Playbook background
    The Complete Playbook

    Hi, my name is Todd Larsen - Co-founder of Tech Leaders.

    Tech Leaders is an international community and mastermind that helps you optimize your income, impact and influence with leadership and entrepreneurship.

    I've spent 5 years testing different ways to monetize my technical expertise:

    • Freelance Hourly Consulting
    • Micro-SaaS Products
    • Info-Products (courses, etc.)
    • Fractional CTO/advisory services on retainer

    After all this experimentation and work with 30+ different companies around the world from start-ups to scale-ups, my co-foudner Stephen Bates and I built:

    Todd Larsen

    The Productize & MonetizeYour Expertise Playbook

    Package your expertise into scalable, high-value offerings that generate leverage, income, and impact

    What You'll Learn:

    Define your ideal client profile and problem niche with precision
    Build a repeatable client acquisition system that doesn't rely on referrals
    Package your expertise into high-value offers using value-based pricing
    Create consistent content and outreach systems that generate leads
    Transition safely from employment to independent consulting

    Prerequisites: Track record of technical results + willingness to market yourself

    Your Complete Roadmap

    Phase 0: Foundation

    Mindset & Prerequisites

    Step 1: ICP & Niche

    Define Your Market

    Step 2: Marketing

    Messaging & Outreach

    Step 3: Your Offer

    Pricing & Packaging

    Phase 0

    Foundation & Mindset Transformation

    Before diving into tactics, establish the right foundation and mindset. This phase is crucial - skip it at your peril.

    1

    Define Your Core Goals

    Exercise: The Leverage Audit

    Take 30 minutes to answer these questions in writing:

    1. Current State Analysis

    →How many hours did you work last month? _______
    →What was your total income? $_______
    →Income per hour worked: $_______
    →Can you take a 2-week vacation without losing income? Yes/No

    2. Desired Future State

    →Target monthly income: $_______
    →Maximum hours willing to work: _______
    →Number of income streams desired: _______

    3. Gap Analysis

    →What's preventing you from achieving the desired state?

    List your top 3 barriers:

    1._______________________
    2._______________________
    3._______________________

    Pro Tip: If your income is directly tied to hours worked, you have a leverage problem, not an income problem.

    2

    Mindset Shifts Required

    From Employee to Entrepreneur Thinking

    Old Mindset ❌New Mindset ✅Action Step
    "I sell my time""I sell outcomes"List 3 outcomes you've delivered, not activities
    "I hate self-promotion""I help people by making my expertise findable"Reframe marketing as education
    "I need to be an expert at everything""I solve specific, valuable problems"Choose ONE problem to focus on initially
    "Referrals will sustain me""I control my pipeline"Commit to daily outreach (even 15 min/day)

    Warning: The biggest failure point is trying to help everyone with everything. This leads to commodity pricing and referral dependence.

    3

    Validate Your Prerequisites

    Checklist: Are You Ready?

    Before proceeding, ensure you have:

    Track Record Documentation

    • →At least 3 quantifiable results from your career
    • →Specific metrics (revenue generated, costs saved, time reduced)
    • →Named technologies/frameworks mastered

    Willingness Indicators

    • →Committed to posting content 2x/week minimum
    • →Ready to reach out to strangers daily
    • →Prepared to discuss money and value openly

    Solution Mindset

    • →Can articulate problems you solve, not just skills you have
    • →Think in terms of client outcomes, not your inputs

    Exercise: The Results Inventory

    Create a spreadsheet with these columns:

    1.Company/Project
    2.Challenge Faced
    3.Your Solution
    4.Quantified Result
    5.Technologies Used
    6.Timeline

    Fill in at least 5 rows. This becomes your "evidence file" for later.

    4

    Design Your Transition Strategy

    Template: The Parallel Stream Blueprint

    If you're currently employed, use this safe transition approach:

    Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-2)

    • • Build initial offer and messaging
    • • Start content creation habit
    • • Goal: First paying client
    • • Time investment: 5-10 hrs/week
    • • Keep day job

    Phase 2: Validation (Months 3-6)

    • • Scale to 3-5 clients
    • • Refine offer based on feedback
    • • Goal: $5K/month side income
    • • Time investment: 10-15 hrs/week
    • • Keep day job

    Phase 3: Growth (Months 7-12)

    • • Systemize delivery
    • • Raise prices based on value
    • • Goal: Match 50% of W2 income
    • • Time investment: 15-20 hrs/week
    • • Keep day job

    Phase 4: Transition (Months 13-18)

    • • Build 6-month cash reserve
    • • Secure 3-month pipeline
    • • Goal: 2x W2 income potential
    • • Make transition decision

    💰 Financial Safety Checklist:

    6 months living expenses saved
    Side income = 50% of current salary
    3+ months of committed client work
    Health insurance solution identified

    Ready to Get Started?

    See how we help you build your consulting practice step by step

    Step 1

    Define Your Ideal Client & Problem Niche

    This is where most technical leaders fail - they try to be everything to everyone. Let's fix that.

    A

    Create Your Ideal Client Profile (ICP)

    Template: The ICP Deep Dive

    Don't just list demographics. We need to understand their psychology.

    Demographics (The Basics)

    Industry:[Be specific - "B2B SaaS" not "technology"]
    Company Stage:[Seed/Series A/B/C/Growth/Enterprise]
    Company Size:[Revenue or employee count]
    Geography:[Remote/Local/Specific regions]
    Title/Role:[Who actually signs the check?]

    Psychographics (The Gold)

    Their Current Situation:
    • Waking up at night worried about: ___________
    • Biggest bottleneck to growth: ___________
    • Failed solutions they've tried: ___________
    • Internal pressure from: [Board/CEO/Team/Customers]
    Their Desired Outcome:
    • Definition of success: ___________
    • Timeline pressure: ___________
    • Career implications of success/failure: ___________
    • How they measure progress: ___________
    Their Decision Triggers:
    • What makes this urgent NOW: ___________
    • Budget already allocated for: ___________
    • Competing priorities: ___________
    • Decision-making process: ___________

    Exercise: The Client Interview

    Reach out to 3 people who fit your initial ICP hypothesis. Ask:

    1."What's your biggest challenge with [your area of expertise] right now?"
    2."What have you tried that didn't work?"
    3."If you could wave a magic wand, what would the solution look like?"
    4."What's this costing you currently (time/money/opportunity)?"
    5."When do you need this solved by?"

    Pro Tip: The best ICPs come from analyzing your best past clients/projects. Who did you love working with AND got amazing results for?

    B

    Find Your Problem Niche

    Framework: The Horizontal Niche Matrix

    Instead of limiting yourself to one industry, focus on one problem across industries:

    Problem FocusExample IndustriesYour Expertise Angle
    "Scale technical teams from 10 to 50"SaaS, Fintech, HealthtechEngineering leadership, hiring, culture
    "Modernize legacy systems"Banking, Insurance, RetailCloud migration, microservices, DevOps
    "Launch MVP in 90 days"Startups across verticalsRapid prototyping, lean development
    "Reduce AWS costs by 40%"Any cloud-heavy companyCloud optimization, FinOps

    Your Problem Niche Statement Template:

    "I help [ICP description] achieve [specific outcome] by solving [specific problem] using [your unique approach], typically within [timeframe]."

    Example:

    "I help Series A B2B SaaS CTOs scale their engineering teams from 10 to 50 developers by implementing proven hiring, onboarding, and culture systems, typically within 6 months."

    C

    The "Now Buyer" Identification System

    Only ~3% of your market is ready to buy RIGHT NOW. Here's how to find them

    Urgent Signals (Buy within 30 days):

    Just raised funding
    New executive hired
    Regulatory deadline approaching
    Major incident/failure occurred
    Competitor launched threatening feature

    Medium Signals (Buy within 90 days):

    Posted job for someone with your expertise
    Attending conferences in your domain
    Publishing content about your problem area
    Asking for recommendations in communities

    Daily Action: The Signal Scanner Routine

    Spend 15 minutes daily:

    1.Check funding announcements in your ICP's industry
    2.Monitor job boards for relevant positions
    3.Search LinkedIn for "[your problem area] + challenge/help/struggling"
    4.Review relevant Slack/Discord communities
    5.Set Google Alerts for key terms

    Ready to Get Started?

    See how we help you build your consulting practice step by step

    Step 2

    Align Your Messaging & Marketing System

    Now we package your expertise and get it in front of the right people.

    A

    Mine Your Expertise

    Exercise: The Gold Mining Session

    Block 2 hours. You're going to extract EVERYTHING valuable from your career.

    Step 1: The Achievement Excavation

    For each role/project, document:

    [Company Name] - [Your Role] - [Dates]

    The Situation

    • Company context: [Stage, size, industry]
    • Challenge they faced: [Be specific]
    • Why it mattered: [Business impact if unsolved]

    Your Actions

    • Strategy developed: [Your approach]
    • Team involved: [Size, composition]
    • Technologies used: [List all]
    • Timeline: [How long it took]

    The Results

    • Quantified outcome: [Numbers, percentages]
    • Qualitative wins: [Culture, morale, etc.]
    • Long-term impact: [What happened after]
    • Recognition received: [Awards, promotions, testimonials]

    Step 2: The Value Extraction

    From your excavation, identify:

    1.Biggest Revenue Impact: Which project generated/saved the most money?
    2.Fastest Result: Which problem did you solve quickest?
    3.Most Innovative: Which solution was most creative/unique?
    4.Highest Leverage: Which required least effort for maximum impact?
    5.Most Replicable: Which could you do again easily?

    Your "Power Three": Select your top 3 achievements that best demonstrate value to your ICP.

    B

    The Market Messenger MVP System

    Three components to attract clients

    Component 1: Profile Optimization

    Transform your LinkedIn profile into a client-attracting machine:

    LinkedIn Headline Formula

    [Specific Outcome] for [ICP] | [Credibility Marker] | [Unique Angle]

    Examples:

    • "I Help Series A CTOs Scale Engineering Teams 5x | Former Netflix/Uber | 50+ Teams Transformed"
    • "Cloud Cost Optimization for High-Growth SaaS | AWS Certified | Saved Clients $50M+"
    • "90-Day MVPs for Non-Technical Founders | 3x Unicorn Builder | 100% Launch Success Rate"
    About Section Template

    [Hook - The Problem]

    Every [ICP] struggles with [specific problem].

    [Agitation - The Cost]

    This leads to [negative consequence 1], [consequence 2], and ultimately [worst case scenario].

    [Your Solution]

    I've spent [X years] solving this exact problem, delivering results like:

    • [Specific result 1 with metrics]
    • [Specific result 2 with metrics]
    • [Specific result 3 with metrics]

    [Your Unique Approach]

    My [methodology name] approach focuses on [key differentiator], not [what others do wrong].

    [Social Proof]

    [Client name/title] said: "[Powerful testimonial]"

    [Call to Action]

    → Ready to [desired outcome]? Message me "SCALE" and let's discuss your situation.

    Component 2: Content Creation System

    The 2-2-2 Content Formula:
    • 2 posts per week minimum
    • 2 content types (educational + engaging)
    • 2 minutes max to consume

    Weekly Content Calendar Template:

    DayContent TypeTopicFormatCTA
    TuesdayEducationalProblem/SolutionText + Image"DM for guide"
    ThursdayEngagingIndustry news/winVideo/Carousel"What's your experience?"
    Educational Posts:
    1. "5 mistakes I see [ICP] make with [problem area]"
    2. "The $[X] lesson I learned about [topic]"
    3. "How [client type] achieved [result] in [timeframe]"
    4. "The hidden cost of [common problem]"
    5. "[Contrarian take] about [industry assumption]"
    Engaging Posts:
    1. Memes about [industry pain point]
    2. Polls: "What's your biggest [area] challenge?"
    3. Behind-the-scenes of your process
    4. Client win celebrations
    5. Industry news with your hot take

    Pro Tip: Short-form video (30-60 seconds) gets 3-5x more reach. Even simple talking-head videos work.

    Component 3: Daily Outreach Machine

    The 30-Minute Outreach Sprint:

    Prep (5 min)

    Open LinkedIn/email/platform
    Review yesterday's responses
    Check "Now Buyer" signals

    New Outreach (15 min)

    Send 5 connection requests with note
    Send 3 InMails to high-value targets
    Comment meaningfully on 5 ICP posts

    Follow-up (10 min)

    Respond to new messages
    Follow up on pending conversations
    Book calls directly in calendar
    Connection Request Template
    Hi [Name],

    Noticed you're [specific observation about their role/company/content].

    I help [similar companies] with [specific problem you solve].

    Worth connecting to share insights on [relevant topic]?

    [Your name]
    Follow-Up Sequence

    Message 2 (3 days later):

    "Hi [Name], saw your post about [topic]. Have you considered [insight related to your solution]?"

    Message 3 (1 week later):

    "[Name], quick question - what's your biggest challenge with [problem area] right now?"

    Message 4 (2 weeks later):

    "Sharing a resource that's helped [similar company] with [problem]. [Link to valuable content]. Hope it helps!"

    Automation Tip: After proving the system works, hire a VA for $5-10/hour to handle outreach. You just handle responses.

    Ready to Get Started?

    See how we help you build your consulting practice step by step

    Step 3

    Refine & Package Your Offer

    This is where you turn expertise into money using value-based pricing.

    A

    Master Value-Based Pricing

    The Value Calculation Framework

    Value-Based Pricing Worksheet

    Step 1: Quantify Client Value

    Direct Revenue Impact:

    • New revenue generated: $________
    • Revenue protected: $________
    • Cost savings: $________
    • Time saved (hours × hourly value): $________

    Indirect Value:

    • Risk mitigation value: $________
    • Opportunity cost avoided: $________
    • Competitive advantage worth: $________

    Total Value Created: $________

    Step 2: Apply Pricing Formula
    • Total Value: $________
    • Your Fee (10% rule): $________
    • Minimum Acceptable: $________ (your floor)
    • Stretch Goal: $________ (15-20% if premium positioning)
    Step 3: Structure the Engagement
    Fixed project fee
    Monthly retainer
    Success fee component
    Hybrid model
    Example Calculation:
    • Client Problem: "Can't hire senior engineers"
    • Cost of problem: $30K/month in lost productivity
    • Your solution: Implement hiring system in 90 days
    • Value over 12 months: $360,000
    • Your fee: $36,000 (10%) or $12K/month for 3 months

    Warning: Never base pricing on your old salary. A $150K salary ÷ 2080 hours = $72/hour mindset will keep you broke.

    B

    The Offer Model Canvas

    Build Your Signature Offer

    [Your Offer Name] Canvas

    OUTCOME (Start Here!)

    Quantitative Metrics:

    • Metric 1: [e.g., "50% reduction in deployment time"]
    • Metric 2: [e.g., "3x improvement in team velocity"]
    • Metric 3: [e.g., "$2M in prevented downtime"]

    Qualitative Outcomes:

    • Feeling: [e.g., "Confidence in system stability"]
    • Capability: [e.g., "Team can ship without you"]
    • Recognition: [e.g., "Viewed as innovative leader"]
    PILLARS (Your Philosophy)
    1. [Pillar 1 Name]: [Brief description]
    - Why it matters: [Connection to outcome]
    2. [Pillar 2 Name]: [Brief description]
    - Why it matters: [Connection to outcome]
    3. [Pillar 3 Name]: [Brief description]
    - Why it matters: [Connection to outcome]
    PROBLEMS (What You Solve)
    1. [Problem 1]: [Description + cost of not solving]
    2. [Problem 2]: [Description + cost of not solving]
    3. [Problem 3]: [Description + cost of not solving]
    SOLUTIONS (How You Solve)
    1. [Solution to Problem 1]: [Your unique approach]
    2. [Solution to Problem 2]: [Your unique approach]
    3. [Solution to Problem 3]: [Your unique approach]
    THE HOW (Only Share When Asked)

    Phase 1: Discovery (Week 1-2)

    - [Specific deliverable]
    - [Specific deliverable]

    Phase 2: Implementation (Week 3-8)

    - [Specific deliverable]
    - [Specific deliverable]

    Phase 3: Optimization (Week 9-12)

    - [Specific deliverable]
    - [Specific deliverable]

    Package Options Template:

    PackageScopeDurationInvestmentBest For
    DiagnosticProblem assessment + roadmap1 week$5KClarity on path forward
    ImplementationFull solution deployment12 weeks$36KReady to transform
    PartnershipOngoing optimization6 months$8K/monthContinuous improvement
    C

    The Offer Validation Test

    Before going to market, validate your offer

    The 5-Conversation Validation:

    Reach out to 5 potential clients with this script:

    "Hi [Name], I'm developing a new approach to help [ICP] achieve [outcome].

    It involves [brief description of solution] over [timeframe].

    The investment would be around $[price].

    Two questions:
    1. How valuable would [outcome] be to your business?
    2. What would need to be true for this to be a no-brainer investment?"

    Success Metrics:

    • 2+ say "very valuable" = proceed
    • 3+ give same objection = address in offer
    • 0 interested = revise outcome focus

    Want Results THIS WEEK?

    Try the "10 Before 10" Challenge - get your first lead before you finish the full playbook

    Your 30-Day Implementation Roadmap

    Follow this week-by-week plan to launch your consulting business

    1

    Week 1

    Foundation

    • Complete ICP definition
    • Document top 5 career achievements
    • Optimize LinkedIn profile
    • Create first piece of content
    2

    Week 2

    Activation

    • Publish 2 pieces of content
    • Do "10 before 10" challenge
    • Book first discovery call
    • Create case study PDF
    3

    Week 3

    Refinement

    • Complete offer canvas
    • Run pricing calculation
    • Create 3 package options
    • Continue daily outreach
    4

    Week 4

    Scale

    • Close first paid client
    • Systematize outreach process
    • Build content calendar
    • Plan transition timeline

    Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

    Learn from the mistakes others make so you don't have to

    Analysis Paralysis

    Symptom: Spending weeks 'perfecting' your ICP

    ✓ Solution: Set a 48-hour deadline. Ship version 1.0 and iterate.

    Sporadic Outreach

    Symptom: 'I'll do outreach when I have time'

    ✓ Solution: Schedule it. 8:30-9:00 AM daily. Non-negotiable.

    Feature-Focused Selling

    Symptom: Talking about your process, not outcomes

    ✓ Solution: Lead with results. Process comes after interest.

    Underpricing

    Symptom: Basing prices on time or old salary

    ✓ Solution: Calculate value created. Take your percentage.

    Weak Follow-Up

    Symptom: One message then giving up

    ✓ Solution: 5-touch minimum over 2 weeks. Different angles.

    Resources & Tools

    Everything you need to implement this playbook

    Essential Tools

    LinkedIn Sales Navigator

    For prospecting ($80/month)

    Calendly

    For booking calls (Free tier works)

    Loom

    For video outreach ($10/month)

    Canva

    For simple graphics (Free tier)

    Streak CRM

    For Gmail pipeline tracking (Free tier)

    Templates & Scripts

    ICP Worksheet (Google Sheets)
    Outreach Templates (Google Docs)
    Pricing Calculator (Excel/Sheets)
    Case Study Template (Canva)

    Continued Learning

    Join Communities

    [Your industry] + "consultants" on LinkedIn

    Book: "Value-Based Fees"

    by Alan Weiss

    Course: "Expert Secrets"

    by Russell Brunson

    Next Steps & Your Success Path

    Immediate Actions

    (Today)

    • Complete the Leverage Audit
    • Define your ICP first draft
    • List your top 3 achievements

    This Week

    • Optimize your LinkedIn profile
    • Publish your first post
    • Do the "10 before 10" challenge

    This Month

    • Build your complete offer
    • Close your first client
    • Establish daily habits

    This Quarter

    • Reach $10K/month in side income
    • Build 50+ prospect pipeline
    • Create signature framework

    Final Words: Your Transformation Awaits

    Remember: You already have valuable expertise. The market needs what you know. This playbook is simply the bridge between your knowledge and their needs.

    Every successful consultant started exactly where you are now. The only difference? They took the first step.

    Your expertise deserves leverage. Your impact deserves scale. Your value deserves proper compensation.

    The question isn't whether you can do this. It's whether you'll start today.