258. Self-Retention for Independent Consultants: Build a Business You Want to Stay In

Most consultants don't fail dramatically. 

They burn out slowly, lose faith in what they've built, and one day find themselves dusting off their resume to go back to corporate.

In this episode, Melisa introduces the concept of self-retention: treating yourself with the same intentionality a great company would extend to its top performer. 

In your business, you're also the manager, the CHRO, and the one responsible for making sure that top talent doesn't walk out the door. 

High performers, like you, stay when the conditions are worth staying for. You get to build those conditions.

You'll learn the five retention drivers that keep high performers loyal in corporate environments and exactly how to translate each one into your consulting business so you can build something you actually want to stay in.

Stay for the exercise at the end.

The episode closes with a practical three-pass exercise to help you build your own self-retention plan by stepping into three distinct roles (owner, CRO, and delivery consultant) so you can see your business clearly from every angle.

What you will learn in this episode:

• [05:00] What “self-retention” means and why consultants often leave because conditions become unsustainable
• [10:00] Retention Strategy 1. Compensation and security, and how to stop treating revenue like a mystery
  [15:00] Retention Strategy 2. A growth path and plan so you are not “failing” at skills you never trained for
• [20:00] Retention Strategy 3. Meaningful work, including the client red flags that create a retention risk
• [25:00] Retention Strategy 4. Recognition, and why your client is the wrong person to rely on for it
• [30:00] Retention Strategy 5. Sustainable expectations, so your business stops requiring you to be “on” all the time
• [35:00] How to build your self-retention plan with a 3-pass exercise you can repeat over time

Tune into Episode 258 to learn how to build a consulting business that aligns with your goals, leverages your expertise, and sets you up for long-term success.

Mentioned Resources

1. Companion Resource: Read Melisa’s Book Grow Your Consulting Business: The 14-Step Roadmap to Make Your Independent Consulting Goals a Reality, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSXJBGVB 
2. Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-258
3. Melisa’s Books, Planners & Journals: https://linktr.ee/melisaliberman
4. Mentioned in this Episode:
   1. Episode 176 - Set a Compound Goal for Sustainable Consulting Business Growth, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-176/#more-2463 
   2. ️Episode 088 – The Burnout Formula for Independent Consultants, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-88/#more-1326  

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