Reader,

It is hard to believe the third quarter is already over.

I spent some time this week reviewing my 90-day plan: what I accomplished, what I didn't, what I learned, and perhaps most importantly, what I need to stop doing. From there, I started deciding what deserves my attention during the final 90 days of the year.

That doesn't mean I don't have a longer-term business plan. I do. But I've found that working in 90-day increments helps me translate that larger plan into decisions and actions I can actually focus on. It also gives me regular opportunities to step back, assess what is working, make adjustments, and decide what matters next.

As part of that reflection, I reviewed the articles I published during the third quarter and considered whether the articles I have planned next still make sense. Here are six selected articles from the 3rd quarter that you might find of interest or want to revisit.

The Art of Saying No!​
Saying no isn't simply about protecting your time. It is an important business decision about what you want to be known for and where you choose to focus your time energy.
​Read the article​

Saying No Is Just the Beginning​
Once you've decided what fits and does not, the next question is what you will do differently. This article offers five ways to make saying no an ongoing practice in your consulting business.
​Read the article​

Stop Patching the Wall: Treat Your Business as the Client​
When something in your business isn't working, continually patching the symptoms can keep you from identifying and addressing the underlying problem.
​Read the article​

You Don't Need a Reason to Reconnect​
It is easy to lose touch with someone, but reconnecting doesn't require a business justification. Sometimes reaching out simply because you haven't spoken in a while is reason enough.
​Read the article​

You Are the Product​
As an independent consultant, clients aren't simply evaluating a service. They are evaluating your expertise, judgment, approach, and whether they want to work with you.
​Read the article​

Trusted Relationships Require More Than Expertise and Experience​
Expertise may help establish credibility, but trusted relationships are also shaped by what people hear from us, see us do, and experience when they work with us.
​Read the article​

I'm heading into the final quarter with a clearer view of what deserves my attention and what doesn't. For me, these next 90 days are not simply about finishing the year strong. They are about making thoughtful decisions now that help me finish 2026 and position the business for 2027.

Until next time,

Laura Burford

Whenever You’re Ready, Here’s How I Can Help

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​Resources to Support You ​
Practical guides and tools designed to give you clarity and help you move forward including:

• ​The Independent Consultant’s Blueprint©: Your guide to confidence and building a successful business.
• ​The Business Core Snapshot: A short assessment to help you look at your Focus, Ideal Client, and Service Offering and identify where your business foundation may need more clarity or alignment.
• ​The Consultant Assessment: An assessment of the five blueprint pillars to help you understand where you are today and what to focus on next.
• ​Seven Strategies to Stand Out as an Independent Consultant: Practical ways to become the "Go-To" expert you want to be.

​Self-Study Courses​
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• Creating Trusted Relationships: Become Known, Build Trust, and Create Opportunities
• Engage with Your Client: Move from Discovery to Proposal

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Have a question? Send me an email at Laura@lauraburford.com.

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