From Full-Time Employment to Thriving Consultant: Interview with Ryan McGovern

In this insightful episode of the "Thriving Through" podcast, host AJ Riedel interviews Ryan McGovern of Sales Haven, who shares his journey transitioning from W-2 employment to self-employed consulting. Ryan discusses:

Why he left full-time employment for consulting (higher ceiling for compensation and growth)
His unique position working with Revenue Haven and its family of companies
Lead generation strategies using LinkedIn and social media
Valuable lessons from his entrepreneurial failures and successes
The "Valley of Despair" framework and how to push through challenges
Finding mentorship and building community as a consultant
Common sales mistakes self-employed consultants make
Whether you're considering self-employment or looking to level up your consulting business, Ryan offers practical advice about embracing failure, setting clear offers, and achieving time freedom through entrepreneurship.

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-m-mcgovern/

Show Notes

Episode Overview

Host AJ Riedel interviews Ryan McGovern, a fractional sales director with Sales Haven, who shares his journey from W-2 employment to self-employed consulting and offers valuable insights for consultants and entrepreneurs.

Key Topics

Ryan's Background & Transition to Consulting

- Recently transitioned from full-time W-2 employment to consulting

- Chose self-employment for higher ceiling on compensation, growth, and learning

- Works primarily with Revenue Haven, which owns multiple business units (Sales Haven, Talent Haven, Growth Haven, Ops Haven)

- Currently serves as fractional sales director for two agencies with a third coming soon

Lead Generation Strategy

- Uses LinkedIn as primary lead generation platform

- Maxes out connection requests daily and actively engages with ideal clients

- Recently expanded to TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook with video content

- Spends approximately 60-90 minutes daily on marketing and lead generation

- Generates higher compensation when securing clients independently vs. through Revenue Haven

Ideal Client Profile

- Agency owners doing at least $1M+ annual revenue or $100K MRR

- Focus on digital marketing agencies (SEO, PPC, CRO, web development)

- Leverages background in digital marketing to provide added value

Lessons from Past Business Failures

- Importance of vetting business partners thoroughly ("like a marriage")

- Avoid spreading yourself too thin with too many roles

- Be selective about which responsibilities to take on personally

- Dangers of poor quality control when outsourcing fulfillment

Embracing Failure Philosophy

- "Fail fast, fail often" as foundational advice

- Treating failure as a friend rather than something to fear

- Learning more from failures than successes

- Reframing failure as part of the process

Work-Life Balance When Working From Home

- Psychological trick: Change clothes after work to mentally switch modes

- Creates clear delineation between work and family time

- Challenge of working from basement vs. having dedicated office space

The Valley of Despair Framework

- Moving from uninformed happiness to informed happiness

- Most people quit in the valley of despair when reality hits

- Warning signs of being in the valley: constantly questioning if you're cut out for it, obsessing over quick fixes, consuming content without executing

- How to push through: reframe failure, focus on inputs not just outcomes, seek external feedback

Finding and Working with Mentors

- Connected with current mentor through LinkedIn networking

- Value of having someone who has successfully walked your path

- "Don't take advice from people who haven't walked your path successfully"

- Don't take criticism from those who aren't doing better than you

5-Year Goals

- Earning $1M+ annually before taxes

- Complete financial independence (no debt, house paid off)

- Creating a course teaching others his methods

- Employing people to generate revenue for the business

- Establishing trust funds for his children

- Maximizing family time with no daycare for children

Common Sales Mistakes by Self-Employed Consultants

- Marketing mistake: Inconsistent messaging across platforms

- Sales mistake: Not having a clearly defined and documented offer

- Importance of understanding the client's problem before creating an offer

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-m-mcgovern/

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