PJCYTsub  ​​

WATCH ✅ Consulting Case Study: Cheryl Jekiel  ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeRNLt-x5i8 

WATCH ✅ Case Study Crossing the Million Dollar Mark ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mNttGWn0ZM 

SCHEDULE ✅A 12-minute Clarity Call to find out if The Path to $2 Million is right for you ➡️ https://calendly.com/jeanette_g/clarity-call

READ ✅The Definitive Guide to Winning Six-Figure Clients ➡️ http://6figureclients.com/  

DOWNLOAD ✅Shield App for LinkedIn ➡️https://www.shieldapp.ai/?via=samantha  

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For more tips to help you create a profitable, joyful business without exhaustion​, follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahartley/ or https://www.facebook.com/samantha.hartley.71/

P.S. Here are 3 ways I can help you grow your consulting business:

🎧 Subscribe to my podcast, Profitable Joyful Consulting 

You know who subscribes to my podcast? My clients. — On YouTube and your favorite podcast app. 

💜 Connect with other consultants in the  Profitable Joyful Consulting community 

Ask questions, share insights, find colleagues.— Click here to join. 

💡 Work with me to multiply your revenues without exhaustion.

Ready to add $150-750K to your business? Click here to book a 10-minute call with my Growth Strategist.

...

How to avoid ever getting another client from hell again 👇

The client from hell: we’ve all had them. What can you do to avoid them in the future? How do you prevent yourself from constantly ending up with clients who drive you crazy? 

The number one determiner of profit or joy in your business is going to be the clients you work with. In this episode of Profitable Joyful Consulting, you’ll learn how and why consultants end up with clients from hell, what you can learn from the situation, and how to avoid them in the future. 

Key areas discussed:

Learn 5 ways to avoid the client from hell in your own business and thrive as a consultant in this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IIzH3Bjdy9Y or your favorite podcast app: https://samanthahartley.com/blog-podcast.

#Consulting #PerfectClients

🔔 Subscribe for more! ➡️ http://bit.ly/PJCYTsub  ​​

WATCH ✅Samantha Hartley Shares the Perfect Client Profile for any Business ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1s_cdIruQ0 

WATCH ✅Be Your Perfect Client - How to Win More Clients and Revenue ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBvr6m9j3i8 

READ ✅The Definitive Guide to Winning Six-Figure Clients ➡️ http://6figureclients.com/  

DOWNLOAD ✅Shield App for LinkedIn ➡️https://www.shieldapp.ai/?via=samantha  

LEARN ✅ about the ten drivers of a profitable, joyful consulting business and assess how you’re doing on them ➡️ www.samanthahartley.com/super 

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For more tips to help you create a profitable, joyful business without exhaustion​, follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahartley/ or https://www.facebook.com/samantha.hartley.71/

P.S. Here are 3 ways I can help you grow your consulting business:

🎧 Subscribe to my podcast, Profitable Joyful Consulting 

You know who subscribes to my podcast? My clients. — On YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

💜 Connect with other consultants in the  Profitable Joyful Consulting community 

Ask questions, share insights, find colleagues.— Click here to join. 

💡 Work with me to multiply your revenues without exhaustion.

Ready to add $150-750K to your business? Click here to book a 10-minute call with my Growth Strategist.

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Get 60% off your first month of Armoire ➡️ armoire.style/refer/sjh   

Get a free month of Jewelry by Rocksbox ➡️