Confessions of a Million Dollar Consultant with Alan Weiss artwork
The Recognized Authority

Confessions of a Million Dollar Consultant with Alan Weiss

  • S1E62
  • 50:05
  • April 15th 2022

Growing a consulting business to seven figures seems an impossible goal for many independent consultants, but it is possible, and my guest today is the Million Dollar Consultant himself, Dr. Alan Weiss.

Alan is a polarizing character, probably the most polarizing figure in the consulting industry. During this conversation I ask him about his provocative and contrarian style, and he explains his perspective and why he likes to poke people. 

At the same time, even those who aren't fans of that style have to acknowledge the huge contributions he has made to the industry through his publishing. His contributions to the body of knowledge are remarkable.

In this episode, Alan Weiss and Alastair McDermott discuss building authority through publishing, why to choose a contrarian position, and how to grow a consulting business. 

They also discuss how to reframe a conversation with clients, why confidence is essential to success in consulting, and the importance of long-term relationships.



“I poke people, because people need to be poked! If you're on a plateau, that plateau erodes: the only way to be successful is to continue to grow. The secret to continued growth is innovation.” -- Alan Weiss


“How do I differentiate myself? I'm going to disagree with common practice. The readers hated it, wrote letters to the editor. I was so naive, I called to apologize. He said to me: they read it. That was an eye opener.” -- Alan Weiss


“There is something worse than no business. It's called bad business. Not all clients are good clients. There are some clients you just don't want to take on. And there are clients you have taken on that you need to fire.” -- Alan Weiss


“You have to walk into a client's office as a peer. They might have a larger office, they might have a $3 million or $30 million budget, they might have 1000 people working for them. But you are the expert.” -- Alan Weiss


🗒️ Show Notes 🗒️

Access all the links mentioned in this episode in the show notes here: 

👉👉 https://therecognizedauthority.com/million-dollar-consultant 👈👈

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The Recognized Authority - The Podcast for Independent Experts

Seeking to grow your audience, attract better clients, and make a bigger impact with your expertise? Look no further than "The Recognized Authority" podcast.

Hosted by Alastair McDermott, this show features in-depth interviews with top consultants, coaches, experts, and thought leaders who share practical, actionable insights on building a thriving independent business.

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Meet the Host

Alastair McDermott avatar
Alastair McDermott
Podcast Host & Marketing Consultant

I created the The Recognized Authority podcast to help independent consultants and experts to get more clients without being dependent on referrals.

I'm a former software engineer who has converted to "The Dark Side" becoming a business and marketing consultant. I built my first website on GeoCities in the before-time of 1996, and I've been hooked on websites ever since.

I left a safe corporate job in early 2007 to start and grow my digital marketing business during the worst recession in modern history - that was a wild ride!

Along the way I co-founded several start-ups, some of which were mildly successful, and I wrote a book called "Running a Website with WordPress: A Quick Guide for Business Owners".

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