Episode 105: From Layoff to Booked: How One Fractional Consultant Beat Rejection Fatigue and Designed a Business on Her Own Terms

Season #2 May 05, 2026

What if the thing that's costing you clients isn't your expertise — it's that nobody knows you're solving their exact problem?

In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Deepa Patel, Fractional Chief of Staff and Revenue Operations Consultant, who built her consulting practice from the ground up after being laid off in 2023 — and did it by out-human-ing the competition in an AI-saturated market.

Why You Should Listen to This Episode

If you are a self-employed consultant struggling to fill your pipeline, battling the emotional rollercoaster of inconsistent income, or trying to figure out how to stand out in a crowded market of consultants and fractionals — this conversation is for you. Deepa brings the kind of practical, no-filter honesty that most consultants need but rarely hear. She talks openly about the fear of going independent, the business setup basics nobody teaches you, why she refuses to use AI or templates for her outreach and the closed deals that prove her right, how she manages a 30-to-35-hour client engagement while still building her pipeline, and the mindset that keeps her going on the hard days. This is a real conversation about what it actually takes to build a consulting practice that works.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

The human-touch outreach strategy that actually gets responses: Deepa writes every single client message herself — no AI, no templates — and explains exactly why that discipline has led to closed deals and a competitive edge that most consultants overlook.
What rejection fatigue is and how to push through it: Hearing "no" is inevitable in consulting business development. Deepa shares the mindset practice that helps her reset, stay in the game, and keep going until the yes arrives.
How to stop sounding like a pitch and start landing clients: Deepa's "stop selling, start solving" approach — leading with the specific problem you've identified for a prospect — is the shift that turns cold outreach into real conversations.
How to grow revenue when one client consumes most of your hours: Deepa breaks down how advisory retainers, referral placement fees, and an understanding of long sales cycles let her build revenue without constantly hitting a capacity ceiling.
The business setup checklist every new independent consultant needs: From LLC formation and quarterly taxes to business licenses and insurance, Deepa walks through the operational fundamentals that saved her from costly early mistakes.
Why your network is your most underutilized business development asset: Past colleagues, fractional networks, and intentional one-on-ones have generated more pipeline for Deepa than any single marketing tactic — and she explains how to tap into that systematically.

Listen to These Key Moments

[00:01:35] The Layoff That Became a Launchpad — Deepa shares how being let go in October 2023 became the catalyst she needed, and why she never seriously considered going back to find another corporate role.

[00:05:29] The Business Setup Checklist Nobody Gives You — LLC vs. S-Corp, quarterly tax deadlines, business licenses, and why a simple checklist with due dates changes everything for a brand-new consultant.

[00:07:09] Overcoming the Fear of Putting Yourself Out There — Deepa describes dreading every LinkedIn post and outreach message, and how she pushed through discomfort to build visibility one connection at a time.

[00:13:50] Why She Never Uses AI or Templates for Outreach — The thinking behind Deepa's personal, research-driven messages, and the client who told her he could tell a human had written it.

[00:22:04] What Rejection Fatigue Really Costs You — An honest look at the emotional toll of repeated no's, what Deepa does to reset on the hard days, and why that one yes makes everything worth it.

[00:25:09] Growing Revenue Without Running Out of Hours — How advisory retainers and referral placements let Deepa build pipeline even when a 35-hour-a-week client is consuming most of her capacity.

[00:34:07] Stop Selling, Start Solving — The mindset shift Deepa credits for her best client wins: lead with the problem you've identified, not the services you offer.

About Deepa Patel

Deepa Patel is a Fractional Chief of Staff and Revenue Operations Consultant with experience spanning accounting, finance, strategy, and operations across industries including medical device, manufacturing, fintech, edtech, and SaaS. That cross-industry versatility is at the core of how she helps companies scale strategically without overspending. Deepa went independent after being laid off in October 2023 and has built her practice on human-first business development, high-quality client relationships, and a reputation for delivering results quickly. She is actively building toward a referral-based growth model.

Connect with Deepa on LinkedIn

Website: deepapatel.net

Episode Transcript

Deepa Patel — Full Interview Transcript
Thriving Through Podcast | Episode 105 | May 12, 2025

What Thriving Means: Designing Your Day on Your Own Terms

AJ: Welcome to the podcast, Deepa. So delightful to have you here today. My first question is — what does thriving mean to you?

Deepa: To me, thriving means designing your day versus just managing your day. Being able to do what you want throughout your day — to say, this is what I'm going to take on today, versus feeling like you have no choice. It's about having that flexibility and that level of confidence to say, this is what's going to work for me today, this is the capacity I have. And just being comfortable enough to hold those boundaries.

AJ: And are you thriving?

Deepa: I think so. It's taken me a minute to get here, but I think I'm doing good.

The Path to Self-Employment: A Layoff That Became a Launchpad

AJ: What was your path to becoming a self-employed consultant?

Deepa: Full transparency — I was let go from my job in October of 2023. The idea of being my own boss, being my own manager, had always been something I'd been thinking about and noodling on. I just never had the courage to go for it, because I had a full-time job providing a regular paycheck.

Once I got laid off, I thought, maybe this is a sign. I had already started building my website, doing all the things I needed to do, posting more on LinkedIn, being more vocal. And once I got let go, I thought, okay, this is the path. I'm just going to go for it.

I also come from a line of business owners and entrepreneurs — they've always done their own thing. So for me, it felt right. Now's the time. It's now or never.

AJ: So there was never really a moment of should I go find another job? You were already thinking — I've been planning for this, this is the perfect time.

Deepa: Exactly. I could go find another job and lose all control of my flexibility in my day-to-day — or I could finally do something I'd been thinking about for a very long time. I had no full-time job, nothing holding me back. Just jump right in and sink or swim. There was no doubt this was the path.

The Terrifying Leap: What the First Days of Independence Really Feel Like

AJ: Take me back to the moment when you decided this was real — you were going to make this work. What was that like?

Deepa: It was terrifying, honestly. When you jump into something like this, you don't know if it's going to work. Going into a full-time job, you know you can land it, you have the skill sets, you'll get a steady paycheck. With this path, you don't know — and building that pipeline from zero, wondering when the next client is coming — that's the reality.

For me, the biggest motivator was: I have to have control of my schedule. I kept reminding myself of that. You have to have control of your schedule. That is what matters to you the most. So hell or high water, figure it out and go for it. Having control over my schedule is what drove me.

Business Setup Basics Nobody Teaches You: The Operational Checklist New Consultants Need

AJ: Tell us about some of the biggest challenges you've faced building your business and how you've overcome them.

Deepa: This might sound silly, but just figuring out how to set up an LLC or an S-Corp. Do I do an LLC? Do I do an S-Corp? Statements of work, bank accounts — some of the basic things you need to have your own business.

The one thing I'd recommend to anyone wanting to make this jump is to have a checklist with deadlines and timelines. I need to file and pay the fee for my LLC by this date, and here's what it's going to cost. If you're on a 1099, you pay taxes on a quarterly basis — here are the due dates.

A lot of this seems basic, but for someone brand new to it, you have to map it out. You don't want to get hit with late fees. Business license, insurance policy — things that seem like common sense but you'd be surprised how many people don't know them when they're coming out of corporate.

AJ: Why would you know? When you've been in corporate, it's not something you ever had to think about.

Deepa: Exactly.

Putting Yourself Out There: Overcoming the Fear of Sales and Visibility

AJ: What about the challenges around getting clients — the sales and marketing side? How did you feel about those areas?

Deepa: It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. I'm more of a behind-the-scenes type of person. And when you're running your own business, you have to run your own pipeline — which means putting yourself out there.

Posting on LinkedIn — for me, I would dread every word, every sentence. How is this going to land? Are people going to resonate with this? The more you get comfortable with that space and mindset, the better off you're going to be. I promise, it will get easier.

I've had so many people tell me, "this networking thing seems exhausting," and I'm like, it's actually not that bad. You get so much out of it. You do have to put yourself out there — go to networking events, join different groups, raise your hand and say, hey, I'm here. That can be uncomfortable. I'm the perfect example of that. But it gets better.

Driver's Seat vs. Passenger Seat: The Freedom and the Fear of Controlling Your Own Schedule

AJ: You described leaving corporate as choosing to be in the driver's seat rather than the passenger seat. Now that you've been fully in control of your schedule for a couple of years — how does that actually feel day-to-day?

Deepa: It feels amazing. And I always remind myself why I did what I did when I have difficult days. I'm not going to pretend it's all roses and unicorns — it's not. But I love the flexibility. I'm a big Orangetheory person. I can go in the mornings, come home, do what I need to do, then log on. I love that.

But there are days where it's tough — wondering where the next paycheck is coming from. I always go back to gratitude rather than getting stuck in the negative. You have to constantly remind yourself of the why. Why did I get into this? If you stay on that path and keep that mindset, you will move everything and anything out of your way to stay on it.

AJ: There's a real tension in that control — because with the freedom comes income unpredictability. Do you feel that tug-of-war sometimes?

Deepa: Absolutely. There have been times where I've thought, let me just go get a full-time job and get that stable paycheck. But we've all learned, especially over the last year, there's no such thing as stability even in corporate. With all the layoffs happening, that is the reality.

So I control my destiny. Whatever I put into this, I'm going to get out of it. I can go back to corporate, back to the 9-to-5, but that isn't truly stable either. So why not work for yourself, invest in yourself, push yourself, and reap the rewards? It's going to take time — but you build a foundation. You can't give up because things get hard. You have to push through.

AJ: So when that little voice says, this is too hard, maybe I should just go get a job — there's another voice that says, well, that's not a whole lot more stable.

Deepa: That's it. And you have to give yourself a pep talk. It's very easy to go on LinkedIn, find jobs, and apply. But you have to take it back to why you got into this to begin with. That resets your mentality.

Human-Touch Outreach in an AI World: Why Deepa Writes Every Message Herself

AJ: You mentioned in our pre-interview that you write every single outreach message yourself — no templates, no AI. What's the thinking behind that?

Deepa: I want to add a personal touch, and I want the person receiving my message to know it's me — not some AI sending out thousands of identical notes. I want them to know it's curated and that I personally wrote it. There's something to be said about the human touch, especially now that AI is basically everywhere.

That's actually an advantage. You can stand out from the crowd because there are a lot of fractional consultants out there trying to get the same projects. When you give your messages that human touch, you make yourself stand out — especially when you're just starting out.

We've all been dealing with AI long enough that at this point, you can spot an AI-driven message pretty quickly. I get a good amount of them and can tell immediately — they just changed "Hi AJ" to "Hi Deepa" and sent it. I'm going to disregard that. But someone who has made it a little more curated, with a genuine human touch? I'm much more likely to respond.

AJ: Do you find that people respond to that approach?

Deepa: They do. A lot of times they'll say, "Thank you for reaching out, we don't have anything at this time." But the fact that I'm even getting a response tells me I'm doing something right. If you aren't getting responses at all, you need to change things up.

I have closed deals because of my messaging. I had one client tell me he could tell a human had written to him because of the way I worded things. I take it a step further — if it's a company I'm targeting, I research them first and reference specific things I've noticed: I see X, Y, and Z, you look like you're trying to achieve 1, 2, 3 — and I include some stats. That makes them realize I took the time to learn about them. I didn't just blindly send something. With all the competition out there, that sets you apart.

Differentiation and the Elevator Pitch: How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market

AJ: It's such a competitive market for consultants and fractionals. What makes you different from your competition?

Deepa: My years of experience across multiple disciplines and industries. I've been in accounting, finance, strategy, operations, and chief of staff roles across industries including medical device, manufacturing, fintech, edtech, and SaaS. I've never focused on just one industry, and that's beneficial because I can see from a different lens and bring experience from all kinds of organizations to show what good looks like.

I can walk into a company and say, you want to build a RevOps function — here's exactly what you need, steps one through four. Because I've built it from the ground up and I know exactly what it takes. I also take the time to ask questions before coming in with a lot of assumptions. I learn quickly, but I also move quickly to make an impact.

And that cross-industry experience makes me more adaptable. If I get a project at a cybersecurity company, I'm going to pick up on the acronyms and lingo very quickly — because I've seen things approached 30 different ways at this point.

AJ: Let's do a little role play. We're at a networking event, and I ask — so Deepa, what do you do?

Deepa: I would say, very confidently, that I am your one-stop shop for all things related to strategy, operations, and analytics, regardless of industry. All of my work is based on proven results and impact that I've delivered. I can help you achieve your goals.

AJ: What kind of reaction do you typically get?

Deepa: A lot of "oh, okay" — because not a lot of people come off that confident. And I think the key is that I'm not trying to sell you. I'm here to show you that I can help you achieve your goals and get to where you need to be. It's not a laundry list of everything I've done. It's: put your trust in me, I can deliver results, and here's why. I flip the script a little. And I think that's why it lands better.

Rejection Fatigue: The Emotional Cost of Building a Pipeline and How to Keep Going

AJ: You've talked about rejection fatigue. Tell us what that is.

Deepa: You're going to get maybe a hundred no's before you finally get that yes. Rejection fatigue is about pushing through and keeping going — because from experience, it's very easy to want to give up. It hurts your soul, it hurts your ego when people keep saying no.

But you have to keep going, because eventually you will hear that one yes — and that one yes will uplift you so much. It will skyrocket your confidence. You'll be excited again, and it fuels your fire even more.

AJ: On those days when all you're getting is no's — what is that costing you emotionally?

Deepa: Honestly? I go have a nice glass of wine, relax a bit, and give myself a pep talk. I talk to my friends, because they're going to be your biggest supporters. But I always go back to the why — why am I doing this? I remind myself that I can do this, I have it in me, there's a reason I'm on this path. I have to believe in myself and believe in what I'm trying to accomplish. The minute you lose that belief, everything tends to go a little bit south.

Tomorrow's a new day. You wake up with a little more of a positive perspective. That's all you can do.

Growing Revenue Without Hitting a Capacity Ceiling: Pipelines, Retainers, and Referral Fees

AJ: You mentioned that a single client can run 30 to 35 hours a week, which makes it hard to take on another engagement. How do you grow your business when you have that capacity constraint?

Deepa: The biggest thing is making sure you always have a solid pipeline. A lot of these contracts take a while to close — the sales cycle is fairly lengthy, especially in this market. If you have a client consuming 35 hours a week and another prospect needs 20 hours, closing that second client might take a couple of months. There might be a month where both overlap, and that's on you to manage your calendar and expectations.

Clients are also more hesitant to spend on contractors right now. They're always asking internally, can someone in-house take this on instead? That back and forth takes time. So the benefit is that while you're serving a big client, you're also working that pipeline in parallel.

I had a client reach out via LinkedIn who said, "now's not the time." Four months later, they came back. Then it took another two months to get started. By the time I wrapped up with my previous client, this one had worked its way in. That's how the timing often plays out — and why you can't stop building your pipeline just because you're busy.

The other piece is getting advisory retainer roles — where the commitment is maybe 10 hours a month. I was a growth advisor for a client at that level, and it's so much easier to manage alongside a heavier engagement. You're building that part of your pipeline while still handling the bigger client.

AJ: What about scaling past the capacity ceiling entirely — how do you grow revenue without just running out of hours?

Deepa: Referrals. If I reach capacity, I can charge a placement fee. I'm part of a lot of fractional networks, so if a 30-hour-a-week project comes in that I can't take, I post it in those networks, vet the candidates myself, and pass them off to the client — then charge a placement fee. You still get something out of it, you're supporting your client, and you're managing the capacity ceiling at the same time.

And I do regular check-ins on anyone I've placed, because I was the one who referred them — I need to manage my brand and reputation. If they're doing well, my client says, "Deepa referred someone and she did a great job." That becomes word of mouth. That's how you build a reputation over time.

The Vision: What a Well-Oiled Consulting Machine Actually Looks Like

AJ: Is your consulting practice delivering the lifestyle you dreamed of when you made the leap?

Deepa: 1000%. It better be. It's delivering now, and I'm hoping it just keeps getting better. I'm still a couple of years in, but yes — I want it to become a truly well-oiled machine.

AJ: Is it a well-oiled machine now?

Deepa: It is, but I have high expectations for myself. To me, a truly well-oiled machine is when I have so much pipeline that I'm constantly referring business out and have consultants I can send projects to. I collect a fee, they get paid. That's the end game. Am I there right now? Full transparency — not yet. But I believe I'll get there.

AJ: What needs to be true about your business, your marketing, your positioning to get there?

Deepa: Driving the pipeline is the biggest thing. But also putting yourself out there through word of mouth and tapping into your network. Your network is your biggest gift. Going back to people you've worked with can open up opportunities — and right now is a very special time because so many companies are looking for fractional and contract help instead of committing to full-time hires. Less risk for them, often cheaper.

So: stay on top of your marketing, manage your pipeline, and apply RevOps thinking to your own business — track your sales velocity, your conversion rates, how many net new clients you're bringing in. And don't underestimate retention. A client can leave, then come back a year later and say, I need someone for a three-month project, you already know the business, come on in.

Stop Selling, Start Solving: The Marketing Mindset That Changes Everything

AJ: One thing I've noticed across 100-plus conversations I've had for this podcast is that the consultants who get to a waiting list state usually have one thing in common — they stop treating marketing as something they fit in around client work, and start treating it as its own discipline. Does that resonate?

Deepa: Definitely. The best marketing you can put out for yourself is not making it feel forced or like you're selling something. It's about showing that you're solving something for the person.

The minute you can show a client, I've identified this problem for you, and I know how to solve it, and here's how I'm going to do it — that's when you hook them. If you're constantly trying to sell, sell, sell, you're going to lose them. Everybody is already trying to sell them something. But if you lead with the problem you've identified? That's what makes the difference. That's the approach I take.

AJ: What problems do you solve for your clients?

Deepa: The biggest ones are organizational alignment and strategic development — helping companies see around the corner. If you're looking to scale, what do you actually need to do to get there? If you think you need to hire ten people, do you really — or can five get you there, with smarter processes filling the gap?

I map out what good looks like. If your goal is to be the next Airbnb or Lyft, here are the actual steps you need to take to get there. And I'm budget-oriented — you don't need to spend a fortune to get strong ROI. You can spend half and still get there if you do the right things. I help clients figure out exactly how to achieve their end goal.

Resources, Final Thoughts, and How to Connect with Deepa

AJ: What book, podcast, or other resource has been most valuable to you in building your business?

Deepa: The biggest one for me has been a podcast called The CEO Diaries. The host brings on all kinds of people who tell you exactly what it takes to get to where you want to be — and they're realistic about it. When I'm learning about how to build a business, I want to know the struggles. What can I learn from your mistakes so I don't make the same ones?

The other resource is honestly just my network. I'm part of so many fractional networks that I make time to schedule one-on-ones — just to ask, what's going on? What are your struggles? What are you learning? I'm learning in real time from people who are going through it right now. I want to learn from established people, but sometimes I want to learn from people at the same stage I'm at. What are you dealing with? How are you overcoming it? A mix of both.

AJ: If someone wants to learn more about you and your work, where's the best place to connect?

Deepa: LinkedIn is the best place — that's where I have all of my experience, my posts, my testimonials. My DMs are always open. My website is deepapatel.net. And I'm always open to scheduling a one-on-one — my calendar is open, and I love talking to everyone.

AJ: Thank you so much for being on the podcast today, Deepa.

Deepa: Thank you.