Leah Neaderthal

So… 437 months ago, back in January of 2020, you set a lot of intentional, thoughtful goals for the year.

And then came March, and everything changed.

You’d wake up one day determined to get out there and help people.

Then the next day, all you wanted to do was stay in bed and watch Netflix.

Since then, we’ve had George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Jacob Blake.

Your “surge capacity,” as the New York Times reported a few weeks ago, is completely dried up.

And now it’s September, and you have to figure out who you are and what to do.

Should you post something? What if some people think it’s insensitive?

Should you talk about what’s going on in the world? What if you offend someone?

Should you reach out to a past client, or follow up with a prospect? What if their business isn’t doing well and they can’t hire you?

And slowly, you could overthink yourself right into invisibility.

You’re Overthinking.

But there’s another option. You could be the SUPERHERO, with just a mindset shift.

You could stop trying to adjust your message to suit each individual person on your list, and instead, show up as a person who wants to help other people.

You could decide to share information that you believe is useful, and that you know will be heard by the right people.

You could show up for the people who are waiting and deliver exactly what they need from you.

And day by day, you will write yourself into being, as the researcher Jenny Sundén says.

The world will be different in three, six, and twelve months. None of us can predict exactly what it will look like. But here’s one thing I am certain is true: Business will still exist.

Whether your business still exists depends entirely on you and the decisions you make now.

If you decide that it’s inappropriate to show up now, you probably won’t be in business a year from now.

If you decide that what you have to offer can help people, then you can weather this storm.

Ask yourself two questions right now:

Do you still believe in the goals you set back in January?
Which version of you does the world need right now?

If you’re ready to show up as a Superhero, I’m ready to support you.

Our last Pack Your Pipeline Accelerator of the year starts this week.

This is my proven program teaching you how to get your ideal consulting clients coming to you, using LinkedIn, in 21 days.

In as fast as one week, you will use LinkedIn to:
Be seen by decision-makers who can hire you
Build authority and position yourself as an expert, without feeling like you’re bragging
Arm people with the tools to make referrals to the clients you want to work with
Get a steady stream of your ideal clients coming to you, who are ready to work with you

WITHOUT sending spammy LinkedIn messages.
And WITHOUT spending money on LinkedIn Premium, Sales Navigator, or ads.

Join us for 21 days of learning, action, momentum, support, coaching, and accountability.

And let’s get that inner Superhero out there!

To your success,

Leah

It’s Sunday night. You’re already mentally planning out tomorrow and the rest of the week. By Thursday, you should be able to hand off this project to the client, if everything goes according to plan.

Which means that by Friday, when the project is done, you’ll be staring at an empty pipeline. Back to square one, with no other potential clients you’re talking to.

So here you are, doing what you tend to do when you know you need more work. Wondering if you should start a blog… or if you should get active on Twitter again… All The Things. Clicking around on the Internet. Grinding your teeth. Feeling your left shoulder all the way up under your ear and trying to relax.

And the stories you’re telling yourself?

Why would they even hire me?

This other person who does what I do… they’re so far ahead of me.

That project looks too complex for someone like me.

I don’t want to look salesy.

So you just keep clicking all the things. You’ll figure something out. Something will happen and you’ll get your next client, you think.

But just thinking about this problem won’t solve it.

And the opposite is true, too.

Ignoring this problem won’t make it go away.

You need to take action to fill your pipeline — but it has to be the right action.

You don’t want to start sending out “friendly” LinkedIn connection requests and then immediately follow up with, “Hey, should we jump on a call?”

That’s the exact thing you’re worried about because you know it looks salesy.

When you take the right actions — and they’re actually pretty small — people will start to reach out to you.

They’ll be the right people.

They’ll be looking for the solution you can deliver.

Your pipeline will start to fill up.

What if you knew the steps to take on LinkedIn? Those right actions?

Well first of all, you don’t have to send any messages on LinkedIn at all. Period.

But what you do have to do? That’s what I’m excited to share with you in a live workshop:

LIVE WORKSHOP:
Become a Sought-After Consultant on LinkedIn: get seen, get known as an expert, and get clients coming to you.”

Two sessions to choose from:
Tuesday, September 1st, 1 pm ET/10 am PT
Thursday, September 3rd, 8 pm ET /5 pm PT

I hope you’ll join me, so you can solve the Sunday night problem.

To your success,

Leah

You’re on a discovery call with a potential new client. They’ve brought in the decision-maker and two of the people you’d be working with on the team. The conversation is going really well — there’s rapport, everyone is in a good mood.

They describe the problem they’re facing and ask your opinion.

You know, just from the way they phrased the question, that what they think the problem is, and what the actual problem is, are different – you see so clearly what the actual problem is and how to fix it.

This is your wheelhouse. Your zone of genius.

This contract is yours to lose. You can taste it.

You lay it all out for them, in exquisite detail. Smiles and nods all around. Deeper questions. More in-depth answers.

You are in your element. On fire. You are solving problems and offering up killer ideas.

And you have just lost the sale.

The worst part is, you don’t even know it. You finish the call, and you’re on a high.

But the client doesn’t reply to your emails.

The followup call is rescheduled… and rescheduled again… and then “put on hold.”

You can’t figure out what’s wrong. They loved you.

You gave them everything they wanted.

And that, right there, is the problem.

You slept with the client on the first date. The mystery and intrigue is gone, and they’re never going to call you again.

When your business is your expertise, when people hire you for your expertise, it’s natural that you want to share that expertise. But there’s a time and a place, and a right way and a wrong way.

When you start solving problems without a solid sales process in place, you will give away your expertise — your power — and you will lose sales.

You’re left feeling resentful. Gun shy.

Some of my students even tell me they feel used when this happens.

Why should I bother putting myself out there?

Or you think something must be wrong with you. Your pricing is too high. You don’t offer a service people want. You need new branding.

Nothing is wrong with you.

Your pricing can actually be even higher.

People definitely want your service.

And for the love of all that is holy, you do not need new branding.

What you do need is a sales process. What you must have is training on exactly how to run early conversations — which is exactly what I teach my SIGNED students…

You need a proper framework for your discovery conversations so that you don’t wind up giving away your expertise for free.

Your discovery call needs to show the client what the outcome will be — how their business will be different as a result of working with you.

When you know the right way to run a discovery call, something amazing happens. The call is actually better. You get really good information, and the chance to understand — deeply — what’s driving the client to seek a solution.

You’ll come off the call knowing if the client has the funds to hire you, what the hiring process looks like, and how urgent the need is for them.

You’ll know if they’re actually ready to move forward — or if they’re just window shopping for now.

Even better, they will hand feed you everything you need to write your proposal so that it hits every single one of their needs.

Listen, you aren’t just supposed to know how to do this discovery call thing.
You didn’t learn it in school, you’re not born with a “talent” for it…

You need a training ground, somewhere to learn from other successful coaches and consultants who’ve done this work before, and who can show you what is working in the real world.

That’s exactly why I created my signature program, SIGNED. (We just closed the doors on our latest SIGNED class, but send a message if you want to talk about our October class- spots are already filling up! )

Because if you’re going to have great sales conversations, you have to have potential clients to sell to.

To your success,

Leah

I want to introduce you to my friend and student Emily McGuire. Emily is a crazy talented email marketing strategist and copywriter.

She recently posted this on LinkedIn and I asked if I could share her message with you:

“The things that make you different are the things that make you dazzle.

You know what’s really weird? I used to be so terrified of showing myself online.

I thought I had to be a cookie-cutter version of myself on LinkedIn.

That LinkedIn means being uber “professional.” (Yes, those quotes are intentional).

When I think “professional,” I think of anyone BUT me, and therefore, this is not a place I belong.

It wasn’t until I spoke with Leah Neaderthal about this that she opened my eyes to what was blinding me.

People like me are everywhere, and all I have to do is show up.
That’s it.

I just have to show up as me, and see what happens.

And you know what? It works!

The open me. The vulnerable me. The one that laughs at my own terrible jokes.

That’s how I show up.

And the fascinating part is that people tell me they like it. (WHAT!?!?)

Who knew?

Be you. Own it, and your difference will make you dazzle (instead of getting lost by attempting to blend in with a bunch of Brads).”

So, what makes YOU different? I’d love if you send a message and share with me!

If you’re looking to really leverage LinkedIn to share your personality, to draw your people in, and to connect with those who can appreciate your unique skill sets, I’ve got a completely FREE guide you can download right now:

The One-Hour LinkedIn Profile PowerUp is specifically designed specifically for consultants.

You’ll learn:
The 7 steps to turn your LinkedIn profile into a powerful lead generator for your consulting business that attracts high-quality leads every day
How to make your profile stand out above your competition (including how to position yourself as an authority in under 100 words)
Exactly how to help your ideal clients take action, without being pushy
Includes expert advice, real-life examples, and action steps you can take right now

Click here to get your copy right now!

To your success,

Leah

“I’m not sure… does this count?” she asked timidly.

She was one of my SIGNED students, and we were starting our group call the way we always do: by celebrating wins from the previous week.

In these calls, there are four types of wins students can bring:

For some students there are Client Wins. (They talk about the new business client they just landed and can’t wait to work with.)

For some students there are Money Wins. (Like my recent student who landed a six-figure, six-month engagement – the most profitable project she’d ever sold!)

Others bring general Business Growth Wins to the table. (One student had an influencer in her industry reach out to her on LinkedIn and invite her onto her podcast!)

And there are also Mindset Wins. (Like the student who hesitated for months about reaching out to an old colleague, but she finally did it. Not long after, the woman wanted to hire her for a huge project at her new company!)

So back to my student. What was she hesitant to celebrate? She’d been contacted by one of her ideal clients because of the strategic content she’d been posting on LinkedIn featuring her expertise.

“That’s GREAT!” I told her. “But… why wouldn’t that count???”

She said, “I usually don’t consider a win a REAL win unless I get a signed paying customer.”

I was surprised, but I’ve heard this before. So here’s what I said to her in response:

Imagine you’re training for a marathon.

And let’s say, in training, you don’t celebrate when you hit 10 miles, or 15, or 20.
You don’t give yourself credit when you put on your running shoes, even though you’d rather be doing anything else.
You won’t celebrate when you see your pace increasing over time.

Imagine that, after all that training, you ONLY give yourself credit when you cross the finish line. Aren’t you missing an opportunity to celebrate YOU and the growth along the way?

I get it. All of us, everyone I work with, we’re all amazing women who hold ourselves to high standards.

But I’m here to tell you that if you ONLY celebrate the BIGGEST wins… you are setting yourself up for a tough road.

It’s the small wins that keep the joy in your business. It’s the small wins that fuel business growth and keep you going. And it’s the small wins, adding up over time, that lead to real change and growth.

And those wins can take SO many forms:

Pushing through something, even when you feel internal resistance, is a win.
An absolute ideal client reaching out to you is a win.
Sending that proposal that you never would have had the guts to send before… that’s a win!
Hell, even paying your quarterly taxes is a win.

By celebrating these smaller successes, you’re acknowledging your hard work that LEADS to those big wins. And creating a lot more enjoyment along the way.

So tell me, … what wins are you celebrating in your business these days? I really want to know! You can use the same wins we start each SIGNED coaching call with:

Client wins – you signed a new client
Money wins – you charged or got paid more than ever before
Business wins – something great happened in your business
Mindset wins – you had a mindset shift and did something even though it was uncomfortable

Send a message and let me know!

To your success,

Leah

The conversation was just starting to warm up, but it was about to come to a screeching halt.

We were talking about goals, so I asked her, “How much money do you want to make?”

“Oh,” she replied. “I’m not driven by money.”

There it was. That answer I so often hear from women who own businesses.

The problem is, I’m a sales coach for women running consulting and coaching businesses. I help my clients make dramatically more money for every consulting and coaching contract.

And I can’t help you come up with a strategy to reach your income goals, if you aren’t willing to discuss your goals in terms of money.

The other problem? This statement simply isn’t true. But more on that in a minute.

So WHY do so many women give this answer rather than just talking about their financial goals for their business?

Some of it comes from societal conditioning. In the U.S., we’re taught from a young age NOT to talk about money – women especially. To deflect. To demure. Talking about money is gauche.

Some of it comes from our conditioning in the corporate world. Don’t ask about salary, or talk about salary with your colleagues.

We’re even implicitly taught that money is a source of evil, and we should be out there trying to help people, but not in exchange for money (this is a REALLY interesting book on this topic, by the way)…

But once I talk to these same women a little longer, I learn that they have goals they are working for:
A home remodel
Giving their kids learning or extracurricular opportunities
Allowing a spouse to retire or pursue their passion
Paying off debt
Planning retirement

What do all of those goals have in common? They all require money. And that’s OK.

More than OK! It’s actually great, because once we start talking dollars, we have a tool to measure against that goal, and we can create a step-by-step plan to help you land the consulting and coaching clients that will help you get there.

Like one of my clients, who set a goal to be able to afford a new house in July 2019, and was able to afford it eight months earlier, in November 2018.

Or another one of my clients who wanted to make enough money in 9 months of the year to be able to spend every summer in Australia, where she’s from.

Or another client who, in the middle of the pandemic, is having the best year she’s ever had in her business.

Listen, we all want to help our clients. But we’re not running charities here.

So if you’re someone who finds it difficult to think of your goals in terms of money, try this:
Write down 3 ways you want your life to BE
Write down 3 things you want TO BE ABLE TO DO
Figure out the cost of making those dreams a reality. (Yes, the actual financial cost.)

Keep this info in a place you can refer to it often so you can use the goal you created in step 3 as your new driving force.

As you build your business, as you work towards landing higher-paying clients, as you put in the work, you can have this new clarity around WHY.

If you’d like some help with landing those higher-paying clients, I have a free training here that you can join. Just choose the time that works for you right here.

To Your New Money Mindset,
Leah