September 8, 2025 • 23 mins
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Tired of waiting for your consulting business to take off? The frustrating reality is that consulting success has traditionally hinged on access to decision-makers, something that can take years or even decades to build through conventional networking and referrals.
But what if there's a more direct path to reaching those who can actually hire you? In this eye-opening episode, I tackle the uncomfortable truth about consulting: those with privileged access tend to succeed faster while others struggle to get noticed despite their exceptional expertise.
For women and especially women of color, the consulting landscape presents additional challenges. Rather than accepting these limitations, I show you how to build your own authority platform that attracts clients directly to you. The consulting game has changed, and this episode gives you the playbook to win on your own terms.
Ready to transform how you attract consulting clients?
Connect with me at Dr. Angelina Davis on Instagram or LinkedIn, and visit excelconsulting.com for resources to support your journey.
Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. I would love for you to join our community of ambitious consultants breaking glass ceilings!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right.
So here's the one uncomfortabletruth about consulting it's
that consulting has always beenabout access, about you being
able to reach the right peopleat the right time to share what
you do best.
And if you have the access,then, yes, you can be extremely
wildly successful.
But those of us that don't havethat access, well, let me just
(00:23):
tell you it's going to be muchharder, because if you don't
have that access, well, let mejust tell you, it's going to be
much harder, because if youdon't have the access that you
need, oftentimes you gooverlooked.
That's why it's always beenabout getting into the right
rooms.
If you talk to anybody abouthow to start a consulting
business, most people are goingto tell you that you need to
know the right people, you needto get referrals, you need to
network endlessly.
You need to do all these thingsthat are going to help you gain
(00:46):
greater access to the peoplethat make decisions.
And if you're able to do that,great.
But many of us are not able togain that level of access so
quickly.
So what do you do?
How do you get around the factthat access is such a major
player when it comes to successin this space?
Well, I want to tell you thatyou definitely don't have to
(01:10):
wait decades in order for you tohave your turn.
You can gain access by doingone simple thing, and that's
building authority, and we'regoing to talk all about that
today.
They say the odds are stackedagainst us as women, especially
women of color, trying to thrivein the consulting world.
(01:32):
But rather than wait for a seatat the table that may never
come, what if we build our owntables?
What if we channeled ourtalents into guiding each other
towards the success we deserve?
Welcome to the Black GirlsConsulting Podcast guiding each
other towards the success wedeserve.
Welcome to the Black GirlsConsulting Podcast.
I'm your host, dr AngelinaDavis, and I've walked the path
(01:52):
from healthcare consultant to amentor.
For women like you, ambitious,unstoppable and ready to make
waves in the consulting world.
This podcast is your go-to spotfor all things entrepreneurial
consulting.
For us as women, especiallywomen of color.
Think of it as your weeklycoffee date with a friend who's
here to dish out real talk onbuilding a solid business,
elevating your thoughtleadership and mastering that
(02:13):
all-important mindset.
And let's not forget we'redoing all of this while
balancing day jobs, family lifeand running teams.
Yes, we can do it all.
So if you're ready to dive intohow you can grow a thriving
consultancy or get strategiesand insights that actually fit
your busy lifestyle, then you'rein the right place.
Grab your coffee, tea or, hey,even a glass of wine, I won't
(02:37):
judge.
Let's get started.
If I'm honest, I used to believethat consulting was something
that you did once you got to theend of your career.
You worked a lot of your lifein one particular area.
(02:57):
You served one particularaudience.
You became known for oneparticular thing, particular
audience.
You became known for oneparticular thing, and at the end
of that journey you then couldmove into consulting.
I almost saw it as beingcrowned as a consultant.
You had earned the right to goout there and sell your
expertise, and that was so farfrom the truth.
(03:19):
We do not have to wait until weare approaching retirement to
decide to build a consultingbusiness, and if you're
listening to this, I know thatyou know that to be true.
But I really thought that.
I really thought that I had toget to that point of my career
to be worthy of being an expert,to be worthy of being a
(03:41):
consultant, and I think I got alot of that from what I often
saw.
Many of the consultants that Iknew, especially when I was
starting out as a healthcareconsultant.
They were older, especiallythose that were in the
entrepreneurial space, and theyhad amassed a lot of credibility
over the years.
They knew people, they had tonsof publications, their name was
(04:06):
plastered everywhere when itcame to awards and other
recognitions and accolades, andso thinking about entering into
a space without all of that wasscary.
It felt as if I was notprepared, that I could not
compete, and that's a myth thatI feel like many of us carry
(04:27):
with us when we're starting outin this space.
We think that we need to haveamassed so much credibility and
so many accolades to bedeserving of becoming a
successful consultant.
But one of the things that Ithink helped in that moment was
me being able to talk with myboss.
(04:50):
At the time.
We were riding on a car ridegoing to a client visit and I
remember him talking about hisson.
He was so proud of his sonstarting this business.
His business actually evolvedinto a lot more, but started out
as a consulting business and hewas in IT.
He was doing well and hadamassed so much money and so
(05:12):
much success from this businessand he started so young.
That was one of the things that, when we were talking, that my
boss was so proud of the factthat his son had accomplished so
much by that time, and hearinghim talk about it made me
realize that maybe there was apart of him that wish he could
have, or would have, startedearlier instead of waiting so
(05:34):
long to start the business thathe did, and in that moment I
thought to myself that I don'twant to wait until the end of my
career.
I knew it was something that Iwas capable of doing.
I knew it was something that Iwanted to do.
I knew that I could offer a lotif I was able to put myself out
(05:56):
there to present my expertiseto the world and to show people
what I could do, how I couldhelp, how I could serve, and
that did not require me to spenddecades upon decades trying to
amass a certain level ofcredibility.
That, honestly, wasn't required.
So that was one of the bigmyths or misunderstandings I had
(06:18):
when I first started.
But I also think that many of usfall into the trap of not just
waiting a number of years butalso believing that we need to
have a huge network.
That's one of the things thatdoes come along with being in
practice for a long time.
When you've been around theblock, when you know a lot of
(06:39):
people, when you worked on a lotof different projects, you get
to a place where you have apretty solid network and that
network may include people thatwill hire you because they are
the decision makers.
They have reached a point intheir careers, in their tenure
in their particular industries,where they have reached that
(07:01):
level.
And often, if we're startingout, especially at a younger age
, it's hard to think aboutpeople who are at that point in
their career, who have actuallygotten to the point where they
are the main decision maker at amajor company or an
organization.
Networking certainly plays ahuge role, but it also somewhat
(07:23):
can be something that limitsmany of us because we spend so
much time trying to amass thismajor network and it takes a
while before you include in thatnetwork the key people that you
need to have that drive thedecisions.
So you need something else Inthose moments when we're
thinking about what else we needthe decisions.
So you need something else Inthose moments when we're
(07:44):
thinking about what else we need, if we're not waiting until
retirement, if we're notamassing this massive network
before we start, then thelogical next answer solution for
many of us is to fall back onRFPs.
We begin to submit ourresponses for requests for
proposals and we're trying tobeat out the next person who is
trying to buy for that job orthat project.
(08:06):
One of the things that you'lllearn over time is that this
process often leads to usundervaluing ourselves and
undercharging.
Now, this is not a wholeconversation about the pros and
cons of RFPs, but I do want usto just know that a lot of the
old beliefs that we have ofworking until retirement, or
(08:28):
networking endlessly, trying tofind the right referrals, or
even submitting 10 million RFPstrying to land the perfect one
that's going to carry us along,that's going to carry us along
those are all ways that, yes,they work, but are not required
for you to build a successfulbusiness, because the thing that
(08:52):
we have to use to our advantagenow that we did not have before
, is the online space.
It's artificial intelligence,it's all of the tools and
resources around us that allowus to build authority more
readily, because, when youactually look at many of these
traditional ways and methodsthat we used to use when we
(09:14):
worked for a number of years ordecades in a particular career.
We built the credibility.
That credibility allowed us tobuild authority.
And similarly, when you'renetworking and you're getting to
know people and that networkingleads to referrals, you have
someone else vouching for youand therefore that support helps
(09:36):
you to build a certain level ofauthority.
And similarly, when you'reresponding to a request for
proposals, you are, in essence,pitching your services and by
pitching and selling yourself,you're also somewhat building a
level of authority.
So what we have to do is thinkabout how can we build the same
(09:59):
level of authority, or evengreater, without having to do
all of those things thatpreviously held us back.
And one way of doing this is toinitially think about how we
land clients differently.
Instead of relying on others toconnect us with the decision
(10:21):
maker, relying on others toconnect us with the decision
maker, we need to now thinkabout how can we connect with
those decision makers moredirectly.
How can we connect with theperson who is going to sign the
check or say yes or determinethat we are the right person for
the job?
How do we connect to thatperson more directly in a way
(10:44):
that we haven't done before,because now that's possible.
It may not have been possiblebefore without you being in the
room or being part of a meetingor having a coffee chat with
that person one-on-one.
But now, in this digital age, inthis modern era yeah, we're in
a different time and this is thepart that I always like to
(11:11):
stress and remind my clients ofis the fact that we no longer
abound by a lot of thetraditional rules that existed
before.
People had to network becausethey couldn't hop online and
just talk to somebody and landan engagement or land a client
or land a major contract.
They couldn't do that.
(11:31):
We had to communicate,oftentimes in person.
When I started, I remember alot of my training surrounded
around how you interact with theclient one-on-one in an office
meeting, how you begin to mirrora lot of what they may do, how
(11:52):
you communicate and how youconnect with them on a very
intimate level so that you couldsell your services more
effectively.
Those were wonderful skillsthat are still extremely useful
today.
But that was just one-to-one,that was just me going in
speaking to one person or onegroup.
(12:13):
It's not the same as our abilitynow to speak and share our
insights and our knowledge witha mass of people, honestly, with
the whole world.
If we're quite frank, thatability is something that we
have to start using to ouradvantage, because we're, by not
(12:34):
doing that, we're, limiting ouroptions.
Being able to build authorityon your own gives you that
access that you need.
All right, so I hopefully haveconvinced you that you can build
authority on your own, that youdon't have to follow the
traditional ways of solelywaiting until you get to
(12:55):
retirement or networkingendlessly or relying on request
proposals, that you can actuallybuild authority that is going
to attract clients to you.
And the way that we do that iswe have to find ways of
connecting with others, and Iknow that sounds very simple,
(13:17):
probably almost elementary forme to say that like no duh, we
have to connect with people, butI want you to think about it in
those very simple terms for areason, because I think when we
make things overly complex, thenit feels almost insurmountable
in terms of an obstacle that wehave to cross, and it, honestly,
(13:37):
is far from that.
When you think about buildingauthority, one of the first
things that you need is to havea platform.
We talk about being on LinkedInor other areas online, whether
you're still on Twitter, or ifyou're on Instagram's threads or
wherever you may be where youcommunicate with your audience.
(13:59):
When we're in those spaces,often we're there to build an
audience quote, unquote or we'retrying to be more visible.
We're putting ourselves outthere so that we can be seen,
but many times we're not doingthat in a very intentional way.
What I want us to startthinking about when we're in
these spaces is how do weactually begin to build our
(14:23):
platform, and what I mean by ourplatform is how do we build our
stage.
We often think about how we canget on someone else's stage and
give a grand presentation andbe on TV and other PR tricks and
tactics so that we can get ournames out there and market our
businesses.
But you have the ability to dothat even with some of the
(14:47):
simple tools that you use everyday online.
If you are leaning into thosespaces with more intention,
you're focused on how do I showup and showcase what I know?
How do I give my audienceinsight into how I think and how
I problem solve?
How do I see my industrydifferently?
What does that mean for myaudience if they saw the
(15:11):
industry the same way that I do.
Those types of conversationsare what begins to build
something that is unique andthat stands out and that is seen
as being a representation ofyour work.
I want you to start thinkingabout these spaces as almost
like a portfolio.
I know we're not designers andwe're not putting our work out
(15:32):
there like maybe someone wouldif they were in graphic design
or maybe even copywriting insome other spaces, but we are
also doing it in a similar way,but we're just showcasing our
thinking.
We're showcasing our expertiseand the impact that our
expertise has, and when we'reable to do that and build this
platform, people becomeattracted to that.
(15:54):
That's how you begin to draw inmany of the people that would
take you years to meet throughnetworking, because they're
going to be drawn to you becauseof what you are sharing.
And so that leads to the secondpiece of this puzzle.
It's not just having theplatform, but thinking about how
you communicate on thatplatform, your messaging, what
(16:17):
you're talking about.
Often, I feel like we findourselves leaning on a lot of
suggestions that people give forcreating content that pleases
the algorithm but doesn'trepresent how we think or what
we want to communicate.
If we were able to get into theroom with those people that
(16:39):
would make decisions.
So we have to start thinkingabout the conversations that
we're having and do thoseconversations align with and
match what they are looking for?
With my clients, I teach them aframework in terms of how they
focus and create conversationsto share certain things about
themselves, from their personalcodes and their philosophy to
(17:01):
their perspective and theirprescriptions, how they are able
to communicate the informationthat needs to be heard so that
someone looks at you as thatpotential solution, and those
conversations will begin toattract the right people.
You are going to attract theperson that may be working
(17:23):
closer to the ground level andexperiencing the pain, and you
can also have the conversationsthat attract the higher-level
administrator that may be theone signing the check.
These are differentconversations that can be had on
your platform the same way, and, in all honesty, we're all
human in today's modern era, sowe're online.
(17:43):
Anyone that tells you that yourideal client is not online is
not thinking about this.
In a very practical way, I cantell you that even the highest
level administrator and decisionmaker that you could possibly
think of if you're in acorporate environment is still
online.
They are still scrolling ontheir phone while they're at a
(18:06):
meeting, they're still hoppingon their phone while they're
waiting in the airport or ifthey're catching an Uber ride.
You need to be the person thatthey stumble upon, and the
conversations that you have needto be the conversations that
are going to draw them in.
This is what I like to callbeing able to have a direct to
decision maker presence.
(18:27):
You want to be able to have theability to connect more
directly with those people thatcan hire you, that can bring you
in, that can collaborate withyou, because something as simple
as your posts can open the doorto a much greater conversation
(18:48):
opportunity for you to share ona deeper level.
Look at what you have availableto you through social media or
blogs or podcasts or any othertype of platform that you have
access to.
Don't look at that and take itfor granted.
(19:09):
Don't look at it as beingsomething that you're just doing
on the side.
That's part of this puzzle, butnot closely tied to the result.
It honestly is.
It can be.
I want us to start thinkingabout these elements of
beginning to build authoritydifferently and, once we're able
to one, have our platform thatexists, we're able to start to
(19:34):
have conversations that aregoing to draw people in.
Then we have to have thesystems that continue the
conversation.
No, you're not selling andpitching online, not for major
corporate contracts or even avery high level premium buyer.
You're going to have thoseconversations in other settings,
but what you are doing issparking their interest.
(19:55):
You're intriguing them, you'redrawing them into your world and
then, as they begin to exploremore, wanting to learn more
about you and find out moreabout your work and what you've
done in the past, how you thinkwhat you have been able to
impact for others, that's whenyou begin to sell and win them
(20:16):
over.
So the systems that you createto capture that interest is what
actually leads to you landingthe client in the end.
But it all starts when you havethe platform.
It all starts when you'rethinking about building
authority differently and notwaiting for someone else to toss
(20:38):
your name out there and giveyou another referral.
Those aren't bad.
I love those when they comealong, but I want you to know
that you can build authority too, and when we're able to do this
, what you'll find is that youhave a lot more control over the
business that comes your wayand you begin to have greater
(20:58):
predictability in your business,so that you're no longer
feeling at the mercy of otherpeople.
I want you to have greatercontrol over your revenue,
greater control over how you aregrowing, and being able to
intentionally and strategicallybuild your platform and
(21:21):
establish your authority in aspace is going to be one of the
key ways of you doing that.
So I hope this episode helpedyou think about landing clients
differently, about the power ofyou being able to build
authority for yourself andeverything that this modern era
actually offers you, because wedon't have to play by those old
(21:42):
rules anymore.
We have a lot more tools to use, we have a lot more knowledge
under our belts and we need toput it to work.
So I would love to hear howyou've been able to work through
this.
Drop that in the comments, andif you enjoyed this episode and
you're listening to it onSpotify or Apple podcasts, leave
your ratings and five-starreview, and if you are tuning in
(22:03):
here on YouTube, subscribe tothis channel.
I love to have theseconversations and we'll be
having more and more as we goalong, but until next time, I
want you to focus on how youbuild your platform, how you
establish your authority and howyou're going to win your
clients over All right guys,take care.
Thank you for tuning in to theBlack Girls Console 2 podcast.
(22:24):
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to leave your review on
Apple Podcasts, subscribe andshare it with a friend.
We're on a mission to increasethe success and longevity of
women in consulting, and you canhelp us do just that.
Also, I'd love to hear from you, so let's connect at Dr
Angelina Davis on Instagram orLinkedIn, and don't forget to
(22:46):
visit excel at consultingcom formore information to support
your consulting journey.
Until next time, keep breakingglass ceiling.
All right, take care.
All right.
So here's the one uncomfortabletruth about consulting it's
that consulting has always beenabout access, about you being
able to reach the right peopleat the right time to share what
you do best.
And if you have the access,then, yes, you can be extremely
wildly successful.
But those of us that don't havethat access, well, let me just
(00:23):
tell you it's going to be muchharder, because if you don't
have that access, well, let mejust tell you, it's going to be
much harder, because if youdon't have the access that you
need, oftentimes you gooverlooked.
That's why it's always beenabout getting into the right
rooms.
If you talk to anybody abouthow to start a consulting
business, most people are goingto tell you that you need to
know the right people, you needto get referrals, you need to
network endlessly.
You need to do all these thingsthat are going to help you gain
(00:46):
greater access to the peoplethat make decisions.
And if you're able to do that,great.
But many of us are not able togain that level of access so
quickly.
So what do you do?
How do you get around the factthat access is such a major
player when it comes to successin this space?
Well, I want to tell you thatyou definitely don't have to
(01:10):
wait decades in order for you tohave your turn.
You can gain access by doingone simple thing, and that's
building authority, and we'regoing to talk all about that
today.
They say the odds are stackedagainst us as women, especially
women of color, trying to thrivein the consulting world.
(01:32):
But rather than wait for a seatat the table that may never
come, what if we build our owntables?
What if we channeled ourtalents into guiding each other
towards the success we deserve?
Welcome to the Black GirlsConsulting Podcast guiding each
other towards the success wedeserve.
Welcome to the Black GirlsConsulting Podcast.
I'm your host, dr AngelinaDavis, and I've walked the path
(01:52):
from healthcare consultant to amentor.
For women like you, ambitious,unstoppable and ready to make
waves in the consulting world.
This podcast is your go-to spotfor all things entrepreneurial
consulting.
For us as women, especiallywomen of color.
Think of it as your weeklycoffee date with a friend who's
here to dish out real talk onbuilding a solid business,
elevating your thoughtleadership and mastering that
(02:13):
all-important mindset.
And let's not forget we'redoing all of this while
balancing day jobs, family lifeand running teams.
Yes, we can do it all.
So if you're ready to dive intohow you can grow a thriving
consultancy or get strategiesand insights that actually fit
your busy lifestyle, then you'rein the right place.
Grab your coffee, tea or, hey,even a glass of wine, I won't
(02:37):
judge.
Let's get started.
If I'm honest, I used to believethat consulting was something
that you did once you got to theend of your career.
You worked a lot of your lifein one particular area.
(02:57):
You served one particularaudience.
You became known for oneparticular thing, particular
audience.
You became known for oneparticular thing, and at the end
of that journey you then couldmove into consulting.
I almost saw it as beingcrowned as a consultant.
You had earned the right to goout there and sell your
expertise, and that was so farfrom the truth.
(03:19):
We do not have to wait until weare approaching retirement to
decide to build a consultingbusiness, and if you're
listening to this, I know thatyou know that to be true.
But I really thought that.
I really thought that I had toget to that point of my career
to be worthy of being an expert,to be worthy of being a
(03:41):
consultant, and I think I got alot of that from what I often
saw.
Many of the consultants that Iknew, especially when I was
starting out as a healthcareconsultant.
They were older, especiallythose that were in the
entrepreneurial space, and theyhad amassed a lot of credibility
over the years.
They knew people, they had tonsof publications, their name was
(04:06):
plastered everywhere when itcame to awards and other
recognitions and accolades, andso thinking about entering into
a space without all of that wasscary.
It felt as if I was notprepared, that I could not
compete, and that's a myth thatI feel like many of us carry
(04:27):
with us when we're starting outin this space.
We think that we need to haveamassed so much credibility and
so many accolades to bedeserving of becoming a
successful consultant.
But one of the things that Ithink helped in that moment was
me being able to talk with myboss.
(04:50):
At the time.
We were riding on a car ridegoing to a client visit and I
remember him talking about hisson.
He was so proud of his sonstarting this business.
His business actually evolvedinto a lot more, but started out
as a consulting business and hewas in IT.
He was doing well and hadamassed so much money and so
(05:12):
much success from this businessand he started so young.
That was one of the things that, when we were talking, that my
boss was so proud of the factthat his son had accomplished so
much by that time, and hearinghim talk about it made me
realize that maybe there was apart of him that wish he could
have, or would have, startedearlier instead of waiting so
(05:34):
long to start the business thathe did, and in that moment I
thought to myself that I don'twant to wait until the end of my
career.
I knew it was something that Iwas capable of doing.
I knew it was something that Iwanted to do.
I knew that I could offer a lotif I was able to put myself out
(05:56):
there to present my expertiseto the world and to show people
what I could do, how I couldhelp, how I could serve, and
that did not require me to spenddecades upon decades trying to
amass a certain level ofcredibility.
That, honestly, wasn't required.
So that was one of the bigmyths or misunderstandings I had
(06:18):
when I first started.
But I also think that many of usfall into the trap of not just
waiting a number of years butalso believing that we need to
have a huge network.
That's one of the things thatdoes come along with being in
practice for a long time.
When you've been around theblock, when you know a lot of
(06:39):
people, when you worked on a lotof different projects, you get
to a place where you have apretty solid network and that
network may include people thatwill hire you because they are
the decision makers.
They have reached a point intheir careers, in their tenure
in their particular industries,where they have reached that
(07:01):
level.
And often, if we're startingout, especially at a younger age
, it's hard to think aboutpeople who are at that point in
their career, who have actuallygotten to the point where they
are the main decision maker at amajor company or an
organization.
Networking certainly plays ahuge role, but it also somewhat
(07:23):
can be something that limitsmany of us because we spend so
much time trying to amass thismajor network and it takes a
while before you include in thatnetwork the key people that you
need to have that drive thedecisions.
So you need something else Inthose moments when we're
thinking about what else we needthe decisions.
So you need something else Inthose moments when we're
(07:44):
thinking about what else we need, if we're not waiting until
retirement, if we're notamassing this massive network
before we start, then thelogical next answer solution for
many of us is to fall back onRFPs.
We begin to submit ourresponses for requests for
proposals and we're trying tobeat out the next person who is
trying to buy for that job orthat project.
(08:06):
One of the things that you'lllearn over time is that this
process often leads to usundervaluing ourselves and
undercharging.
Now, this is not a wholeconversation about the pros and
cons of RFPs, but I do want usto just know that a lot of the
old beliefs that we have ofworking until retirement, or
(08:28):
networking endlessly, trying tofind the right referrals, or
even submitting 10 million RFPstrying to land the perfect one
that's going to carry us along,that's going to carry us along
those are all ways that, yes,they work, but are not required
for you to build a successfulbusiness, because the thing that
(08:52):
we have to use to our advantagenow that we did not have before
, is the online space.
It's artificial intelligence,it's all of the tools and
resources around us that allowus to build authority more
readily, because, when youactually look at many of these
traditional ways and methodsthat we used to use when we
(09:14):
worked for a number of years ordecades in a particular career.
We built the credibility.
That credibility allowed us tobuild authority.
And similarly, when you'renetworking and you're getting to
know people and that networkingleads to referrals, you have
someone else vouching for youand therefore that support helps
(09:36):
you to build a certain level ofauthority.
And similarly, when you'reresponding to a request for
proposals, you are, in essence,pitching your services and by
pitching and selling yourself,you're also somewhat building a
level of authority.
So what we have to do is thinkabout how can we build the same
(09:59):
level of authority, or evengreater, without having to do
all of those things thatpreviously held us back.
And one way of doing this is toinitially think about how we
land clients differently.
Instead of relying on others toconnect us with the decision
(10:21):
maker, relying on others toconnect us with the decision
maker, we need to now thinkabout how can we connect with
those decision makers moredirectly.
How can we connect with theperson who is going to sign the
check or say yes or determinethat we are the right person for
the job?
How do we connect to thatperson more directly in a way
(10:44):
that we haven't done before,because now that's possible.
It may not have been possiblebefore without you being in the
room or being part of a meetingor having a coffee chat with
that person one-on-one.
But now, in this digital age, inthis modern era yeah, we're in
a different time and this is thepart that I always like to
(11:11):
stress and remind my clients ofis the fact that we no longer
abound by a lot of thetraditional rules that existed
before.
People had to network becausethey couldn't hop online and
just talk to somebody and landan engagement or land a client
or land a major contract.
They couldn't do that.
(11:31):
We had to communicate,oftentimes in person.
When I started, I remember alot of my training surrounded
around how you interact with theclient one-on-one in an office
meeting, how you begin to mirrora lot of what they may do, how
(11:52):
you communicate and how youconnect with them on a very
intimate level so that you couldsell your services more
effectively.
Those were wonderful skillsthat are still extremely useful
today.
But that was just one-to-one,that was just me going in
speaking to one person or onegroup.
(12:13):
It's not the same as our abilitynow to speak and share our
insights and our knowledge witha mass of people, honestly, with
the whole world.
If we're quite frank, thatability is something that we
have to start using to ouradvantage, because we're, by not
(12:34):
doing that, we're, limiting ouroptions.
Being able to build authorityon your own gives you that
access that you need.
All right, so I hopefully haveconvinced you that you can build
authority on your own, that youdon't have to follow the
traditional ways of solelywaiting until you get to
(12:55):
retirement or networkingendlessly or relying on request
proposals, that you can actuallybuild authority that is going
to attract clients to you.
And the way that we do that iswe have to find ways of
connecting with others, and Iknow that sounds very simple,
(13:17):
probably almost elementary forme to say that like no duh, we
have to connect with people, butI want you to think about it in
those very simple terms for areason, because I think when we
make things overly complex, thenit feels almost insurmountable
in terms of an obstacle that wehave to cross, and it, honestly,
(13:37):
is far from that.
When you think about buildingauthority, one of the first
things that you need is to havea platform.
We talk about being on LinkedInor other areas online, whether
you're still on Twitter, or ifyou're on Instagram's threads or
wherever you may be where youcommunicate with your audience.
(13:59):
When we're in those spaces,often we're there to build an
audience quote, unquote or we'retrying to be more visible.
We're putting ourselves outthere so that we can be seen,
but many times we're not doingthat in a very intentional way.
What I want us to startthinking about when we're in
these spaces is how do weactually begin to build our
(14:23):
platform, and what I mean by ourplatform is how do we build our
stage.
We often think about how we canget on someone else's stage and
give a grand presentation andbe on TV and other PR tricks and
tactics so that we can get ournames out there and market our
businesses.
But you have the ability to dothat even with some of the
(14:47):
simple tools that you use everyday online.
If you are leaning into thosespaces with more intention,
you're focused on how do I showup and showcase what I know?
How do I give my audienceinsight into how I think and how
I problem solve?
How do I see my industrydifferently?
What does that mean for myaudience if they saw the
(15:11):
industry the same way that I do.
Those types of conversationsare what begins to build
something that is unique andthat stands out and that is seen
as being a representation ofyour work.
I want you to start thinkingabout these spaces as almost
like a portfolio.
I know we're not designers andwe're not putting our work out
(15:32):
there like maybe someone wouldif they were in graphic design
or maybe even copywriting insome other spaces, but we are
also doing it in a similar way,but we're just showcasing our
thinking.
We're showcasing our expertiseand the impact that our
expertise has, and when we'reable to do that and build this
platform, people becomeattracted to that.
(15:54):
That's how you begin to draw inmany of the people that would
take you years to meet throughnetworking, because they're
going to be drawn to you becauseof what you are sharing.
And so that leads to the secondpiece of this puzzle.
It's not just having theplatform, but thinking about how
you communicate on thatplatform, your messaging, what
(16:17):
you're talking about.
Often, I feel like we findourselves leaning on a lot of
suggestions that people give forcreating content that pleases
the algorithm but doesn'trepresent how we think or what
we want to communicate.
If we were able to get into theroom with those people that
(16:39):
would make decisions.
So we have to start thinkingabout the conversations that
we're having and do thoseconversations align with and
match what they are looking for?
With my clients, I teach them aframework in terms of how they
focus and create conversationsto share certain things about
themselves, from their personalcodes and their philosophy to
(17:01):
their perspective and theirprescriptions, how they are able
to communicate the informationthat needs to be heard so that
someone looks at you as thatpotential solution, and those
conversations will begin toattract the right people.
You are going to attract theperson that may be working
(17:23):
closer to the ground level andexperiencing the pain, and you
can also have the conversationsthat attract the higher-level
administrator that may be theone signing the check.
These are differentconversations that can be had on
your platform the same way, and, in all honesty, we're all
human in today's modern era, sowe're online.
(17:43):
Anyone that tells you that yourideal client is not online is
not thinking about this.
In a very practical way, I cantell you that even the highest
level administrator and decisionmaker that you could possibly
think of if you're in acorporate environment is still
online.
They are still scrolling ontheir phone while they're at a
(18:06):
meeting, they're still hoppingon their phone while they're
waiting in the airport or ifthey're catching an Uber ride.
You need to be the person thatthey stumble upon, and the
conversations that you have needto be the conversations that
are going to draw them in.
This is what I like to callbeing able to have a direct to
decision maker presence.
(18:27):
You want to be able to have theability to connect more
directly with those people thatcan hire you, that can bring you
in, that can collaborate withyou, because something as simple
as your posts can open the doorto a much greater conversation
(18:48):
opportunity for you to share ona deeper level.
Look at what you have availableto you through social media or
blogs or podcasts or any othertype of platform that you have
access to.
Don't look at that and take itfor granted.
(19:09):
Don't look at it as beingsomething that you're just doing
on the side.
That's part of this puzzle, butnot closely tied to the result.
It honestly is.
It can be.
I want us to start thinkingabout these elements of
beginning to build authoritydifferently and, once we're able
to one, have our platform thatexists, we're able to start to
(19:34):
have conversations that aregoing to draw people in.
Then we have to have thesystems that continue the
conversation.
No, you're not selling andpitching online, not for major
corporate contracts or even avery high level premium buyer.
You're going to have thoseconversations in other settings,
but what you are doing issparking their interest.
(19:55):
You're intriguing them, you'redrawing them into your world and
then, as they begin to exploremore, wanting to learn more
about you and find out moreabout your work and what you've
done in the past, how you thinkwhat you have been able to
impact for others, that's whenyou begin to sell and win them
(20:16):
over.
So the systems that you createto capture that interest is what
actually leads to you landingthe client in the end.
But it all starts when you havethe platform.
It all starts when you'rethinking about building
authority differently and notwaiting for someone else to toss
(20:38):
your name out there and giveyou another referral.
Those aren't bad.
I love those when they comealong, but I want you to know
that you can build authority too, and when we're able to do this
, what you'll find is that youhave a lot more control over the
business that comes your wayand you begin to have greater
(20:58):
predictability in your business,so that you're no longer
feeling at the mercy of otherpeople.
I want you to have greatercontrol over your revenue,
greater control over how you aregrowing, and being able to
intentionally and strategicallybuild your platform and
(21:21):
establish your authority in aspace is going to be one of the
key ways of you doing that.
So I hope this episode helpedyou think about landing clients
differently, about the power ofyou being able to build
authority for yourself andeverything that this modern era
actually offers you, because wedon't have to play by those old
(21:42):
rules anymore.
We have a lot more tools to use, we have a lot more knowledge
under our belts and we need toput it to work.
So I would love to hear howyou've been able to work through
this.
Drop that in the comments, andif you enjoyed this episode and
you're listening to it onSpotify or Apple podcasts, leave
your ratings and five-starreview, and if you are tuning in
(22:03):
here on YouTube, subscribe tothis channel.
I love to have theseconversations and we'll be
having more and more as we goalong, but until next time, I
want you to focus on how youbuild your platform, how you
establish your authority and howyou're going to win your
clients over All right guys,take care.
Thank you for tuning in to theBlack Girls Console 2 podcast.
(22:24):
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to leave your review on
Apple Podcasts, subscribe andshare it with a friend.
We're on a mission to increasethe success and longevity of
women in consulting, and you canhelp us do just that.
Also, I'd love to hear from you, so let's connect at Dr
Angelina Davis on Instagram orLinkedIn, and don't forget to
(22:46):
visit excel at consultingcom formore information to support
your consulting journey.
Until next time, keep breakingglass ceiling.
All right, take care.
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