In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Laura Hardin, founder of Harden Heights Communications. We talk about how Laura transformed a devastating corporate layoff into entrepreneurial success, her unique approach to reactivating professional relationships without being transactional, and how she maintains work-life balance while building a thriving communications consultancy. Learn how she exceeded her first-year income goals and is positioning herself for $250,000 in annual profit within five years.

6:26 - Pivotal moment decision
11:05 - Network activation strategy
22:22 - Financial insights for consultants
Connect with Laura Hardin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-hardinheightscomms/
Website: HardinHeightsComms.com
Connect with me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajriedel/
Book an Exploratory Consultation: https://calendly.com/ajr-2/exploratory-consultation
Thriving Consultant newsletter: https://ajriedel.mykajabi.com/newsletters/the-thriving-consultant
Website: https://www.ajriedel.com/
Email: ajr@4rmg.com

Show Notes:
Are you tired of the corporate grind but afraid to take the leap into consulting? What if a layoff became the best thing that ever happened to your career?
In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Laura Hardin, founder of Harden Heights Communications, a consultancy specializing in change management and internal communications during corporate transitions.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:
How Laura transformed a painful job loss into entrepreneurial success after 25 years in corporate communications
The two "Aha moments" that convinced her to bet on herself instead of continuing a frustrating job search
Practical strategies for reactivating your professional network without being purely transactional

How to qualify potential clients to ensure they're the right fit for your services
Why you can often make more money as a consultant while technically earning less
Essential systems and tools for running an efficient consulting practice
Strategies for maintaining work-life balance while building a thriving business

Why You Should Listen to (or Watch) This Episode:
If you're stuck in the corporate world but dreaming of independence, or if you've recently started your consulting journey, Laura's story provides both inspiration and practical guidance. In just 10 months, she built a communications consultancy that exceeded her financial goals while giving her more freedom and fulfillment than her corporate career ever did. Her candid insights about overcoming rejection, managing uncertainty, and building authentic relationships will help you navigate your own path to consulting success.

Listen to These Key Moments:
03:33 - The Two Aha Moments: Laura shares the pivotal realizations that led her to launch her own business instead of continuing her job search.
07:26 - Overcoming Fear: How Laura dealt with the terrifying prospect of starting a business right when her daughter was beginning college.
11:05 - Network Activation: Laura's authentic approach to leveraging her professional relationships without coming across as transactional.
16:50 - Client Qualification: How Laura ensures potential clients are the right fit for her services through discovery calls.
19:01 - Essential Tools: The minimal but effective systems Laura uses to run her business efficiently.
22:22 - Financial Insights: Why consultants can often keep more of their money even while making less on paper than in corporate roles.
27:22 - Work-Life Balance: How Laura maintains balance while building her practice (and why she loves it so much).
31:50 - Advice to New Consultants: What Laura wishes she had known when starting her consulting journey.

Connect with Laura Hardin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-hardinheightscomms/
Website: HardinHeightsComms.com

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Connect with me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajriedel/
Book an Exploratory Consultation: https://calendly.com/ajr-2/exploratory-consultation
Thriving Consultant newsletter: https://ajriedel.mykajabi.com/newsletters/the-thriving-consultant
Website: https://www.ajriedel.com/
Email: ajr@4rmg.com