The $200 payment that changed everything
The $200 payment that changed everything
Have you ever received money for a product that doesn't exist? Sounds insane, but that's exactly what happened to me last year.
Ping!
A $200 payment email notification hit my inbox.
I received a payment for a product that didn't exist.
Sounds crazy, right? Let me explain.
For a few years, I had this idea of a product brewing in my mind - a coaching program for MBB consultants to achieve high performance.
As a consultant, I fantasized about such a product. I needed coaching to help me develop quickly. I had a million questions and no one to answer them.
That’s how I knew there was a real need.
But what if I was wrong? I didn't want to chase a mirage.
We've all been there, haven't we?
You think you have a brilliant idea, only to realize later that nobody actually wants it. I didn't want to fall into that trap.
So, I decided to approach this like the consultant I was trained to be.
Hypothesize, test, prove, and execute.
I hired a designer to create a simple design. Then, I quickly compiled a landing page. Thankfully, I was a software developer in my previous life.
Here is how it looked.
Next, I took a deep breath and sent a cold message to potential clients on LinkedIn.
And then, magic happened.
Within hours, I got that $200 payment notification.
Can you imagine my excitement? I was over the moon!
It validated my hypothesis.
But there was just one tiny problem...
I didn't have a product.
Talk about putting the cart before the horse!
Of course, I immediately contacted the buyer, explained that it was a product test, and refunded the money. We ended up working together, and I tested early versions of my product with him.
But that one sale? It was pure gold.
It gave me so much confidence and motivation to push forward.
Fast forward to today, and here is what I’ve got:
✅ 31 clients in my coaching program (13 McKinsey, 10 BCG, 3 Bain, and 5 boutiques);
✅ Six-figure revenue in 5 months;
✅ Product-market fit proven (to myself, at least);
✅ Left my consulting job;
✅ Income? Doubled;
✅ Work hours? Cut by 2/3;
✅ Stress incidents? Zero;
The funny thing is that I ended up not using the design after all. Apparently, I didn’t need a fancy site. I just needed to talk to consultants and develop a good product.
So, as you can imagine, it was not a bad change from my previous consulting life.
This experience taught me something crucial: those consulting skills we work for? They're incredibly valuable.
But learning these skills is tough. The level of proficiency and experience you achieve can be different depending on your journey and performance.
So, don’t miss out on opportunities to monetize them in corporate or your own business.
The consulting journey is complex and treacherous. Walking it alone is extremely difficult.
That is why I developed my coaching program for lateral hires. I help them achieve high performance and become successful and confident consultants.
If you are an MBB consultant and sick of struggling with performance and development, I want to speak with you.
Book a Free 1-1 Consultation to discuss whether I can help you through my coaching program. There is no commitment, and you can ask any burning questions in a risk-free environment.
Read this post to learn more about the Hero’s Journey coaching program.