7x Founder | $70M in Combined Sales | Advisor to Entrepreneurs | Author | Speaker Pivot Your Skills Into a Profitable Consulting and Services Business

San Francisco Bay Area
Joined June 2008
Have you ever looked at a successful entrepreneur and thought, "they're just wired differently"? More confident. Better at sales. More comfortable taking risks. I used to believe some of those things about myself, especially that I wasn’t a salesperson. But over time, I learned that many of the things we treat as personality traits are actually skills we haven’t developed yet. In my latest video, I share what I’ve observed about successful entrepreneurs and what they do differently, and five practical ways to start training yourself to respond differently. youtu.be/u6Q6qphUozk #Entrepreneurship #Consulting #EntrepreneurMindset
🤖 Made with AI
29
You probably don't need another 47 YouTube videos about starting a business. Information is everywhere. The harder questions are: - What applies to MY business? - What should I prioritize right now? - Am I making the right decision, or wasting the next three months? That's the gap we're trying to close with the Black Belt Startup Coaching & Mastermind. Personalized guidance. A roadmap. 1:1 coaching. Weekly mastermind sessions. Direct feedback. Stop figuring it out alone. Join by September 30 and you'll receive 10% off your first three months. Apply code PRO10 at checkout. blackbeltstartup.com/coachin… #Entrepreneurship #Consulting #Business
23
I've shared a lot of advice over the years through LinkedIn, my YouTube channel, livestreams, newsletter, courses, and other resources. Much of it is free, and that's not changing. But there's a limit to what I can help you with through a post or a video. Why? Well, the question changes from: "How do I start and grow a consulting business?" to: "What should I do next in MY business?" Personalized guidance can make a difference. That's why I created the Black Belt Startup Coaching & Mastermind. It's for entrepreneurs who are willing to do the work but want personalized guidance, feedback, accountability, and a community around them. You do the work. I help you make better decisions along the way. Stop figuring it out alone. For September, I'm offering 10% off the first three months through September 30. Sign up here: lnkd.in/gxRc_F3f Use coupon: PRO10 #Entrepreneurship #Consulting #Coaching
🤖 Made with AI
30
More than 20 years ago, I was laid off from a Silicon Valley startup with a young family and no clear path forward. Entrepreneurship wasn't the dream, but became the path forward. Seven businesses and a lot of hard lessons later, here are 7 lessons I wish I had learned earlier Which one resonates most with you? #Entrepreneurship #Consulting #Layoff linkedin.com/posts/ferasalhl…
28
Negotiation makes many consultants more uncomfortable than sales itself. You don’t want to haggle, pressure a client, or become the kind of salesperson you’ve always avoided. But if you don’t know how to negotiate, you can easily give away margin, accept unnecessary scope, or agree to terms that make a good project a bad deal. I’ve spent more than two decades negotiating consulting deals and have been involved in more than 2,000 proposals, from early clients to major global brands, and I’ve made my share of expensive mistakes along the way. I pulled those lessons together into my new video, The Ultimate Sales Negotiation Guide for Consultants. I cover how to prepare, seven practical negotiation practices, the negotiation gimmicks to avoid, and my Golden Rule: every concession should receive a concession. Leave your toughest consulting negotiation questions in the comments; I’ll tackle them in my upcoming livestreams. Watch here: youtu.be/dKXMMA1pa2Q #entrepreneurship #consulting #negotiation
1
33
Ask Me Anything: Starting a Consulting Business (Live Q&A) xitter.cf/i/broadcasts/1yxBeeWDX…
31
Most entrepreneurs have heard of the term "growth mindset." Far fewer know how to actually develop one. In this workshop, we'll move beyond the theory and focus on practical application. You'll learn six concrete steps to develop a genuine growth mindset, overcome the fixed thinking that holds many founders back, and apply these ideas directly to your business. I’ll be covering: - Why successful entrepreneurs think differently - How to recognize your fixed-mindset triggers - Why your internal dialogue matters more than you realize - Six practical steps to build a growth mindset - Real entrepreneurial examples and coaching scenarios - Live audience Q&A Whether you're thinking about starting a business or you've recently launched one, this workshop will help you approach challenges, rejection, sales, and uncertainty with a healthier and more productive mindset. Join the discussion live (or subscribe to get notified) and bring your toughest mindset challenge. Tuesday July 28, 2026 noon pacific/3pm eastern: YouTube.com/live/LHtv8XAOVEc… #Entrepreneurship #Consulting #GrowthMindset
41
Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I'm just not good at sales," or "Maybe I'm not cut out for entrepreneurship"? Those statements may feel like facts, but they're often just a fixed mindset talking. In this workshop, we'll explore how successful founders think differently, why smart professionals often get stuck after leaving corporate, and the practical steps you can take to build a true growth mindset. I'll work through real entrepreneurial scenarios, answer your questions live, and I'll help you apply these ideas directly to your business. Bring your toughest mindset challenge, and let's work through it together. Tuesday July 21, 2026 noon pacific/3pm eastern. Watch live (or subscribe to be notified) here: youtube.com/live/MM7KRrDojuk… #Entrepreneurship #Consulting #GrowthMindset
14
Let's Fix Your Sales Call Mistakes Together Have you ever finished a discovery call feeling confident... only to have the opportunity disappear? Join me for a Discovery Sales Call Workshop for Consultants, where we'll review the four mistakes that quietly cost consultants deals before the proposal is even sent. Bring one of your recent discovery calls (won, lost, or still in progress), and we'll walk through a practical Sales Call Audit Checklist you can use to evaluate your own conversations. I'll also answer your questions and workshop real sales scenarios from the audience. If you're a consultant or service business owner looking to improve your close rate, this session is for you. Tuesday July 14, 2026 noon pacific/3pm eastern: YouTube.com/live/MG6JVMdDfEY… #Entrepreneurship #Consulting #Sales
🤖 Made with AI
14
Have you ever left a sales call thinking: "I should have explained that better." Many consultants have that instinct. Ironically, it's often what hurts the deal. I reviewed dozens of consultant sales calls and noticed a pattern. As soon as the buyer became quieter, the consultant started talking more. More examples. More reassurance. More reasons to choose them. The silence felt uncomfortable, so they filled it. The strongest consultants did the opposite. They recognized that silence usually means the buyer is processing. They're thinking about budget. They're considering internal politics. They're deciding whether you're someone they can trust. None of that requires another five-minute explanation. It requires curiosity. Instead of adding one more point, try asking: - "What's your reaction so far?" - "What concerns are coming up on your side?" - "Is there anything we haven't discussed that's important to your decision?" Those questions tell you far more than another slide or another success story ever will. I've found that great sales conversations usually feel less like presentations and more like collaborative problem-solving. I just released a new video where I break down four common sales call mistakes that quietly cost consultants clients, along with practical ways to spot and fix them. If you're looking to improve your close rate, I think you'll find it valuable. Watch here: youtu.be/T22g3vTwWmU?si=Oy2J… #entrepreneurship #consulting #sales
33