
Podcast 1286: No Brain Picking: 26 Invaluable Perspectives Independent Consultants Need for Satisfaction, Success, and Profitability
Jan 8, 2026
46:13
What if the biggest threat to your consulting success isn't competition or market shifts—but your own irresistible urge to help... for free? In this candid conversation on the Inside Personal Growth podcast, pioneering purpose-driven leader Kevin W. McCarthy—author of classics like The On-Purpose Person and Chief Leadership Officer—reveals the raw truth behind his provocative new book, No Brain Picking: 26 Invaluable Perspectives Independent Consultants Need for Satisfaction, Success, and Profitability.
After decades mentoring thousands of consultants (and getting "brain-picked" over countless unpaid lunches that left him "fat and broke"), McCarthy exposes the hidden traps that turn expert helpers into underpaid givers. From the dopamine rush of free advice that fades in minutes (while bills pile up) to the classic mistake of selling your fancy "nail gun" tools when clients really just need a solid roof, he shares battle-tested insights that will make you wonder: Are you accidentally sabotaging your own profitability?
What Listeners Can Learn
Listeners—especially independent consultants, coaches, entrepreneurs, and anyone monetizing expertise—will discover how to:
- Set firm boundaries against "brain-picking" without losing your generous spirit.
- Shift from being an expert who "happens to have a business" to a true business owner who consults on purpose.
- Escape the dopamine hit of unpaid advice and build systems for real profitability.
- Reframe your value: Stop pushing certifications and tools; start delivering outcomes clients crave.
- Balance four key competencies (expertise, business acumen, leadership, and purpose) to create a sustainable, referral-driven practice that brings satisfaction and financial freedom.
If you've ever felt drained from giving away your best ideas... this episode might just be the wake-up call that transforms your practice forever.
Our Guest, Kevin W. McCarthy:
➥ Book: No Brain Picking: 26 Invaluable Perspectives Independent Consultants Need for Satisfaction, Success, and Profitability
➥ Buy Now: https://a.co/d/dBnWxUA
➥https://kevinwmccarthy.com/
➡️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwmccarthy/
➡️Youtube: https://youtube.com/@kevinwmccarthy?si=0IaRmPaRZKvIlas-
Learn more about your Inside Personal Growth host, Greg Voisen:
➥ https://gregvoisen.com
➡️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidepersonalgrowth/
➡️Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InsidePersonalGrowth/
➡️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregvoisen/
➡️Twitter/ X: https://twitter.com/lvoisen/
