Episode 25: From Agency Employee to Strategic Forecasting CEO: How One Consultant Built Authority Through Public Relations Over Traditional Marketing
Show Notes
Are you struggling to stand out in a crowded consulting market and wondering if there's a better way to build your reputation than endless social media posting?
In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Oksana Matvichuk, founder and CEO of Om Strategic Forecasting.
Oksana leveraged public relations and thought leadership instead of traditional digital marketing to build her consulting practice, focusing on strategic positioning over volume-based content creation.
Why You Should Listen to This Episode
Self-employed consultants will discover a refreshing alternative to the typical "post daily on social media" marketing advice that dominates the industry. Oksana shares how she built her consulting practice through strategic public relations, thought leadership, and a unique subscription-based qualification system that helps her work with ideal clients while avoiding the exhausting sales chase that burns out many consultants.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How to identify your ideal client using specific business indicators (sales cycle changes, declining service demand)
- Why securing clients before officially launching your business is crucial for success
- The mindset shifts required when transitioning from corporate employee to independent consultant
- How to use public relations and thought leadership instead of traditional marketing tactics
- A unique 3-month subscription model for qualifying prospects before committing to larger engagements
- Why finding a business partner with complementary skills can accelerate your growth
- The importance of long-term coaching relationships for sustainable business development
Listen to These Key Moments:
[03:42] The Perfect Client Profile - Oksana describes her ideal client as mid-size companies going through disruption who recognize their current strategies aren't working but don't yet understand what's wrong.
[06:54] Biggest Startup Mistake - The critical error of not securing enough clients before launch, and why sales always comes first in any consulting business.
[10:39] The Most Rewarding Aspect - How running your own consulting practice gives you the freedom to deliver the level of service you believe each client needs, without corporate limitations.
[13:41] The Mindset Breakthrough - Oksana reveals that your own beliefs and mindset are often the biggest limitation to business growth, not external factors.
[18:19] Overcoming Mindset Challenges - How immigration experiences and frequent job changes built resilience, plus the importance of coaching and mentorship in business growth.
[26:15] Public Relations Over Social Media - Why strategic public relations and thought leadership (Forbes expert panels, podcasts, book writing) work better than daily social media posting for consultants.
[31:44] The Qualification System - Oksana's innovative approach using a free assessment followed by a 3-month subscription to qualify prospects before moving to longer strategic engagements.
[41:03] Essential Reading - Two book recommendations that transformed her business approach: "The 12 Week Year" for faster execution and "Profit First" for proper business financial structure.