Mentorship results
How John Gattis turned two years of freelancing into a focused consulting business
John Gattis, J Gattis Consulting · CRM and fundraising systems for small arts-education nonprofits
At a glance
- About 2 yearsfreelancing before joining
- 1 clear nicheCRM and fundraising systems
- Value-basedpricing instead of hourly
- 2 new clientswithout pitching
- 3-month contractfrom outreach
Busy, but not building anything
John had been consulting for about two years, mostly for organizations he used to work for. He liked the variety and the flexibility. The work kept coming, but it didn't add up to a business he could grow on purpose.
“I kind of wasn't quite sure how do I pivot this into an actual business?” he said. “I didn't know what I didn't know.”
What experience doesn't teach you
That's the trap many experienced consultants fall into. When clients come from people who already know you, you never have to decide what you're known for, who you serve best or what your work is worth. John was also pricing by the hour, which tied his income directly to his time.
He wanted “a little more structure for how I could build out a more sustainable plan.” So he joined the Mentorship.
Getting specific
John's first move was to narrow his focus to the work he does best: CRM and fundraising systems for small arts-education organizations.
Then he rethought how he charged, “trying to move away from an hourly rate to more of a value-based pricing.” He found it “makes sense for me as the consultant, but it also makes sense for the organization too.” Even when he didn't have time to go all in, the structure kept him moving. “Having this structure in this course has allowed me to get so much more done than I otherwise would have.”
When the work started finding him
With a clear niche, John started being more visible about what he does, and clients noticed. Two new ones came through his network: “I was not even trying to pitch them, but I had just been creating a little more visibility around what I do.”
Then his outreach landed a new engagement: “It's a three month contract to start with the expectation that if all goes well it will turn into an ongoing relationship.”
“The outreach has paid off!”
John Gattis
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