We recently connected with Liz Steblay and have shared our conversation below.

Liz, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s go back in time a bit – can you share a story of a time when you learned an important lesson during your education?

Nearly everyone dislikes negotiating, whether they’re haggling over the price of a souvenir or discussing the terms of a new contract or job offer.
Although I still don’t love negotiating, I do it confidently thanks to a class I took in business school that was based on the best-selling book “Getting to Yes” by Roger Fisher and William Ury. The visceral experience of doing mock negotiations in front of the class caused the lessons learned to stick with me for decades. Of course, negotiation skills are important in business, but I didn’t realize that the skills I learned in that class would apply anytime there’s an opportunity to be paid more or get a discount.
Whether you’re negotiating the price of a car or your pay rate for a consulting gig, it’s incredibly helpful to have researched what’s been done before related to that situation. (In the class, this was referred to as using standards for the negotiation.) For example, if you’re a consultant, what do other consultants charge for their services in your area of expertise? Or if you’re negotiating the terms of an employment contract, what parts of the pay package are typically negotiable and how have other people made gains in those areas? In nearly every case, the more research you do related to the “standards,” the more likely you are to come out ahead.
Standards are simply any piece of data or information that can serve as a reference point. If something has already been done or used effectively, it adds validity to your case. It’s amazing what you can discover by doing an internet search and of course, you can simply ask others about their experiences in similar situations.
In addition to standards being useful in your negotiations, doing the research will increase your confidence, and confidence is vital to success, not just in business but in all aspects of life.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am the founder of two thriving businesses and a mentor for solopreneur success. After stumbling into self-employment in 2004, I quickly realized the benefits: more money, less stress, a lower tax rate, and more quality time with my kid. In 2009 I founded the ProKo Agency, which connects world-class independent consultants with Fortune 500 clients. After growing ProKo into a multi-million-dollar business and being recognized as a self-employment expert, in 2018 I created the Professional Independent Consultants of America (“PICA”), a national educational organization and community that helps others launch and grow their own businesses. I’m also the author of the best-selling book, “Succeeding as a Solopreneur: Six Keys to Taking the Leap, Winning Clients and Building Wealth”, as well as the long-running blog “Successful Independent Consulting” and articles on Inc.com.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I’m a huge believer that for solopreneurs, business development is the same thing as relationship development since most business comes from referrals. The two keys are to have a reputation in a particular niche and keep your name fresh in people’s minds so that when the need for your expertise comes up, they remember you.
This is why it’s important to constantly nourish your professional network. Instead of thinking of business development as some strange and overwhelming task, think of it as continually taking small actions to build and sustain relationships.
It sounds easy but life gets hectic, and it’s easy to get distracted doing “the real work.” Here are my favorite tricks:
• Schedule time in your calendar to reach out to people every week. For example, set an appointment every Monday at 9 a.m., even if it’s for only 30 minutes. The key is to do something every week.
• Forward helpful articles. Identify a topic area that interests them, such as innovation or virtual team effectiveness, then find a recently published article and share it with them. “Hi Joe, I saw this and thought of you. I hope all is well. Let me know if I can help with anything.” Or forward articles you see on LinkedIn or Twitter with a note like, “I saw this and thought of you.” Consider including a short snippet from the article to make it relevant to them.
• Have breakfast, coffee, or lunch with someone at least once a week. Whether in person or on Zoom, make this a priority, no matter what. The point is to take time to get to know someone better or reconnect with someone on a personal level. It’s easier for clients and colleagues to remember you if they know more about you.
• Use a birthday list. Whenever I hear about someone’s birthday or see it in their LinkedIn contact info, I add it to my list. At the beginning of every month, I print it and pin it on the bulletin board near my desk. As I go through the month, I send quick emails or notes on LinkedIn, e-cards, or even actual birthday cards.
• Leverage LinkedIn and make it personal. The notifications icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage is full of suggestions for ways to keep in touch with your network. (Hint: Promotions and work anniversaries are a terrific excuse to say hello.) Make your interaction personal, though; don’t just click Like or use the suggested text that’s provided.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I have so many favorites! Here are a few:
“On Becoming A Leader” by Warren Bennis
“Start with Why” by Simon Sinek
“To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others” by Daniel H. Pink
“Generating Business Referrals Without Asking” by Stacey Brown Randall

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.SixKeys.info
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/independentconsulting/
• Twitter: https://x.com/Liz4consultants
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCrJLXiMdVq5LoJG8xL6htg