Art Of Consulting Podcast

Passive income is discussed often today in business circles especially when it comes to self employed individuals. Also the development of Specialized Skills is encouraged by most however few people provide a clear framework on what this means.  In this Episode  Cat and Andy discuss Passive Income as well as General and Specialized Skills. They will discuss: -their definition of Passive Income - ways of developing Passive Income for consultants - benefits of developing strong general skills - a foundation of building solid wealth

In this episode Cat and Andy discuss Cash Flow and Invoicing techniques. Invoicing is one of the necessary tasks of being an independent consultant. Also managing cash flow effectively reduces stress and puts you in a position to better manage your personal and business finances. This will help you setup procedures to -be paid sooner - know how much money you will need when you go on your own - various items to be aware of before you choose to go on your own 

In this second part of a two part episode Cat and Andy discuss Business Travel. They discuss how preparing at this time sets you up to having a great and successful day. 

Business travel is a fact of life for a consultant. Although it can be difficult, or pleasurable, to travel for business there are many ways to make your trip more enjoyable and with less challenges.   In this Episode Travel hacks to make business travel easier Mistakes Andy and Cat have made during their travels Changes to travel expenses in the consulting industry that consultants need to be aware of   Items of Interest Luggage Shipping Services https://www.dufl.com/ https://www.lugless.com/

There are two kinds of people in this world. Well... actually there are many more than that, but for purposes of our discussion, there are two: Those who need to see first before believiing Those who believe first before seeing. Which type are you? Depending on your answer you may or may not be suited to go into business for yourself.... or create anything of vision actually.   In this Episode How conviction gets strength when you don't need to see before believing. Why it's so important for entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs to believe before seeing. How you can leave most people in the dust, even if they may be smarter than you technically.

In this show Andy discusses business risks and why being aware of these risks can make you a better consultant to your clients. You’ll also learn why focusing on one area of risk  will help you make better business decisions. Understanding risk will also help you managing your own career as we are exposed to risks throughout our lives. You’ll learn the five (5) major types of risks that businesses face.  We’ll also cover the five (5) ways of dealing with a risk.   Understanding how risks affect a business will help you become a better consultant to your clients. You will better understand how the event that can occur from a risk can affect your client and therefore you can provide better advice and recommendations. This will separate you from all the other consultants and make you a more trusted advisor to your clients.

In this episode Andy discusses some steps to dealing with cultural differences in the workplace. These steps are meant to improve the relationships between co-workers.  

By now, you'd be oblivious to think that you live in a homogeneous cultural society. This is a great episode as Andy and Cat contrast each other in so many different ways, even when we talk about culture. Wherever you are in the world, you'll most definitely have interacted with people of cultures other than your own. I'm not even just talking about one's heritage. There are definitions of cultures than just the one to which we normally refer. You'll be surprised at how many different types of cultures that you've come across in your travels already. The winners in the workplace are those who know and appreciate aspects of a wide array of cultures. Listen as we get into the inner workings of how the most effective consultants interact with other cultures.   In this Episode We define what we mean by culture and how culture could mean way more than you think. Cultural competency. What is cultural competency? How can it be used to your advantage? The benefits of being culturally competent, and how to employ tha

In this episode Cat and Andy discuss some of the aggressive and confrontational events that sometimes occur on a project or at a business. They discuss how to identify when we may be challenging someone's manhood at work and what to do about it. 

In this episode Cat and Andy tackle the topic on working with the opposite gender. They discuss differences, challenges as well as some ways of working through those differences to develop strong working relationships.

In this Episode We all have experienced this. There's always the one guy who thinks that volume is an effective way to persuade you to his way of thinking. Annoying? Yep. Effective? Not a chance. You’ll learn to find the best medium to fit the message. How emoji's can actually be a legit form of communication. Three questions to ask your audience to be sure they're with you.   You will learn how to find the forms of communication that best fit for you and your personality. Items of Interest TV show "Lie to Me" The origin of Text Messages The Good Wife

Where Do You Get Your Energy is an episode where Andy discusses the steps to consider to manage your energy levels. As a consultant your energy levels are crucial to your success with your clients and your personal life. Andy will share some stories on managing energy and will provide seven steps to consider in regards to your energy. Those seven steps are: How Do You Get Recharged, introvert vs extrovert What Do You Do To Get Recharged When Do You Need to Be Recharged Who Do You Recharge With Where Do You Recharge Who Is Taking Energy From You When Do They Take Energy From You   Being aware of these seven steps as it relates to your life and situation will serve you well. Using these steps to manage your energy will allow you to be successful for many years to come.

In this episode Cat and Andy discuss: - Ways of gaining momentum in 2018 - Seeing things one way will improve your mindset - Tracking throughout the year will help you create a fantastic year

In this episode Cat and Andy share some of their favorite shows from 2017. They also talk about some current events that are happening. They also talk about 2018 and how to start out for a great year. 

In this episode Cat and Andy review different goal setting approaches. They discuss: - How they set goals - Different thought processes on goal setting - Benefits of setting goals  

In This Episode Bringing food to a gathering is hardly a new concept. But there was a certain magic about its ability to bring people together, and to increase morale, and I started doing a little digging.   You will learn how to find awesome tactics and techniques to connect with people using food. Why food is such a primal way to bring people together The Super-Charging Aspect of Food and what Linda Coles has to say about it. Items of Interest The National Geographic had this little feature on the importance of food. What Linda Coles’ article on Linkedin had to say about the magic of food Overnight French Toast Casserole

Vision boards are a tool to allow you to physically see images of the goals you want to achieve. In this episode Cat and Andy discuss Vision Boards as well as other mental approaches to achieving your goals. You will learn: What are vision boards and why are they useful Different approaches to goal setting and visualizing your goals Why writing down your goals and making “I am” statements are so powerful

First impressions. It should be no surprise to you that you get only one chance to make a first impression. That applies to anywhere in life: meeting a friend for the first time, a blind date, an interview with a new recruiter, or company.   You will learn how to find awesome tactics and techniques that leave a lasting, award-winning impression. What to do to salvage your handshake Why Being the Alpha isn't always the best practice How some Asian cultures have mastered the art of impressions.

A while ago, I was listening to 100 Ways to Create Wealth by Steve Chandler and Sam Beckford. If you haven’t read this book, I highly recommend the read. It’s a light read. Steve Chandler is a motivational speaker and coach in business. Sam Beckford is a very successful entrepreneur. Together, they have coached some very high-profile companies in the past few years. They’ve put together this humorous guide full of practical tips on creating wealth in your life. Most of these methods literally can be applied immediately in your work and even in your personal life. Here are my favorite three. You will learn how to find the forms of communication that best fit for you and your personality.

The reality of the situation is that we never have just one thing going on. We’re always balancing work with family, family with fitness, fitness with rest time, rest time with finances. The list goes on and on. Take me, for example. I’m a mom, a wife, an IT consultant, a fitness instructor, a blogger, an entrepreneur, an investor. Not matter what we do in our life, we’re always juggling various different balls. Anytime we start anything new in our lives, be it a new career, fitness regimen or personal goal, we’re already jumping onto a moving train.   You will learn why it's a load of crock that we can't ever achieve balance. How Warren Buffett coached his company on focus What we can do to find purpose in our life Practical tactics to find balance in your life