How Listening Built This 7-Figure Business with Manal Sayid

21 snips

Jan 19, 2026

Manal Sayid, a skilled facilitator and consultant, shares her journey from nonprofit HR to building a seven-figure business by focusing on human connections. She emphasizes the power of brave, agenda-free conversations in consulting, revealing how relationship building outperforms traditional strategies. Manal discusses the importance of continuous learning, client vetting based on shared values, and her unique participatory planning approach. Her insights inspire consultants to embrace authenticity and nurture trust for meaningful growth.

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ANECDOTE

From Volunteer Work To Facilitation

Manal started by running unpaid mental-health workshops and volunteering on a suicide prevention line for nearly eight years.
Those experiences taught her deep listening skills and that people often hold universal struggles beneath the surface.

ANECDOTE

How COVID And A Coach Sparked Her Business

During COVID Manal built global facilitation connections and posted work on LinkedIn which led to her first major strategic planning gig.
A coach prompted her to stop freelancing under others and start capturing her own business opportunities directly.

ADVICE

Join Global Communities And Share Insights

Do join communities and learn consistently; Manal attended global facilitation groups and absorbed techniques.
Use visibility (posting) plus community learning to build reputation and opportunities.

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What if the reason your consulting business hasn't grown isn't because you lack the perfect strategy, but because you need to learn how to hold better conversations?

In this episode, I'm joined by Manal Sayid, a facilitator and consultant who quietly built a seven-figure practice by helping leaders navigate the conversations most people avoid. Manal didn't start in consulting. She started in non profit HR, volunteered on a suicide prevention line for nearly a decade, and learned at a very human level how trust is built when people feel heard.

In this conversation, you'll discover why relationship building without an agenda can outperform traditional business development; how being braver with clients leads to more respect, better work, and stronger outcomes; and what it really takes to facilitate change when there's tension, power dynamics, or uncertainty in the room.

If your growth depends on trust, referrals, and leading real conversations, not just selling frameworks, then this episode will change how you think about your role as a consultant and consulting business owner.

Welcome to the Consulting Success podcast. I'm your host Michael Zipursky, and in this podcast, we're going to dive deep into the world of elite consultants where you're going to learn the strategies, tactics and mindset to grow a highly profitable and successful consulting business.

Before we dive into today's episode. Are you ready to grow and take your consulting business to the next level? Many of the clients that we work with started as podcast listeners just like you, and a consistent theme they have shared with us is that they wished they had reached out sooner about our Clarity Coaching Program rather than waiting for that perfect time. If you're interested in learning more about how we help consultants just like you, we're offering a free, no pressure growth session call. On this call, we're going to dive deep into your goals, challenges and situation and outline a plan that is tailor made just for you. We will also help you identify where you may be making costly and time consuming mistakes to ensure you're benefiting from the proven methods and strategies to grow your consulting business.

So don't wait years to find clarity. If you're committed and serious about reaching a new level of success in your consulting business, go ahead and schedule your free growth session. Get in touch today. Just visit Consulting Success - Grow to book your free call today.

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