September 9, 2025

Running a grant consultancy: The myth of productivity

For two decades, my co-founder Erin and I juggled every facet of our consultancy—from setting vision and creating strategy to writing grants, managing people, welcoming clients, and coordinating projects. My days were a blur; I only had focus-time before or after hours and I felt like I was living in a pressure cooker.

We were modeling behaviors everyone tells you not to, but it’s hard to stop. 

I don’t profess to have figured it all out, but after years of working on myself as a person, entrepreneur, and leader, here is where I’m hoping others are inspired to make changes.

 

Myth: I should be the face of my business.

Truth: The more I hold that mantle, the less freedom I have, and worse, it stifles my team.

Shift: Funnel opportunities for panelists, interviews, convenings, conference attendance, presentations, and inquiries to your team. The more people representing your consultancy, the more it’s positioned as a thought leader. It takes the pressure off the owner(s) to be at every event or be seen as the sole expert. It gives your team visibility for their knowledge and lets them flex their skills in new ways. Over time, this creates a strong bench of leaders who can represent the business and carry its vision forward.   

Mantra: The more valuable I am to the business, the less valuable the business is.

 

Myth: I should be the busiest person in my company.

Truth: More gets accomplished when I’m not slowing everyone else down by making them wait for meetings, decisions, or reviews. And, my mind is not pinballing; it can percolate, problem-solve, and plan.

Shift: Delegate, timeblock, and level-set. Does your team really need you to be involved? Don’t insert yourself because it makes you feel better. Did that really need to be a meeting? If yes, build in some downtime/drivetime by holding it in-person, or better yet, while walking. Let your brain slow down, your body catch up, and your spirit re-engage.

Mantra: Being busy is not a badge of honor.

 

Myth: If I’m not generating revenue, I’m not valuable.

Truth: If I keep stepping in to help, save, or streamline (Oh, hello Guilt, Habit, and Fear of Being Unnecessary), I block others from learning and I’m not addressing macro issues. Owning a consultancy isn’t about doing; it’s about being the person you crave and a blessing to your people and clients.

Shift: Get out of the way! Don’t let your anxiety write your calendar or make your decisions. If the financials aren’t working without you in the project mix, fix the model.[1] Teach your team how to delegate properly (hint: it should go laterally or down, not up) and give them permission to apportion client expectations. 

Mantras: My self-worth isn’t tied to output. I am worthy of time, space, and money.

 

Myth: This is hard.

Truth: It is hard… and it gets to be easy. This year has been a doozy for grant pros. If I wait for things to “get easier,” I’ve tied my well-being to something I can’t control. 

Shift: Learn to deal with deficiency. This is the framework we use: (1) Take authentic inventory, (2) Do not fear, (3) Go, (4) Do what you said you would. [2] Anyone who is struggling with actual or perceived deficiencies — time, money, clarity, staff, energy, anything – can benefit from this framework. We’ve used it for decision points (most recently Trump 2.0) and it brings peace.

Mantra: Wait quietly, hope confidently, and just stay calm.

 

[1] Here’s a good resource to define your breakeven amount.

[2] Borrowed from Priscilla Shirer, Elijah: Faith and Fire. Lifeway. 


Contact: Tara Gohr, President/CEO. [email protected]



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