Two consultants walk into a bar

I've been wrestling with the same dilemma that's plagued me for years - should I stick to solving one problem for my clients, or expand into other areas once I'm in the door? Last week, this question came up twice in client calls, and I realized most consultants are making this choice blindly without understanding the real trade-offs. You're either building a focused, premium practice that commands higher fees, or you're creating a comfortable but risky dependency on a handful of clients who start treating you like an employee. The brutal truth is that most consultants accidentally choose the wrong path and wonder why they're stuck in a cycle of feast or famine. In this episode, I break down both the "land and expand" approach versus the "specialize and replicate" strategy, showing you exactly how to make this decision strategically rather than letting it happen by default.Show Notes:The two paths every consultant faces: Land and expand with fewer clients vs. specialize and replicate with more clients - most consultants stumble into one without realizing the consequencesWhy "land and expand" feels safer but creates dangerous concentration risk: How working with 3-4 deep clients instead of 15-20 specialized clients can leave you vulnerable and undervaluedThe pricing power of specialization: Why consultant B (specialized) can charge higher fees and reduce delivery costs while consultant A (generalist) struggles with pricing justificationThe hidden trap of becoming "one of the team": How deep client relationships can turn you from a trusted advisor into just another employee who reports to meetingsThe pipeline reality check: Why the specialized path requires serious investment in marketing and business development - you can't get lazy about filling your funnelHow to avoid the "whatever work is in front of you" trap: Making strategic decisions about your consulting path instead of letting circumstances decide for youThe seven-year evolution: Real examples of how even specialized consultants can strategically expand and contract their focus based on market needsWhen positioning stops working: Why no positioning lasts forever and how to stay alert to market changes while maintaining your specialized focus

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