E2. You’re Not “Just” a Grant Writer: The Power Shift Every Grant CEO Must Make –with Daphney Jean

What happens when a skilled grant writer finally owns her expertise? In this episode of Grant CEO, I sit down with Daphney Jean, founder of SMJ Consulting, to talk about what it really looks like to step into your power as a grant writing business owner. 

After years of underestimating her impact and saying things like “I only got them $500K,” Daphney shifted how she positioned her expertise and services. 

The result? Higher retainers, stronger renewals, and better-aligned clients.

You’ll hear how Power and Positioning allowed her to stop wasting so much time onboarding new clients and start charging higher rates with confidence and a proven ROI. This conversation is a must-listen if you’re ready to charge confidently and scale sustainably.

In this episode:

00:03:07 Grant Writer Power

00:10:29 Confident Pricing Decisions

00:14:22 Niching With Intention

This podcast is produced by Ideablossoms.

Connect with Daphney Jean:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphneyjean1/ 

Website: https://www.smjgrantconsulting.com 

Take The Grant CEO Assessment!

Tired of operating like an overworked freelancer and ready to step into the CEO seat of your business? 

Head to grantceo.com, answer the questions, get your report, and start building a profitable and sustainable grant writing business.

About DeaRonda Harrison:

DeaRonda Harrison is the founder of June First Firm and host of the Grant CEO podcast, a show for experienced grant writers ready to step into the role of strategic, confident CEO of their own scalable business. With over a decade of experience, she’s helped nonprofits secure more than $45 million in funding.

Today, DeaRonda coaches grant writing consultants on pricing their services, setting boundaries, and moving from freelance grant writer to CEO. Through her You Are the Prize™ Framework, she helps grant professionals build sustainable, profitable grant writing businesses.

Grant CEO Assessment: https://grantceo.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dearondaharrison/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearondaharrison/

Website: https://junefirstfirm.com/