Twelve weeks.
Four disciplines.
One clear structure.
The program is designed to be sequential. Each phase builds on the previous one. There is a logic to the order that matters.
Three months of structured, practical work through all four core disciplines.
Participants work alongside a small group of peers in similar transition stages.
In-person sessions at our Cincinnati location. Hybrid options available for some modules.
New cohorts form four times per year. Inquire about upcoming start dates.
Phase by phase.
Client Acquisition and Market Positioning
The program begins here because nothing else matters until you can reliably bring clients in. Week one focuses on positioning: how to articulate what you do, for whom, and why that matters in a way that is specific enough to be useful and credible enough to be believed.
Week two moves into the mechanics of relationship-based business development. This is not networking in the conventional sense. It is a systematic approach to building the kinds of professional relationships that generate work. It requires consistency and patience. We work on both.
Week three addresses the practical side: how to handle initial conversations with potential clients, how to qualify opportunities without being transactional, and how to move from conversation to engagement without pressure.
Pricing Frameworks and Fee Confidence
Pricing is treated separately because it requires its own sustained attention. Week four examines how markets for expertise work, what drives perceived value, and the most common pricing mistakes made by people new to independent work.
Week five is practical. Participants develop their own pricing frameworks, work through different engagement structures, and practice presenting their fees in conversations. The discomfort of this is real and worth addressing directly.
Week six covers the situations that arise after you have presented your price: negotiation, pushback, requests for discounts, and how to respond to each in a way that preserves both the relationship and your margins.
Scope Management and Client Agreements
By week seven, participants typically have a clearer sense of how they want to position and price their work. Now the focus shifts to protecting it. Week seven addresses how to write agreements that are clear without being adversarial, and how to set expectations from the beginning of an engagement.
Week eight covers scope creep in practice: how to recognize it early, how to address it professionally, and how to have direct conversations about expanded work without damaging the relationship. These conversations are uncomfortable. Practicing them in a structured environment makes them significantly easier.
Week nine broadens the lens to client relationship management overall. How do you maintain strong relationships over time? How do you handle difficult situations? How do you manage multiple clients without losing quality or attention?
Financial Structure and Income Stability
The final phase addresses the financial architecture of independent work. Week ten covers cash flow: how to manage the timing differences between when work is done and when money arrives, how to build financial reserves, and how to make decisions under income variability.
Week eleven addresses tax obligations and financial planning basics specific to self-employment. This is not accounting advice. It is a working understanding of the financial landscape you operate in, so you can engage productively with the professionals who advise you.
Week twelve brings everything together. Participants build a personal operating plan for the first year of independent work, integrating client acquisition habits, pricing practices, scope management systems, and financial structures into a coherent whole.
Ready to explore further?
Learn about the specific methodologies we use, or reach out to discuss whether the program fits your situation.