Leah is also the host of The Smart Gets Paid podcast, where listeners go behind the scenes into her actual calls with clients, where Leah tackles their biggest sales challenges, and they can learn sales strategies they can use in their own businesses.
Before starting Smart Gets Paid, Leah built, grew, and sold three businesses. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Learn more about Leah at smartgetspaid.com.
In today’s uncertain economy, running a consulting business can feel daunting. Projects stall, budgets get delayed, and referrals that once sustained a pipeline are no longer enough. As Leah Neaderthal, sales coach and founder of Smart Gets Paid, reminded our community in a recent WIE Suite Masterclass, “We’re not just talking about how to land one client. We’re talking about how to run a profitable consulting business — financially, professionally, and emotionally.”
Her guidance centered on five strategies designed to help women consultants not only withstand these challenges, but also grow stronger because of them.
Many consultants underestimate just how much business they need in their pipeline to feel secure. Leah was direct, “If you want to make $100,000 in the next six months, you can’t just have $100,000 in your pipeline. You need $200,000 to $300,000 because of delays, budget cuts, and not-nows.”
The message is clear – relying solely on referrals is no longer sustainable. Marketing and business development must become as normal as accounting or maintaining a website.
Leah urged participants to reframe the way they position their work. Too often, consultants describe services in ways that sound like “nice-to-haves.” But clients don’t prioritize vitamins, they prioritize painkillers. “Clients will always make time for a painkiller. They can put off vitamins, but if they’re in pain, they’ll do whatever it takes to fix it.”
When you show clients how your work addresses an urgent, high-stakes challenge, you move from optional to indispensable.
Sales cycles have stretched, with more decision-makers and slower approvals. To keep momentum, Leah recommended what she calls an ETSY offer (“easy to say yes”). These are not discounted services, but clearly defined packages with transparent value, scope, and price.
“In a price-sensitive environment, clients need to know what they’re in for. An Etsy offer gets your foot in the door faster.” Such offers reduce friction and give clients confidence to move forward.
The conversation turned to two common barriers for women consultants: the rise of AI and perfection paralysis. On AI, Leah reminded us to focus on the uniquely human aspects of consulting, “There was a billboard that said: ChatGPT finished this building. Of course it didn’t. Ask yourself: what’s your building? What’s the thing AI can’t do that only you can?”
And for those waiting until their marketing is flawless before sharing it publicly, her advice was liberating, “Nobody cares. The internet has a very short attention span. Show up, be yourself, and keep going.”
Leah closed with a story about a woman who prayed daily to win the lottery until her patron saint finally told her: “Please, buy a ticket.”
Her point was unmistakable, “This moment requires proactivity. The businesses that will thrive are the ones that take action, show up, and implement consistently.”
Taken together, these lessons form a playbook for resilience. Build a fuller pipeline. Frame your work as a painkiller. Create offers that are easy to say yes to. Reframe objections with confidence. And above all, take action.
