Consulting

I quit my tech job to start my own advisory, here are all the things I wish I knew when I was getting started: Step 1: Know the difference between an advisor and a consultant An advisor is trading time for money/equity. You're typically advising a founder or the head of a department and sharing your insight on a strategy, topic, or industry. In consulting, you're responsible for tangible output and outcomes. This could mean you are embedded in a client's Slack channel and spend time on deliverables like decks or strategy documents, run meetings, and sometimes manage teams. Because I went all in on this, I chose to have a mix of both clients. But if you're keeping your full time job it's important to distinguish the two to understand what kind of engagements you want to go after. Step 2: Build your offering Figure out what you're the very best at. I think most people who come from startup background get stuck here. When I was leading marketing I spent time managing both Brand and Growth teams. But I'm the very best at Comms, Brand, PMM, building and owning the story. So I built my offering on that. It doesn't mean I don't have the experience or insight to advise on Growth or Demand, but its not my core competency, and I didn't want to spend the majority of my time there. Step 3: Build authority and gather signals Notable companies on your resume, awards, speaking opps, a following on LinkedIn are all signals that you are an authority on the space you want to advise in. Gather them up and package them - whether it's a website or a well written LinkedIn profile. Pro tip: USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO FILL GAPS IN YOUR RESUME if you are younger in your career or haven't pursued these signals yet. Step 4: Leverage your network My first client was an executive I had worked with multiple times. He knew my impact, I just had to convince him to hire me as a consultant vs a full time hire to kick things off. It wasn't ideal but it got me started. Word of mouth, networking, and referrals piled up from there and now I get to work on projects I'm really excited about. Good things take time. Follow the 4 steps above and let your actions compound. P.S. you don't have to quit your job to do any of this, I just like to make everything harder on myself :)

Employers offering health benefits are in a tough spot right now. How can they meet CAA requirements and their fiduciary duty? --- Plan fiduciaries are in the spotlight since the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) requirements in 2021. This is crucial information for any employer or plan sponsor, particularly related to the outcomes of the J&J and Wells Fargo lawsuits (links to summaries these in the comments). --- Here are some big, tangible takeaways for plan sponsor fiduciaries: Access to data -#Employers don’t have their data, but access to the data is absolutely crucial. -Even if they get the data, they generally don’t know what to do with it. -It's not simple to get their data, so employers aren’t sure how much to fight for the data to meet their fiduciary duty. They're watching the J&J and Wells Fargo lawsuits to decide how much they should fight for it. There doesn't seem to be real urgency yet, but that will change as soon as we see movement in the lawsuits. Contracts -Employers need help negotiating good contracts. The exact definitions are vital. I've been seeing this first hand in PBM RFPs where there can be no tangible, auditable definition of a brand drug or a rebate. It can take a significant amount of redlining to craft an auditable contract. -All vendors must provide data on all compensation disclosure (aka compensation transparency). This is particularly important when working with vertically integrated companies because the other vendors were chosen with no bid contracts--employers need to know compensation for everyone. -The current pharmacy reimbursement model (AWP discounts, MAC pricing list) may be strongly questioned by employers if these lawsuits go forward. In #pharmacy, it’s pretty easy to see cash prices now with discount cards or the Mark Cuban pharmacy. Fiduciary duty -Employers need a #fiduciary committee. -Being a healthcare benefits fiduciary isn’t straightforward because of the flexibility in benefits. It's not as straightforward as the retirement benefits lawsuits in the past. -There's a fiduciary duty to execute audits or ongoing monitoring of vendors. -There are potential risks for brokers and consultants too, particularly those with conflicts of interest. --- #USHealthcare doesn’t function like any other industry. The barriers and lack of transparency can make it difficult (or impossible) for a plan sponsor to make informed decisions. What else are people doing to meet CAA requirements? Are you seeing traction?

What does publishing a book have in common with launching a service offer? More than you’d think. Here are three lessons I’ve learned from writing and marketing fiction that I now use with my indie consulting clients: 1. Market early When I started writing my beat sheet (the very first step of outlining a book), I also started marketing the book. It was up for pre-release and getting BookTok buzz before I even started the first draft. Momentum takes time. Whether it’s a book or a service, you need to build anticipation well before the official launch. 2. Use beta readers Beta readers review your first draft, provide feedback, and help you see what’s working — and what isn’t — from the reader’s perspective. The same approach applies to your offer. Run a private beta, ask targeted questions, and refine your offer based on real client feedback. 3. Build a street team In publishing, the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) process is critical. These readers get early access, leave reviews on launch day, and post about the book on social — helping the algorithm do its work. Create your own "ARC" team for your offer. Give early access, encourage social shares, and reward testimonials. This is how you create launch-day momentum with real reach. Which of these strategies are you going to test in your next launch? Let’s compare notes. *** Hi, I'm Sarah, and I work with indie consultants to help them banish the feast-or-famine cycle with sustainable marketing and sales systems. Interested? DM me to get started.

"Why Buy the Cow When You Can Get the Milk for Free?" is a horrible mindset... when it comes to building your business Too many worry that sharing too much insight upfront will eliminate clients’ need to hire them. But, in reality, holding back does more harm than good. Here’s why giving value freely brings clients to you. Building Trust, Not Dependence Clients pay for more than knowledge; they want unique insights and tailored guidance. Sharing valuable information builds trust, not dependence. By freely offering actionable insights, you establish yourself as a knowledgeable and generous expert—qualities clients remember. Action Step: Share part of your process, like a checklist or framework that solves a specific problem. This builds initial trust and allows you to filter in for your ideal client. 1) Information Isn’t Implementation Clients don’t just want information—they want your expertise in applying it to their unique challenges. They seek transformation. Offering valuable information lets clients experience your approach while highlighting their missing personalized support. -> Action Step: Host a webinar on a common issue, then share case studies that showcase your hands-on impact. 2) Free Value Creates Bridges to Paid Services When clients experience your expertise they are more likely to seek your deeper guidance. Giving valuable insights for free builds familiarity with your methods, making the transition to paid services natural. -> Action Step: End each piece of content with a call to action—invite clients to connect or share a success story. 3) “Free” Expands Your Reach and Credibility Freely sharing expertise increases your visibility. As your content circulates, it introduces you to new clients. This isn’t lost revenue—it’s marketing. -> Action Step: Encourage sharing in your posts to boost reach and credibility. 4) The More You Give, the Stronger Your Brand “Why buy the cow” suggests that giving devalues your work. The opposite is true in consulting: the more you share, the more clients see you as a go-to expert. People remember the problem-solvers. -> Action Step: Consistently publish content that answers questions and offers solutions. In Consulting, Giving is Selling By freely offering value, you aren’t “giving away the milk”—you’re showing potential clients why you’re the right partner. Clients aren’t buying your information; they’re investing in your ability to deliver tailored solutions and guide them through challenges. Generosity is your best brand-building tool.

The sleeping giant may finally be awakening. In what could be a watershed moment for corporate governance, JP Morgan Chase now faces an ERISA fiduciary lawsuit over health benefits mismanagement -- with a twist that should send shockwaves through boardrooms nationwide. For the first time, independent board members have been named as defendants -- including Todd Combs (GEICO CEO & Berkshire Hathaway investment officer) and Virginia "Ginni" Rometty (former IBM CEO). Why? Their role on the Compensation Committee allegedly made them responsible for benefit plan oversight. This is precisely what I warned about in my book chapter quoting a Big Four Risk Management practice leader "ERISA Fiduciary Risk Is The Largest Undisclosed Risk I've Seen In My Career" -- published over 8 years ago. The irony? JP Morgan hosts healthcare's premier investor conference, where they've had front-row seats to how companies extract maximum value from employer #healthplans knowing they've been asleep at the wheel. The allegations are stunning: ✔️ JPM's plan paid $6,000+ for MS drugs available for $30 retail ✔️ "Grossly inflated" prescription costs across the board ✔️ Systematic failure to implement known cost-saving measures from Purchaser Business Group on Health (PBGH) and Health Transformation Alliance With healthcare spending exceeding every expense except payroll (Starbucks spends more on healthcare than coffee, GM more than steel), this case highlights a fundamental disconnect: Companies claim employees are their most valuable asset while maintaining health plans that have devastated working Americans' financial security with clear mental health impacts. This is the fourth major ERISA health plan case, following similar actions against J&J, Mayo Clinic and Wells Fargo. The playbook mirrors 401(k) litigation that has netted millions in settlements. The wake-up call is clear: ERISA fiduciary duty is a personal liability. Directors and executives can't hide behind corporate shields when it comes to health plan mismanagement. What's your take? Will this case finally drive the massive shift toward transparent, high-value health plans that we've seen work beautifully in the mid-market? #EmployeeBenefits #ERISA

My consulting journey: from $0 to $685K in 6 months 🚀 Yesterday’s newsletter was one I never thought I’d write. It unexpectedly drew in messages and questions, so I’ve decided to make it public. Some key takeaways (so far): 1. Consulting is hard. Probably harder than you think. 2. Most clients come from a close network and recommendations.  3. The biggest challenge: how to get top talent, fast, and be able to afford it. Scaling a consultancy is all about the quality of people you bring in: 🔹 Many analysts out there are unmotivated and often underqualified, expecting over $150K compensation for Power BI dashboards and SQLServer querying. As more people enter the data field, the number of “qualified” candidates has tripled while the number with solid foundations has sharply declined - often inversely proportional to their hourly rates. 🔹 Consulting requires a different mindset. You have to move faster, over-communicate, over-deliver, but also under-promise and under-charge. Be patient with stakeholders, but stay laser-focused on deliverables. Be fast and effective, yet accurate, and mindful of the customer's natural pace and processes. 🔹 Nothing can be trusted out there: Stripe dashboard is a joke, Apple sends receipts that don’t match data in-house. Meta grossly over-reports every metric (I’m convinced they just multiply everything by 3 by default). Events can fire whenever, with or without any logic, and so on. You have to replicate all baselines yourself, even if the client doesn’t ask for them. Measure tests and initiatives against accurate reporting that you can replicate or validate yourself. 🔹 Delegating works - until it doesn’t. People are unpredictable and not reliable. Know how to do it yourself. Fast. 🔹 History matters: relationships and trust are everything. Clients share their budgets, revenue, strategy, and pain points with people they trust and have confidence in. Treat this responsibility accordingly. 🔹 Analytics is best done “in pairs”. Mistakes happen, errors slip in, and it’s essential to have someone on your team to check your code, calculations, and even common sense. If you’re considering consulting, I hope my story below will give you the highs and lows and help you avoid some of the mistakes I made along the way. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gVypc9aX If you have any questions about consulting, I highly recommend reading/watching Benjamin Rogojan, who covered every little aspect of consulting.

This is a weird job market. I talk to a lot of friends about consulting vs looking for full-time work. Having worked as a consultant and operating two LLCs, I learned a few things. Here’s a list of things most people overlook. The boring stuff matters. - form your LLC right away - file taxes as a S Corp - learn Quickbooks - hire a CPA as soon as you can Deciding what work to offer. - Figure out what problems you solve - Talk to everyone for feedback - Make one-sheets with your service offerings Getting new clients - referrals or you don’t have a business - show up to relevant events - build an email list of prospects - share your relevant one-sheet when prospects have a problem you can solve Pricing your deals - back into an hourly rate based on your desired annual income - estimate the ROI that clients get by hiring you - have options based on time spent, project fees, and rev-share/commissions Doing the work - set clear expectations on your availability, how you work, what you produce - Do things that don’t scale - spend the hours creating the formula/model/framework - and you’ll make it a repeatable process - Don’t give your clients more work unless that’s what they’re asking for… get your hands dirty for them There’s probably a lot more but this is off the top of my head right now. If you’re in between gigs or thinking about consulting, feel free to hit me up. I’ll try to save you from some of the mistakes that I made.

UnitedHealthcare just revealed their 2025 Notice of changes to prior authorization requirements and coverage criteria: "Medications used for the purposes of weight loss are typically excluded from benefit coverage." Let’s call this what it is—a calculated move to restrict access to GLP-1s, even as their clinical applications continue to expand (obesity, diabetes and now sleep apnea). The timing isn’t accidental. Here’s what’s really happening: -Payers are scrambling to control costs. With record-high spending on GLP-1 drugs, insurers are adjusting policies to offset financial strain. -Pharma keeps pushing prices up. The explosive demand for these medications has led to double-digit growth quarter over quarter, with no signs of slowing. -Patients are demanding access. A recent KFF survey found that 80% of U.S. adults believe insurers should cover weight loss drugs for those diagnosed as overweight or obese, and half are willing to accept higher premiums for that coverage. -Providers are caught in the crossfire. They’re left navigating prior authorizations and restrictive policies while trying to deliver care. The industry can try to hide behind benefit exclusions and prior authorizations, but the demand isn’t going away. Patients are getting savvier about their options and increasingly frustrated with the “deny and delay” strategy employed by insurers. This isn’t just a question of whether these medications should be covered—it’s a battle over who blinks first: payers, pharma, or patients finding alternative paths to access. The stakes are high. GLP-1 drugs are forcing insurers, employers, and policymakers to confront uncomfortable truths about healthcare coverage and cost. If the industry doesn’t figure this out soon, the pressure from patients and providers alike could break the system. What’s your take? Is this a necessary move to control costs, or is it a sign the system is failing to keep up with innovation and patient needs? #HealthcareTrends #GLP1Drugs #Insurance #HealthcarePolicy

One month your calendar's full. The next? Empty. Sound familiar? Most consultants accept this rollercoaster as "normal”. "But here's what the top 1% know: Client acquisition isn't about luck or referrals. It's about systems. They don't: • Wait for leads • Post randomly • Pray for referrals Instead, they build predictable pipelines: 1. Clear offer targeting ONE painful problem 2. Daily outreach to decision-makers 3. Content that speaks directly to their ICP 4. Follow up sequences that convert And in turn they have: Consistent pipeline. Predictable revenue. Zero stress. Your next client isn't coming to you. But with the right system, you can go find them. That's the difference between feast or famine and consistent growth.

Before StealthX, I built a $10M/yr consulting practice from $0. Here are 13 things I learned along the way. 1. Do the little things. Take notes. ACTUALLY listen. Follow up. Follow through. Be the person who does what they say they will. These small actions build trust & credibility over time. 2. Focus on relationships, not deals. People remember how you make them feel. Be the trusted advisor they call when they’re stuck or need a sounding board. Play the long game. 3. Show, don’t tell. Actions always speak louder than words. Create prototypes, mockups, or models to demonstrate ideas. Don’t talk at people or assume they are on the same wavelength. 4. Be ready for long sales cycles, especially with big companies. Decide upfront if the potential payoff is worth the time and effort. For example, we were working on selling into a large Fortune 100 for 2 years before we got an MSA and then had a year after that before we closed our 1st deal 🫠 5. Never count on a deal until it’s signed. I learned this the hard way, more than once. Nothing is guaranteed until the ink is dry. 6. Build systems early. From wikis for shared knowledge to standardized sales processes, the right systems let you scale faster and more smoothly. 7. Focus on culture and hiring for 30% skills. I believe 70% of skills are hard skills, and 30% of skills are the soft skills. These are so much more important. Also hire for what I call the "Core 4. " Have a growth mindset, good communicator, high give-a-s***t factor, and a strong bias towards action (i.e., hire doers). 8. Walk away from bad deals. Not every opportunity is worth it. Protect your team and focus on doing work that aligns with your values and goals. Be willing to leave $ on the table. Focus on the inputs and the score takes care of itself. 9. Invest in yourself. Read books, listen to podcasts, attend industry events, get executive coaching. You’re the ceiling for your team. Raise it constantly. 10. Ask bigger questions. Get to the why behind the what. Help your clients think beyond the surface to understand the real problem they’re trying to solve. For example, “Why do you want to do this? What’s the ultimate outcome? Who's this for? How do you know this is the right problem? What might cause us to fail?” 11. Use storytelling to drive change. Don’t just present data. Paint a picture of what’s broken and the future you can help create. Connect emotionally and tailor your approach to your audience. 12. Start small, then scale. Land a small project first, prove your value, and earn trust. It’s easier to build momentum this way than pitching huge engagements upfront. 13. Don’t trap clients. Empower them. The consulting world loves recurring revenue, but clients hate feeling dependent. Deliver clear, goal-driven projects with measurable outcomes. Results bring them back, not reliance. These lessons shaped how I approach building teams, serving clients, & growing businesses. Now they’re the backbone of StealthX 🤘