Your Business is Waiting. Step in.™
New courses now availableon the Cupcake Consulting™ Academy website!
COURSES DESIGNED FOR YOUR NEEDS
MEET YOUR COACH
Hi! I'm Deborah - I founded Cupcake Consulting™ and the original Cupcake Consulting™ Framework in November 2022. It's built on the elements of a cupcake, The Cake (Proposals)™, The Filling (Pricing)™ and The Frosting (Negotiations)™.
The Cupcake Consulting™ Framework
The Cake (Proposals)™
Your Business Proposal. Whether you're looking for investors, trying to land a government contract or attract more clients, you need a solid business proposal. Without it, you have no structure. It's the basis of all that you plan to and will do. Your proposal tells your story. It describes to your clients/investors what you've done in the past and why you're qualified. It also outlines your understanding of your client's needs and details your plan to meet those needs, including your method and agenda. Chapter One of the Cupcake Consulting™ Guide will help you get everything in order and take the guesswork out of what to include in a proposal, how to structure the information laid out in your proposal and most importantly, how to write one.
In this chapter, you'll receive step-by-step guides for each topic, including:
an outline of your client's background and needs (based on their ask or your knowledge)
a list of your deliverables and other recommendations for your clients
your methodology
your bio
You'll finish this course with a ready to use proposal you can send to potential clients/investors immediately.
The Filling (Pricing)™
In my opinion, the filling is the best part of the cupcake. It's an unexpected bonus to an already satisfying treat.
Ever heard of this old adage? If you stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything. Well, in the business world, it sounds a little something like this: If you don't know your worth, you'll price yourself out of the market.
That goes both ways. As new (or returning) business owners, we often have no clue what to charge or how long it will really take to complete a job. So, we end up either selling ourselves short in an attempt to nab the client, or overselling ourselves and losing credibility altogether.
This chapter will help you:
determine your hourly/daily rate
accurately capture your project's time commitment
create a solid (and realistic!) work plan
and, best of all, determine a realistic budget that will define your worth and keep your clients coming back for more.
This portion of the guide is presented entirely through video instruction. So, sit back, grab your notebook, and prepare to determine your worth and nab your next client!
The Frosting (Negotiations)™
A cupcake without frosting is a muffin. Muffins are for breakfast. Frankly, if you don't have a solid contract, this economy will eat you for breakfast.
A contract ties up all the ends neatly. It ensures your proposal and your client's expectations are aligned. The Frosting (Negotiations)™ is the Cupcake Consulting™ Negotiation Guide that will help you:
- adapt fool-proof negotiation tactics to get you the compensation you deserve
- draft and/or sign off on a solid contract
- review and suggest changes to your contract
Also presented entirely through video instruction, it includes a sample contract and detailed guidance to empower you in understanding the terms.
Your Business is Waiting. Step in.™
About Me
- Founder of 6 businesses in the profit and non-profit sectors.
- CEO of 3 for-profit businesses.
- Professionally-trained technical writer & editor.
- Speaker, facilitator & mentor.
I operate three businesses built on the belief that everyone deserves real stability and opportunity. Everything I do is about helping people create income they can rely on.
I'm a multi-business founder, business development consultant, and nonprofit advisor who takes the scary and confusing stuff and turns it into simple, beginner-friendly steps you can actually follow. Through candid advice based on my own trials and errors, I share actionable strategies and demystify the complexities of entrepreneurship. If you haven't already, check out my free business start-up tips on TikTok and, when you're ready to step into that business that's been calling your name, I'm here for you.
Since 2023, I have been supporting new business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs build businesses that consistently bring in reliable income. I am passionate about empowering them with the tools and strategies they need to succeed.
I have been working as a business consultant since November 2021. During my first job as a junior consultant, I was left completely on my own to figure out a complex project. It was an invaluable learning experience that significantly boosted my problem-solving skills. Eventually, I branched out on my own completely oblivious to the consulting profession but eager to learn more. Unfortunately, the information I sought was not just sitting out there waiting for me to absorb. Instead, I had to figure it out as I went. Through multiple contracts, conversations with colleagues and, frankly, hit and miss negotiations, I learned the best methods to prepare proposals, budget my time, price my services and negotiate fair contracts.
I'm not sure why this information isn't easily available. Or comes in the form of drawn out blogs based on extensive research and confusing formulas. At the end of the day, it's not rocket science. Perhaps it's some sort of trade secret (I hate those). In my opinion, if you have valuable expertise you should be afforded the opportunity to sell them. No one should be able to keep you on the outside and the information provided in my guides shouldn't be available to only a few.
So, in late 2022, I landed a big consulting contract which afforded me more time and the opportunity to build the Cupcake Consulting™ Framework and The Cupcake Consulting™ Guide.
While I encourage you to take into consideration the current economy, your local market and to take the time to meet with and learn from other consultants and entrepreneurs (if that's available to you) I also want you to have easy access to step-by-step instructions right at your finger tips.