Wisepreneurs | Independent Professionals Building Practice on Their Own Terms

Hosted by Nigel Rawlins | Solopreneur & Expertise Monetization

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Jun 2026

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Wisepreneurs is a podcast for experienced independent professionals building practice on their own terms. Working lives now extend far beyond what anyone predicted. Organisations need people who can navigate complexity and ambiguity — and increasingly, experienced professionals are choosing independent practice over employment. Real conversations with experienced professionals — particularly women — about what that transition actually takes. What we explore Positioning accumulated expertise as visible market presence Building independent practice through partnerships and collaborative networks AI tools that amplify rather than replace experienced professional judgment Navigating the transition from employment to independent practice Sustaining cognitive vitality for the long term 90+ episodes. Real conversations. No motivational fluff. Your accumulated expertise is your competitive advantage. This podcast shows you how to systematically position it. Hosted by Nigel Rawlins Find transcripts and more: wisepreneurs.au Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/ Subscribe to The Wisepreneur newsletter: wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter/

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June 4, 2026Episode 9258 min

Johanna Rothman Independent Consulting: Principles That Outlast Every Trend

Johanna Rothman has worked as an independent consultant since 1994 and written 21 books on management, consulting, and professional writing, including Successful Independent Consulting.Johanna uses the Consulting Role Grid from Champion, Kiel and McLendon (1990) to draw a distinction that matters for every experienced professional: hands-on experts who take no responsibility for client growth are really contractors, not consultants. She explains the nine consulting roles from reflective observer to trusted advisor, why retainer agreements serve both consultant and client better than hourly billing, and how continual planning replaces rigid annual plans. The conversation includes her reader journey mapping technique for nonfiction books, adapted from Jeff Patton's user story mapping, and her approach to time-boxing daily work.For experienced independent professionals, this episode maps the practical mechanics of building consulting practice around deep expertise.Mentions and references:Successful Independent Consulting by Johanna RothmanFree Your Inner Nonfiction Writer by Johanna RothmanConsulting Role Grid — Champion, Kiel & McLendon (1990)Jeff Patton — user story mapping, adapted for reader journey mappingConnect with Johanna: Website: jrothman.com | LinkedIn: Johanna RothmanWisepreneurs explores how independent professionals turn accumulated expertise into sustainable practice. Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter

May 21, 2026Episode 9147 min

Bex Thomas Intentional Career Breaks: Sabbaticals That Lead to Real Change

Bex Thomas spent 20 years in recruitment before an intentional career break became the catalyst for a portfolio career as a career transition coach, sabbatical coach, and podcast host of Sabbatical Stories.Bex explains her five-question framework for planning intentional career breaks: why you are taking the break, when to take it, where to go, who to spend time with, and who you want to become afterwards. She describes the financial planning behind extended breaks, including spending time in countries where Australian dollars stretch further. For experienced professionals sensing their current role no longer fits, Bex shares why the integration period after a sabbatical determines whether the break transforms your career or fades into a distant memory. She also covers how to negotiate leave when your company has no formal sabbatical policy and why most mid-career transitions turn out to be values realignment rather than seismic change. Bex describes her own prototyping journey through travel blogging, travel coaching, and travel writing before finding her fit in coaching and podcasting.Connect with Bex: website: bexthomas.com | LinkedIn: Bex ThomasWisepreneurs explores how independent professionals turn accumulated expertise into sustainable practice. Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter

May 7, 2026Episode 9050 min

Margareta Krizova Freelance Advice: Six Questions for Professional Reinvention

Margareta Křížová offers freelance advice for professional reinvention, sharing six questions that replace the business plan.After co-founding a boutique M&A advisory firm in Prague in 1993, Margareta spent almost 30 years in dealmaking before selling her equity stake at 53 to rebuild as an independent freelancer. She now combines selective advisory work with entrepreneurship mentoring and runs the NEWTON University Business Accelerator, now in its fifth year with 14 projects in acceleration.Her six questions (what do you sell, who will buy it, why, what is your go-to market, what is your pricing strategy, and do you want to work alone or with partners) cut through the complexity that stops people from starting. She describes the financial blind spot she calls invisible work, where freelancers fail to count their own hours and underprice as a result. The conversation covers why side hustles work as a low-risk transition from corporate employment and how Margareta uses ChatGPT with Keith Cunningham's The Road Less Stupid as a virtual thinking partner for business decisions.Mentions and references: NEWTON University Business Accelerator, Keith Cunningham, The Road Less Stupid, Third Career (book by Margareta Krizova)Connect with Margareta: website: margaretakrizova.com | LinkedIn Margareta KřížováWisepreneurs explores how independent professionals turn accumulated expertise into sustainable practice. Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter

April 23, 2026Episode 8956 min

Janine Garner Expertise Monetisation: How Women Build Independent Consulting Practices

Janine Garner helps women entrepreneurs over 50 turn accumulated expertise into independent consulting practices that charge what professional judgment is worth. After 20 years in corporate marketing, finishing as group marketing director for the Oroton Group overseeing Oroton and Ralph Lauren brands across Australia and Asia, Janine built a seven-figure mentoring business focused on expertise monetisation for experienced women leaving corporate careers.In this conversation, Janine explains why experienced women consistently underprice themselves when starting independent practices, often earning less per hour than a fast-food worker despite decades of professional knowledge. She shares her days-down-dollars-up business strategy for restructuring consulting offers around value rather than time.Janine breaks down the four-role network model from her book It's Who You Know: promoters who champion you, teachers who stretch your thinking, pit crew who keep you on track, and butt kickers who drive action. She explains why true collaboration requires curiosity rather than transaction, and how to codify implicit professional knowledge into saleable intellectual property.The conversation also draws on Professor Ron Heifetz's work at Harvard Kennedy School on the professional, familial, and ancestral voices that shape career decisions. Janine describes building a business for a client in her sixties who wanted to work exclusively with CEOs from her caravan.Mentions and references: It's Who You Know, Be Brilliant, and From Me to We by Janine Garner. Professor Ron Heifetz, Harvard Kennedy School. Melissa Liberman, executive coach.Connect with Janine: janinegarner.com.au| LinkedIn: Janine GarnerWisepreneurs explores how independent professionals turn accumulated expertise into sustainable practice. Subscribe for new episodes. Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter

April 9, 2026Episode 8852 min

Ella Zhang Expertise Building: Micro Habits for Experienced Consultants

Ella Zhang helps experienced professionals monetise hard-won expertise through inner operating systems that rebuild leadership capability from the inside out. From her Sydney consulting practice, she draws on neuroscience and Chinese medicine to design micro habits that make capability stick where one-off training programs fail.Ella explains how four inner operating systems, mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical, shape sustainable performance for independent consultants. She covers diagnosing organisational issues by root cause rather than surface symptom, why micro habits outlast workshops, and how values alignment prevents burnout.The conversation includes her own burnout recovery in 2007, her book Upgrade: How to Outperform Your Default Self to Gain Your Super Powers, her annual Vipassana meditation practice in the Blue Mountains, and why she has sacked only one client in ten years.Mentions and references: Upgrade by Ella Zhang. Luc P Beaudoin, productive practice research. Vipassana meditation. Neuroscience research on burnout and recovery.Connect with Ella: ellazhang.com.au | LinkedIn: Ella ZhangWisepreneurs explores how independent professionals turn accumulated expertise into sustainable practice. Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter

March 26, 2026Episode 8751 min

Ben Legg Portfolio Careers and Expertise Monetisation: From Google COO to Solopreneur

Ben Legg helps experienced professionals monetise expertise as co-founder of The Portfolio Collective, a 16,000-member community for portfolio careers. Before that he was COO of Google Europe, led Coca-Cola's India turnaround, worked at McKinsey, and served in the British Army's Royal Engineers.Ben explains why experienced professionals are leaving corporate careers for portfolio work, covering the practical mechanics of building advisory practices, keynote speaking, and consulting across multiple clients. He introduces the Designer vs Hamster framework for working on your career rather than inside it.Ben shares how fractional work actually finds people: 20% through listings, 30% through online presence, and 50% through networking. He describes using Gemini to audit his personal brand and outlines the Catapult course for launching a portfolio career.The conversation covers why thinking of yourself as a company of one with strategy, brand, products, and continuous improvement changes how you approach independent work. Ben also discusses cognitive vitality practices including walking meetings and intentional day design.Mentions and references: Marketing for CEOs by Ben Legg. Charles Handy, Second Curve and Shamrock Organisation. Richard Susskind, AI and tasks. Filip Drimalka, The Future of No Work. Paul Jarvis, Company of One. Fiona Chorlton-Voong, co-founder of The Portfolio Collective.Connect with Ben: The Portfolio Collective | LinkedIn: Ben LeggWisepreneurs explores how independent professionals turn accumulated expertise into sustainable practice. Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter

March 12, 2026Episode 8657 min

Michael Zipursky Consulting Success: Why Conversations Beat Marketing for Independent Consultants

Michael Zipursky studied 1,300 coaching engagements to show how experienced consultants build expertise-driven practices.Building a consulting practice through relationships and conversations rather than marketing systems requires a specific set of mindset shifts that corporate experience does not prepare you for. For experienced independent professionals navigating this transition, Michael Zipursky maps the precise patterns he has observed across 1,300 coaching engagements in 75 industries at Consulting Success.Michael Zipursky is the co-founder of Consulting Success and author of Consulting Success and The Elite Consulting Mind. Before building Consulting Success into a global coaching practice, he built and sold multiple businesses, including Kankei Culture and Relagy Marketing, drawing on relationships forged during his immersion in Japanese business culture. His coaching frameworks address the three distinct stages where independent consultants get stuck: unclear positioning, early wins without systems, and success without scalability.The conversation covers ideal client clarity as the foundation of effective marketingWhy productive does not equal effectiveHow value-based pricing transforms consulting revenue Three perspectives on AI every consultant needs, and Why Michael and host Nigel Rawlins both belilinkeve coaching is essential infrastructure for independent professionalsWisepreneurs explores how women over 50 monetize expertise and build sustainable solopreneur practice.Connect with MichaelBooks: Consulting Success; The Elite Consulting Mind, Act Now, Productization PlaybookWebsite: consultingsuccess.comLinkedIn: Michael ZipurskyPodcast: Consulting Success Podcast Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter

February 26, 2026Episode 8556 min

Dante St James The Generalist Advantage: Building Systemised Independent Practices

Experienced independent professionals building portfolio practices will find a practical operating model in this conversation with Dante St James. For generalists juggling multiple ventures, this episode maps the daily discipline and systemisation that lets diverse expertise run without you at the centre.Dante traces how a failed startup, a pandemic-era cafe purchase, and a digital marketing exit became a self-running portfolio spanning hospitality, executive education, and AI-powered software. He explains his 20/20/60 daily structure for learning, self-marketing, and execution, his McDonald's-informed approach to systemising small operations, and why vibe coding lets solopreneurs build software products in hours. His most distinctive argument is that professionals with diverse, synthesised experience are now more commercially valuable than narrow specialists. A grounded perspective on networked entrepreneurship and cognitive vitality.Wisepreneurs explores how women over 50 monetize expertise and build sustainable solopreneur practice.Tools and Products MentionedQuotarooContent StepsBrandSparkSpeakStarterClickStarter EducationWisepreneur Episodes MentionedEpisode 82: Melissa LibermanEpisode 83: Darren WaldronConnect with Dante St Jamesclickstarter.com.audantestjames.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dantestjames/ Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter

February 12, 2026Episode 8445 min

Miklós Pohl OAM Professional Longevity: Music, Medicine, and Sustained Practice Beyond 70

Dr Miklós Pohl OAM at 78 shows how expertise sustains professional longevity across medicine, chamber music, and publishingHis Wisepreneurs conversation explores how sustained creative engagement supports professional longevity and cognitive vitality for experienced professionals who have no intention of retiring.A Melbourne-based plastic surgeon, violinist, and founder of the Australian Doctors Orchestra, Miklós Pohl arrived in Australia as a nine-year-old refugee from Hungary during the 1956 Revolution. Music has been a constant thread through seven decades of professional life, from childhood violin lessons to performing across the globe.During COVID, he wrote Music Is Medicine, featuring interviews with 28 doctor-musicians alongside his own reflections on amateur music making. The book was self-published through community pre-orders, with all proceeds going to Motor Neuron Disease research.At the Skin Health Institute in Carlton, Dr Miklós Pohl continues part-time clinical work while planning his next musical adventure at the Aldeburgh Festival in the UK.Wisepreneurs explores how women over 50 monetize expertise and build sustainable solopreneur practice.Contact: mikipohl1@icloud.comBook: Music Is Medicine by Dr Miklós Pohl OAM (Amazon, Booktopia, or direct from the author with proceeds to Motor Neuron Disease research)People mentionedHazel Edwards OAM -- Author and writing mentor (Wisepreneurs Episode 43)Dr Michael Best (Wisepreneurs Episode 76)Laurie Smale (Wisepreneurs Episode 70)Chris Martin -- Professional violist, first conductor of the Australian Doctor's OrchestraRowan Thomas -- Anaesthetist, concert master for 12 yearsProfessor Benny Friedman -- Professor of Medicine, Sydney UniversityPhilip Griffin -- Plastic surgeon and violist (deceased)Tom Samek -- Artist (Hobart), book proceeds dedicated in his memoryOrganisations and placesAustralian Doctor's Orchestra (founded 1993)Skin Health Institute, Carlton, MelbourneMount Buller Chamber Summer School for StringsAmateur Chamber Music Players (international network)Aldeburgh Festival (Snape Maltings), UKLeopold Auer Festival, Veszprém, HungaryThe Barge, Brooklyn Bridge, New YorkPlease Donate to Motor Neuron Disease, Victoria: MND Victoria Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter

January 29, 2026Episode 8349 min

Darren Waldron Solopreneur AI Automation: How a Carpenter Built an Independent Technology Practice

Darren Waldron, a Zurich carpenter-turned-solopreneur, built an independent AI automation practice with no coding background. A carpenter by trade, now based in Zurich, he developed AI-powered lead management systems after experiencing firsthand how slowly businesses follow up with potential customers.His company DS Walden specialises in two services that independent professionals and small businesses can learn from. Database reactivation uses custom AI trained on a business's products, services, and brand voice, deployed via SMS or WhatsApp to reengage leads from previous marketing campaigns. Speed to lead addresses the gap between when someone submits their details through an ad and when a salesperson makes contact, engaging new leads within minutes and qualifying them automatically.Darren's path from trades to technology is a practical case study in leveraging transferable skills. He discusses the challenges of being taken seriously as a self-taught technologist in Switzerland's highly credentialed business environment, and how AI-assisted learning made the career pivot possible without formal qualifications.For experienced professionals considering how AI tools might extend their own practice, this conversation offers both the strategic thinking and the practical mechanics.Wisepreneurs explores how women over 50 monetize expertise and build sustainable solopreneur practice.Resources Mentioned:ChatGPT (AI assistant)Gemini (Google's AI)Claude Code (Anthropic's coding assistant)Notion (note-taking and database app)DS Walden website: www.dswaldron.chLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dswaldrongmbh/ Support the showConnect with Nigel Rawlinswebsite https://wisepreneurs.com.au/Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelrawlins/Twitter https://twitter.com/wisepreneursDownloadsEmbodied Intelligence Self-AssessmentProfessional Reputation Audithttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/free-assessments/ Please support the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2311675/supporters/newStay one step ahead with The Wisepreneurs Insider newsletterAs a subscriber, you'll get:Sneak peeks at upcoming must-listen podcast episodes and guestsBonus wisdom straight from recent guest expertsMarketing tips to attract your ideal clientsProductivity hacks to streamline your independent businessAnd more exclusive insights are delivered right to your inbox!Don't miss out on these invaluable resourcesSubscribe now and gain the edge you need to survive and thrive as a wisepreneurhttps://wisepreneurs.com.au/newsletter