Episode 33: From Corporate COO to Fractional Executive: How Guy Barretta Built Multiple Revenue Streams While Avoiding the Biggest Mistake New Consultants Make

Show Notes:

What happens when a seasoned corporate executive decides to go solo? And more importantly, what critical mistake almost derailed his entire consulting practice?

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Guy Barretta, a fractional COO who transitioned from being Chief Operating Officer of a large real estate brokerage to building his own consulting practice in 2023.

Why You Should Listen to This Episode

If you're struggling with the transition from corporate employee to independent consultant, or if you're already consulting but want to scale beyond just trading time for money, Guy's story offers a roadmap. He shares the honest truth about early mistakes, practical systems that actually work, and a clear vision for building a sustainable consulting ecosystem that doesn't depend on a single revenue source.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

How to make the psychological shift from employee to self-employed business owner without losing momentum
The "rabbit hole" mistake that cost Guy 6 months of progress and how to avoid it in your own practice
A practical LinkedIn strategy that generates consistent leads through content, networking, and cold outreach
Why your first two clients will always come from people you already know (and how to leverage that)
Time management systems that work when juggling 5-7 clients simultaneously
How to build multiple revenue streams around your core consulting work (coaching, speaking, courses)
The retainer model that sets clear boundaries while keeping clients satisfied

Listen to These Key Moments:

[00:02:31] The Transition Challenge - Why going from having a boss to being your own boss is harder than most people think

[00:04:59] The Mindset Shift - How Guy's previous experience as a real estate agent gave him a head start on self-employment

[00:09:20] Your First Clients Come From Your Network - Why the best consultants focus on people they already know first

[00:10:04] LinkedIn Lead Generation Strategy - The three-part system: posting 1-3 times weekly, daily commenting, and Sunday newsletter

[00:13:57] Speaking as Lead Generation - How Guy invested in a speaking coach and is building presentations for multiple industries

[00:17:03] The Costly Mistake - The 6-month "rabbit hole" that set Guy back and the lessons learned

[00:19:53] Key Lessons for Future Opportunities - How to ask the right questions and maintain control when new opportunities arise

[00:22:23] Time Management Reality - The honest truth about juggling multiple clients and the retainer model that makes it work

[00:27:20] The Five-Year Plan - Building multiple revenue streams: fractional work, coaching, speaking, courses, and content

[00:29:13] Final Advice - Don't give up, master time management, and never stop prospecting

Connect with Guy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guybarretta