Welcome to the $100k Playbook with Mike Koziol
I break down why I insist every consultant uses a contract, how clear scope protects you from chargebacks and scope creep, and how contracts increase business value and professionalism. I also share my 12‑month engagement model with a 2‑month trial and firm termination terms to drive commitment and outcomes.
Key takeaways:
What I include in contracts:
Resources I mention:
Who this is for: Independent consultants and boutique firm owners who want to professionalize engagements, prevent scope creep, and improve predictability and valuation.
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Connect with the host of the $100k Playbook Mike Koziol on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalkoziol/
Download the 2025 Consulting report: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-consultant-report/
Download to $100k Offer Playbook: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-offer-playbook/
Schedule a free marketing brainstorming session: https://mikekoziol.com/connect/
Please rate the podcast on Spotify and iTunes <3
Tags: consulting, consultant, productization, scaling, service business, marketing agency, freelancing, fractional CxO, profitability
Welcome to the $100k Playbook with Mike Koziol
In this episode, I sit down with ClickUp consultant and longtime marketing freelancer, Robyn Henke, to unpack how freelancers can turn operational overwhelm into a scalable operating system. They cover why big, do-everything courses stall learner progress, how to reframe ClickUp as the vehicle (not the headline), and the power of niching by “who” and “what problem” to reduce education-heavy marketing.
Key topics:
Timestamps:
Links/Resources:
Who this is for:
Takeaway:Lead with the painful, urgent problem your ideal client wakes up thinking about. Package a tight, productized path to resolution. Use ClickUp as the engine—not the headline—and price for commitment and outcomes. Validation comes from real conversations, not waitlists.
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Connect with the host of the $100k Playbook Mike Koziol on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalkoziol/
Download the 2025 Consulting report: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-consultant-report/
Download to $100k Offer Playbook: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-offer-playbook/
Schedule a free marketing brainstorming session: https://mikekoziol.com/connect/
Please rate the podcast on Spotify and iTunes <3
Tags: consulting, consultant, productization, scaling, service business, marketing agency, freelancing, fractional CxO, profitability, clickup
Welcome to the $100k Playbook with Mike Koziol
How to structure a productized consulting business that delivers outcomes without turning into done-for-you work. We cover role definition, client expectations, pricing psychology, call structure, and protecting your time.
Key Topics:
Takeaways:
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Connect with the host of the $100k Playbook Mike Koziol on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalkoziol/
Download the 2025 Consulting report: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-consultant-report/
Download to $100k Offer Playbook: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-offer-playbook/
Schedule a free marketing brainstorming session: https://mikekoziol.com/connect/
Please rate the podcast on Spotify and iTunes <3
Tags: consulting, consultant, productization, scaling, service business, marketing agency, freelancing, fractional CxO, profitability
Welcome to the $100k Playbook with Mike Koziol
Title: Business Hates Imbalance: Aligning Client Expectations with Your Delivery Model
Show notes:In this episode of 100K Playbook, we unpack why “business hates imbalance” and how misalignment shows up in solo consulting and small agencies. We explore two classic operational imbalances—too much capacity (payroll without work) and too much demand (leaving money on the table)—and then dig deeper into the hidden imbalance between client expectations and your delivery model.
You’ll learn:
Takeaway: Scale your delivery, not at the expense of client outcomes. Protect the balance between your time/IP and the results clients receive to sustain profits and long-term relationships.
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Connect with the host of the $100k Playbook Mike Koziol on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalkoziol/
Download the 2025 Consulting report: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-consultant-report/
Download to $100k Offer Playbook: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-offer-playbook/
Schedule a free marketing brainstorming session: https://mikekoziol.com/connect/
Please rate the podcast on Spotify and iTunes ❤️ and share with others
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Tags: consulting, consultant, productization, scaling, service business, marketing agency, freelancing, fractional CxO, profitability
Welcome to the $100k Playbook with Mike Koziol
In this episode, I tackle a common founder dilemma: how to split time between client delivery and building your own business. Using the “put your oxygen mask on first” mindset, we cover why prioritizing your business protects mental health, improves decisions, and prevents resentment.
Key topics:
Takeaways:
If your marketing already pulls weight, skew 70/30 toward content. Need faster results? Lean into cold outreach.
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Connect with the host of the $100k Playbook Mike Koziol on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalkoziol/
Download the 2025 Consulting report: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-consultant-report/
Download to $100k Offer Playbook: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-offer-playbook/
Schedule a free marketing brainstorming session: https://mikekoziol.com/connect/
Please rate the podcast on Spotify and iTunes ❤️ and share with others
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Tags: consulting, consultant, productization, scaling, service business, marketing agency, freelancing, fractional CxO, profitability
Welcome to the $100k Playbook with Mike Koziol
In this episode, I am breaking down the three core barriers that keep freelancers, consultants, and solo agency owners from scaling:
Key takeaways:
Resources:
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Connect with the host of the $100k Playbook Mike Koziol on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalkoziol/
Download the 2025 Consulting report: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-consultant-report/
Download to $100k Offer Playbook: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-offer-playbook/
Schedule a free marketing brainstorming session: https://mikekoziol.com/connect/
Please rate the podcast on Spotify and iTunes ❤️ and share with others
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Tags: consulting, consultant, productization, scaling, service business, marketing agency, freelancing, fractional CxO, profitability
Welcome to the $100k Playbook with Mike Koziol
Most LinkedIn advice pushes content and chasing influencer comment sections. In this episode, I am breaking down a practical, principle-driven approach that actually drives business:
If you’re a consultant, freelancer, or agency owner looking for clients on LinkedIn, this episode shows you where to focus and how to execute.
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Connect with the host of the $100k Playbook Mike Koziol on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michalkoziol/
Download the 2025 Consulting report: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-consultant-report/
Download to $100k Offer Playbook: https://mikekoziol.com/the-100k-offer-playbook/
Schedule a free marketing brainstorming session: https://mikekoziol.com/connect/
Please rate the podcast on Spotify and iTunes ❤️ and share with others
--
Tags: consulting, consultant, productization, scaling, service business, marketing agency, freelancing, fractional CxO, profitability
A concise, no-fluff overview of the five core client acquisition channels—paid ads, referrals, strategic partnerships, organic inbound, and organic outbound. Learn pros/cons, when to use each, how content boosts every channel, and why cold outreach is the fastest path to clients in 6–12 weeks. Plus: the “conveyor belt” model and tactics to compress touchpoints with workshops and resources.
If you're hovering between $10K and $30K/month as a consultant, you're not alone. And you're not broken.
In this episode, I unpack exactly why most consultants hit a ceiling in that range and what to do about it. It’s not about working harder. It’s about shifting away from custom work, unpredictable delivery, and team-heavy scale.
You’ll learn:
Why the “more clients = more revenue” mindset is a trap
The real cost of custom work and scope creep
How productized consulting creates leverage, margin, and freedom
What it means to sell a system instead of your time
Why group delivery isn’t required, but repeatable delivery is
Most consultants build themselves into a corner.
They are the business — the IP, the sales engine, the delivery team.
In this episode, I walk you through exactly how to make your consulting business sellable (or at least vacation-proof). I break down the two biggest founder dependencies — intellectual property and lead generation — and how to remove yourself from both.
You’ll learn how to:
Turn your expertise into systems and frameworks anyone can follow
Shift your sales message from “me” to “the method”
Build a delivery model that doesn’t collapse when you step away
And finally take a damn break without losing momentum
Think your niche is too small to hit $100K/month? Think again. In this episode, I break down why a small audience isn’t a problem if you solve a valuable problem — and how to increase your prices by solving something more meaningful. I share my 3x–10x pricing principle, explain how to evaluate the value of the problem you solve, and walk you through real-world examples of how consultants in tiny markets still scale to six figures and beyond.
Whether you're working with startups, regulated industries, or a super niche segment — this episode will show you how to rethink your offer, reframe your pricing, and stay niche without staying broke.
If your offer sounds like “I can help with anything,” you’ll struggle to sell anything. In this episode, I break down why positioning yourself as a generalist is the fastest way to get ignored — even if you can do it all. You’ll learn how to identify the one specific problem your audience wakes up thinking about, and how to use the Power of One to nail your niche, message, and delivery. I also share real client examples, practical analogies, and what happens when you finally go all in on solving one clear problem for one clear audience.
What if one LinkedIn post could change your whole year?
In this episode, I break down the exact strategy behind my viral consulting report post: how I wrote it, how it became a client magnet, and how I turned 2,000+ comments into over $100K in revenue in just a few weeks. I walk through how I validated demand, used DMs instead of automations, and built a high-value pipeline with zero paid ads. If you want to learn how to sell your ideas before you build, and how to turn content into cash, this is the episode.
Discussion points:
Why the "guru tactics" didn’t work (and what did)
How to structure content that builds credibility and connection
The Notion vs PDF strategy and building a living report
This is the simplest copy tip you’ll ever hear—and most people skip it.
In this short episode, I unpack the power of asking “so what?” every time you create content. Whether it’s a lead magnet, a LinkedIn post, or a sales page, most content flops because it lacks clear value for the reader. I share how I used this question to turn a short PDF into a 70-page viral report that drove over 2,000 comments and $100K in sales.
Discussion points:
The "so what" test for every piece of content
How to write from your audience's POV
Turning surface-level insights into deep, practical value
If you keep building offers, lead magnets, or programs nobody buys, this episode is your wake-up call. I explain why selling the idea first—before you build anything—is the smartest way to avoid wasted time and energy.
I walk you through my original $1.5K/month group offer that launched while I was still working my 9-5 from my car... with nothing built.
You'll learn the exact framework I use to test demand, validate pricing, build programs as I go, and even launch lead magnets without ever creating the resource first.
Plus: how to avoid the "waitlist trap," how I structure group offers with just a skeleton, and why your audience needs to fall in love with the result — not your product idea.
Cold calling and cold DMs have a bad reputation—but they can work beautifully when done right. In this episode, I break down a call I had with a new client, why cold calling was the right move for his niche, and the exact 7-part framework I gave him to make it work. You'll learn how to prep for outreach, how to open the conversation without sounding desperate, what to say instead of pitching, and how to turn a cold lead into a warm sales call. Plus: the one mindset shift that turns rejection into free market research, and how to build a system that feeds your content, your offers, and your client pipeline all at once.
Access the notes and summary of the Cold Outreach flow HERE
If you’re attracting the wrong clients, stuck undercharging, or burned out from custom projects—you don’t have a sales problem. You have a positioning problem. In this episode, I walk you through what niching down really means (hint: it’s not just picking an industry). I break down how to choose the right niche, diagnose poor positioning, and design a premium offer that commands attention and high fees. If your calendar is full of tire-kickers or you’re tired of justifying your prices, this one’s for you.
Struggle with networking? In this episode, I break down how to approach events without the cringe. I share a simple mindset shift and practical openers that make meeting people easier—even if you hate small talk. Learn how to build real connections (not pitch fests), ask better questions, and actually enjoy networking again. Whether you're attending a conference or a local meetup, these tips will help you leave with real leads and warm relationships, not just a stack of business cards.
If you’re emailing proposals and hoping for the best, you’re losing deals. In this episode, I explain why I never send a proposal without a proposal meeting — and how I walk prospects through my offer live to close more sales. This approach gives you control over the story, objections, and positioning — and it changes everything.
“Let me think about it” is code for “no.” In this episode, I walk you through how I handle vague, non-committal responses on sales calls — and why I always push for a clear yes or no. I also share how I handle objections in real time instead of hiding behind links or sales pages. This one’s all about clarity, confidence, and closing.
