{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Thriving Through","title":"E107 Lessons for Independent Consultants: Why Expertise Alone Won’t Grow Your Consulting Business","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2909,"description":"In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Jonathan Spector, Founder of Converge Strategic Partners. Jonathan brings decades of experience in consulting and business development across federal, state, local, and private-sector clients including time leading practices inside a large global firm before going independent.Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeIf you've ever told yourself that your network will eventually deliver clients, this episode is the wake-up call. Jonathan is candid about something most self-employed consultants quietly believe but rarely say out loud, that being good at the work is supposed to be enough, and that a strong network should equal a full pipeline. He shares why those assumptions break down once you're independent, what he's learning about the difference between accepting work and building a practice, and how he's finding ways to get in front of senior leaders without doing the LinkedIn marketing dance. If you're under $100K and wondering why your relationships aren't translating into consistent revenue, you'll see yourself in this conversation — and you'll walk away with a clearer picture of what actually has to change.What You'll Learn in This Episode:• Why a Network Is Not a Pipeline: Jonathan explains the moment he realized a deep network of relationships does not automatically generate qualified conversations, and why this single distinction sits at the root of most consultants' inconsistent income.• The Trap of \"If I'm Good, the Work Will Come\": Why being strong at delivery is not the same skill as building a consulting business — and how blurring the two keeps consultants stuck for years.• Are You Building a Practice or Just Accepting Work? The question every self-employed consultant needs to answer honestly, and what changes when you stop being opportunistic and start being intentional.• Business Development From a Company vs. On Your Own: Why landing work as an executive at a firm is a completely different game than landing...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/w-_QBbxVo-8ZDIXX54CZGe5vij6twqwNGEuGg-Wzdjk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9lZGZi/NGNmOTE1MjBjMWUy/YTk1ODIxMTNlNzJm/YWRiOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}