Episode 183 – Consulting Clients You Could Be Overlooking & Why They Matter

Episode Summary:

In Episode 183 of the Grow Your Independent Consulting Business Podcast, Melisa Liberman highlights an issue that many consultants face but rarely recognize—overlooking unofficial clients. 

Whether it’s unpaid work for a spouse, volunteering on a board, or offering advice to former colleagues, these overlooked clients could be taking up time and mental energy that you haven’t accounted for in your business.

In this episode, Melisa shares real-life examples, including her own experience with recognizing overlooked clients, and explains why counting these clients is crucial for maintaining balance and maximizing your time.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Who Are Your Overlooked Clients?
   • Examples include unpaid advice, side gigs, volunteer positions, and help offered to friends and family.
   • How these activities may be draining your time and energy without being accounted for in your client roster.
2. Why It Matters:
   • Unrecognized costs: The time and mental energy spent on these activities.
   • Missed benefits: How recognizing these clients can lead to better boundary-setting, more efficient workflows, and increased productivity.
3. Case Studies:
   • Melisa shares how recognizing her husband’s business and a nonprofit board as clients helped her organize her time and energy more effectively.
   • An example from one of Melisa’s clients who used these strategies to manage boundaries with unpaid work.
4. Questions to Put This Episode into Action:
   • What client work are you already doing that you’re not counting?
   • What benefits would you experience if you started counting it?

Quotes to Remember:

• “Overlooking these clients is costing you time and mental energy—whether you recognize it or not.”
• “Recognizing these clients isn’t about charging for everything; it’s about managing your time and energy more effectively.”

Resources Mentioned:

• Consulting Offer Assessment

Call to Action:

Uncover your overlooked clients and start managing your time more effectively. Apply the strategies from this episode and see how it can benefit your consulting practice.

FOR MORE RESOURCES SPECIFIC TO THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT —

1. Take the IC Business Health Assessment
2. Discuss working with Melisa as your coach – Click here to schedule your consultation.
3. Buy the book – Grow Your Consulting Business: The 14-Step Roadmap to Make Your Independent Consulting Goals a Reality
4. Watch my YouTube Podcast Channel
5. LinkedIn 
6. Website