
Building a real client business ($1M+) is virtually impossible
if you’re charging monthly retainers.
There’s a much smarter way to do this…
Before we dive in, I should level with you…
I used to think anyone trying to build a client business was insane. The idea of begging local businesses for a few grand a month to run their marketing just seemed dreadful.
And on the other side of the spectrum, trying to land huge enterprise clients just seemed like a pipe-dream for a startup consultancy.
It was also the perfect storm of all the things I hate: reporting deadlines, full calendars, endless calls, demanding psycho clients, capped revenues, etc.
Growing it to any kind of scale would also be aggravating. You’d need at least 5 clients paying $3K/mo before you could even think about hiring your first employee – and it would take 28+ actively paying clients each month just to hit $1M in revenue.
Basically – the client “business model” looked more like an attempt to juggle 20+ different part-time jobs…
No thanks!
So, even though I was frequently asked if I did consulting, for years I shunned the idea of ever taking on clients.
That all changed one day in 2015…
Five years ago I went to an entrepreneurs’ retreat at a race track in New Jersey.
I ended up meeting a fascinating guy there who ran an ad agency. It quickly became obvious that he’d built a monster business, so I started asking some questions.
Whatever he was doing sounded way more lucrative than a typical agency…
He explained that in some cases – if a client’s business looked like it was going to blow up – then instead of charging all of their fees in cash, they’d also be given equity in the client’s business.
And the “prices” for things that were paid in equity were much higher (since it didn’t cost the client out of pocket). So if they hit a target milestone, then instead of charging, say, $25K in performance fees, they’d be issued $75K in equity instead.
Definitely a gamble – but in the most recent case, it had really paid off. One of their media-buying clients had recently been acquired at a valuation well over 10X higher than the equity they’d been “paying” this agency.
So instead of collecting maybe $500K in fees over a couple years for hitting performance targets, they cashed out their shares… which were now worth roughly $25 Million.
At this point he had my undivided attention.
This is an extreme example – and honestly not one I recommend – but being exposed to this type of compensation model completely changed my perspective on how profitable a client business could actually be…
My lightbulb moment: With the right framework, consulting was actually a much easier (and faster) way to generate serious paydays vs. trying to grow yet another startup from scratch...
I finally realized consulting could be a lot like angel investing, but with much less risk . Where you could drive solid revenues no matter what – but also participate in some serious upside if things go really well.
Needless to say, this has been my primary business for a while now – and I’ve learned a lot in the process…
There’s definitely a “goldilocks zone” where this works best. This won’t work with local mom n’ pop shops, and it doesn’t make sense if a business is too established. There’s also a lot of things that sound great on paper, but are often way too complicated in real life (eg. equity in most cases).
But once you see what’s possible, and once you understand the real levers in a business that can quickly create this kind of impact – it’s truly the smartest way to turn your skills into meaningful wealth as a consultant.
This is a model where your services can realistically generate millions in newly-created value… and where you get a healthy cut of that growth.
And believe it or not – this is no harder than building a “normal” agency, with normal clients. And it’s also not rocket science; it’s just an adapted version of what you’d be doing for normal clients anyway.
Yes, you’ll need to adjust what you offer, and who you offer it to… but you might be surprised at how 90% of this just comes down to positioning…
The Lazy Marketer Presents:

Bottom line: Whether you’re already consulting, run an agency, or are considering doing either… you’ll discover a whole new world of opportunities for driving real revenue – and working with dream clients who get it.
Here’s a look at what you’ll get as an insider…
"We used some of the pricing concepts & incentive strategies in Chris' masterclass to structure our most successful client engagement to date - which worked out really well as we ended up 6Xing the client's revenue!"
Aidan Hornsby
Founder, DoubleUp
I've Never Tried Consulting Before. Don't I Need Some Experience First?
For starters, if you’ve ever run an active online business, built ecommerce sites, rolled out affiliate campaigns, or similar – you probably have more experience than half of the “consultants” I’ve encountered over the years…
And even if that’s not the case – you can always team up with people who can bring that experience to the table (see Module 4)
But while it is true that having done some consulting or running an agency in the past is an advantage, it’s certainly not a requirement.
Last, if you plan on starting a consultancy or agency, understand that this model will be a huge asset to you from the beginning, vs just winging it. The “trial & error” approach to building a service business can potentially waste years of time (and leave millions on the table).
I'm Terrible at Sales. Dealbreaker?
What Do You Actually Sell Clients to Justify 7-Figure Compensation?
This Sounds Like Wizardry. Can I Realistically Drive Results Like This For Clients?
Realistically, Wouldn't 7-Figure Projects Be Limited to Huge Clients (Fortune 500's)?
Isn't it Nearly Impossible to Reach CEO's / Key Decision Makers?
Does Every Project Turn Into a 7-Figure Payday?
And perhaps the most important question is this…
As exciting as this sounds – working on epic, 7-figure projects with dream clients – it’s important to realize a few things before diving in…
1) You’ll need to position yourself as an expert. Whatever your core service might be, this is only going to work if you have some meaningful experience in that area – or, at very least, you can work with someone who does.
Now, the good news is: this has a lot more to do with simply prioritizing high-value tasks and getting shit done than it does with having “special expert knowledge”. But still, you’ll need someone on your team who knows their stuff and can convey that confidence to clients.
2) Big deals don’t happen overnight. Running projects at this scale is definitely a “long-term relationship” strategy vs speed dating. It can take weeks or months for initial conversations to turn into proposals, let alone invoices.
And projects like this often scale up in stages. The flipside though, is that big projects tend to last a long time (often 1-2 years or more), and almost always lead to other contracts across your client’s network.
3) Occasional, non-cheesy networking required. Don’t worry, this does not mean going to those dreadful conferences, or awkwardly handing out business cards. In fact, being pushy or aggressive will kill most deals.
But to get things rolling, it does mean asking if key people need help – or if they can introduce you to others that might.
Bottom line: Becoming an in-demand, 7-figure consultant doesn’t just magically happen. You’ll need to walk the talk.
But at the same time – it ain’t rocket science. It boils down to a simple equation… knowing what to sell, how to sell it, and who to sell it to.
And once you get the hang of it, you’ll never look back. Nothing else even comes close 😉
Still sound awesome?
Perfect. Here’s how you can get in on this…
Gain access to the ultimate blueprint & mastermind for high-ticket consultants.
Discover our entire process for landing 7-figure clients... from initially positioning your services, to getting referrals, to closing deals.
And join an elite community that’s actually doing this, every day.
Whether you already have clients and want to step things up – or you’re considering getting into consulting – don’t just wing it…
Save yourself years of trial, error & lost opportunities by modelling a process that works, and getting real-time feedback from actual experts.
In the near future, this MasterClass will be part of a larger series (with a 4-figure price tag).
But in the meantime, you get lifetime access to everything – all 4 modules, all of our resources, and access to our private network for just $200 one-time.
So if you’re at all interested – or if you see how this strategy could be useful to you down the road – now is definitely the time…

As a charter member, you get lifetime access to everything for just $200, one time.
Considering the potential impact from using even a single strategy from this Masterclass – that’s a bargain. And introductory pricing won’t last long…
![]()
"Chris' masterclass is a game-changer for consultants & agencies who've been wrestling with how to charge what they're really worth."
Filip Matous
Brand Strategist & Author
I’ve been a serial entrepreneur for the last 17 years, launching one thing after the next (from simple affiliate sites to full startups)…
In that time, I’ve had a few big wins, several near-misses, and lots of duds. As the cliche goes, it’s been a rollercoaster.
But the trade-off for all that volatility is freedom – where I’ve either been the sole owner or a partner in all these ventures. And as such, my calendar wasn’t up for grabs by anyone else.
And this was my biggest internal objection to consulting as a business model… I hated the idea of handing even partial control of my time to a client – let alone multiple clients.
Perhaps you’re in the same boat, and the idea of a client business – for that reason and others – just sounds too demanding, regardless of the payoff. I can definitely empathize.
While there’s certainly ways to guard your time and minimize availability (which I cover in detail in Modules 1 & 4), consulting isn’t 100% “passive”.
However, the huge advantages you get with this style of consulting are as follows:
1) You’re not starting from zero. For me, this is a big one. As I’ve become “less young” and have more to lose if projects fail these days, being able to add value to an existing business that’s already proven is honestly a relief…
The startup grind is tough at the best of times – and it’s also a binary outcome. You either win big, or take a devastating loss.
2) It’s a lot easier to hit 6+ figures in personal income with consulting vs a startup. For example, getting a SaaS business to even $10K/mo in MRR generally means that you probably spent 1-2 years in product development (and at least $100K to do that), plus you’re doing great if your margins are anywhere north of 30% after acquiring customers, infrastructure costs, dev maintenance, support, etc.
Ecommerce is similar, where everything is hit-driven, and it’s very expensive to “kiss frogs” for months on end until finding a product that works… for a while, anyway. Plus, you live or die by the whims of Facebook’s ad algorithms and policies.
In contrast, from day one with most consulting engagements, you can generate a solid “foundation income” in the initial project phases, even before moving to the performance-based phases. (Plus, you basically have no costs).
3) You can still have huge wins. This is the real clincher. Unlike regular consulting, with this model you can share a serious chunk of any upside the business experiences – even long after you’re directly involved.
So in some ways, this is the absolute best of both worlds.
There’s way less risk than starting a business from scratch. And it’s much easier to generate a comfortable living (basically out of the gate) with consulting vs. bootstrapping something new. But you can also participate in the growth of the business – and on occasion – see huge windfalls.
And at very least, if you’re still intent on bootstrapping something in the near future, then this is the ultimate “Plan B” that you can use to drive serious revenues in the meantime.
So if you’re at all curious about this, I strongly encourage you to get in as a founding member, before the clock runs out…
Regardless of your decision today, I hope at the very least you come away with some insights about how lucrative consulting can be… when you’re using the right framework.
Sincerely,
![]()

Chris Rempel
Founder, The Lazy Marketer

As a charter member, you get lifetime access to everything for just $495.00, one time.
Considering the potential impact from using even a single strategy from this Masterclass – that’s a bargain. And introductory pricing won’t last long…
![]()