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What’s Inside The Upside:

Everything You Need to Elevate Your
Consulting Knowledge, Confidence & Focus

Strategic Support

Expert Speaker Sessions

Topics are focused on business growth, such as diversifying revenue streams, landing a paid board seat, and optimizing LinkedIn for lead gen.

Office Hours With Erin

Your chance to ask for advice on a variety of topics such as difficult client situations, pricing challenges or negotiation tactics. Facilitated by Erin Halper, these productive sessions will provide you with smart solutions, fast.

Mastermind Groups

In this power hour, come ready with one current challenge and get quick answers from the smartest people in the room. Tailored to different levels and interests to facilitate interactive peer advisory.

Targeted Networking

Industry Roundtables

Connect with members in your field to follow trends and gain valuable insights in these moderated industry-centric discussions.

Shared Interest Groups

Find members who share your interests in these small groups that focus on one specific subject matter, such as sustainability, community building, B2B tech, or cryptocurrency.

Client Pipeline Growth

Expand your client pipeline as you build authentic relationships with other members who can refer you to clients in their networks.

Tactical Resources

Dedicated Content Team

Our content team helps to elevate your visibility and increase your exposure, especially on LinkedIn.

Step-by-Step Guides

Learn how to fine-tune your bio, price to scale, level-up your proposals, and land paid speaking opportunities with these time-tested guides and resources.

Forum

Your on-demand online forum for asking questions, solving problems and sparking conversation, anytime. Members share ideas, opinions, feedback and advice to support and advance each others’ businesses.

Ask a Member

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Change, Communications & Culture Advisor
CV:
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Professional taking a consulting course
Fractional CRO/CMO
CV:
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Consultant using value-based pricing in The Upside
Brand Strategist
CV:
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Professional taking a consulting course
Beauty & Fashion Consultant
Mentor
CV:
Ralph Lauren logo
Spanx logo
Consultant using value-based pricing in The Upside
Change, Communications & Culture Advisor
CV:
Business Insider logo
Johnson&Johnson logo
Consultant using value-based pricing in The Upside
Fractional CRO/CMO
CV:
Women's Health PAC logo
Gender Fair logo
TLC logo
Consultant working on pricing strategy
Brand Strategist
CV:
Ford logo
Radioplayer logo
Consultant using value-based pricing in The Upside
Beauty & Fashion Consultant
Mentor
CV:
Ralph Lauren logo
Spanx logo
Consultant working on pricing strategy
Change, Communications & Culture Advisor
CV:
Business Insider logo
Johnson&Johnson logo
Consultant working on pricing strategy
Fractional CRO/CMO
CV:
Women's Health PAC logo
Gender Fair logo
TLC logo
Independent consulting professional in The Upside community
Brand Strategist
CV:
Ford logo
Radioplayer logo
Independent consulting professional in The Upside network
Beauty & Fashion Consultant
Mentor
CV:
Ralph Lauren logo
Spanx logo
our members

Colleagues Not Competitors

Experts in Their Fields

Substantial industry experience (min 10+ years)
Advisors
Coaches (B2B)
CEOs of boutique agencies and firms
Dangerous Curves Ahead
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Independent consultant developing business skills
Operational Strategist
Public Health
CV:
The Institute for Family Health logo

Industries Represented

Advertising
Fashion
Tech
Beauty
Retail
Pharma
Ecommerce
Education
Digital Media
CPG
Finance
Accounting
Real Estate
Law
Publishing
Non-profit
Independent consultant developing business skills
Brand Strategist
Creative
Design
CV:
Ford Logo
Radioplayer logo
Independent consultant developing business skills
Coach
Workshops
Psychology
CV:
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Bain and Company logo

Globally Accessible

Members span 7 time zones from Hawaii to Turkey
Intentionally virtual
Informal local member meetups
Independent consultant developing business skills
AI Coach
Data
Tech
CV:
Nokia logo
Lucent Technologies logo

Diverse Backgrounds

Women, men and non-binary members
LGBTQ+ members
Immigrant members
Racially diverse members
Neurodiverse members
Parent and non-parent members
Independent consultant developing business skills
Inclusivity Speaker
Advisor
CV:
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Disney logo
Astra Zeneca logo

Diverse Company Experience

From startups to Fortune 500 companies.

Independent consultant developing business skills
CEO
Law
Fashion
Beauty
CV:
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LVMH logo

Diverse Company Experience

From startups to Fortune 500 companies.

Independent consultant developing business skills
Coach
Speaker
Tech
CV:
Amazon logo
Viacom logo
Our members hail from a wide range of companies:
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Yelp logo
WRK/360 logo
Women's Health PAC logo
A Wider Bridge logo
Warby Parker logo
Vroom logo
Viacom logo
Unilever logo
Uber logo
TLC logo
ThriveDX logo
TED logo
Swarovski logo
stripe logo
Starwood Hotels logo
Spotify logo
Spanx logo
slack logo
Skadden logo
Ralph Lauren logo
Radioplayer logo
Quora logo
PWC logo
Pfizer logo
Penguin Random House logo
PACE University logo
Oxford University logo
OECD logo
Nokia logo
Nike logo
Netflix logo
Neiman Marcus logo
Nasdaq logo
Macys logo
LVMH logo
Lucent Technologies logo
Lockheed Martin logo
Kidstir logo
Johnson&Johnson logo
HBO logo
Happy Not Perfect logo
Google logo
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Girl Scouts logo
Gender Fair logo
Ford logo
Forbes logo
Fast Company logo
Estee Lauder logo
Disney logo
Deloitte logo
Danone logo
Crisis logo
COTTON:ON logo
Conde Nast
Comcast logo
Burts Bees logo
BBDO logo
Bain & Company logo
AstraZeneca logo
Amazon logo
airbnb logo
Independent consulting professional in The Upside network
Career Strategist
Board Director
CV:
PACE University logo
Girl Scouts logo
quote-artwork

When my co-founder and I looked into The Upside we loved that it was a community for consultants, as opposed to a one-to-one business coach. We wanted colleagues. We were too much in isolation and we wanted our own tribe.

FREE DOWNLOAD

The Pricing Playbook

An Insider’s Guide to Charging Your Full Value

“This is one of the most helpful free guides I've ever downloaded.”

SHANNA HOCKING

Author of ‘One Bold Move a Day’

Consultant in a The Upside professional business community
give/get member offers

Like Having Access to Multiple Departments at Your Own
Huge Company

Every member of our community embraces the give/get exchange of expertise through their Upside Offer: a complimentary advisory session, template or resource (based on their expertise) that can help and support other members.

In return, our members have access to more than 250+ Upside Offers ranging from legal advice to mindset coaching to website audits and everything in between.

So, whenever you need specialized help, your Upside friends have you covered. See some real-life Member Offers on the right.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

30-min. audit on your brand story/messaging and suggestions on how to differentiate yourself from the noise. Reach out!  

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Free 1 hour call to review your marketing funnel and identify opportunities for improvement and overall cohesiveness between marketing efforts.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Website audit where I'll review your site for tweaks and updates that would improve its function and/or aesthetic.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Help with presentation development for investors, boards, clients etc.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Happy to discuss how to tackle a particular data problem (i.e., the best way to measure a sales team, gauge marketing effectiveness, generate reporting for investors, etc.)

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Office hours on how to organize your finances.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

I am offering a template non-disclosure agreement.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

I am offering my Statement of Work Template

Professional starting a consulting business

I am an SEO expert, and am happy to offer a free SEO Audit for members.

Professional starting a consulting business

I'm offering my Scope of Work template that I’ve been using for more than 5 years.

Professional starting a consulting business

Do you need better visibility? I'll recommend media outlets specific for your business and provide a simple DIY PR strategy for increasing your visibility.

Professional starting a consulting business

I am an attorney offering general advice on what you need to do from an IP perspective as you set up (or level up) your business.

Professional starting a consulting business

I'm happy to offer 'office hours' to audit your business documents, including: brand strategy; operations playbooks; proposals and SOWs; pitch decks, etc.

Professional starting a consulting business

I'm offering periodic office hours on how to organize your finances. Email me to set up a time to chat!

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

30-min. audit on your brand story/messaging and suggestions on how to differentiate yourself from the noise. Reach out!  

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Free 1 hour call to review your marketing funnel and identify opportunities for improvement and overall cohesiveness between marketing efforts.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Website audit where I'll review your site for tweaks and updates that would improve its function and/or aesthetic.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Help with presentation development for investors, boards, clients etc.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Happy to discuss how to tackle a particular data problem (i.e., the best way to measure a sales team, gauge marketing effectiveness, generate reporting for investors, etc.)

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

Office hours on how to organize your finances.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

I am offering a template non-disclosure agreement.

Business community for consultants and entrepreneurs

I am offering my Statement of Work Template

Professional starting a consulting business

I am an SEO expert, and am happy to offer a free SEO Audit for members.

Professional starting a consulting business

I'm offering my Scope of Work template that I’ve been using for more than 5 years.

Professional starting a consulting business

Do you need better visibility? I'll recommend media outlets specific for your business and provide a simple DIY PR strategy for increasing your visibility.

Professional starting a consulting business

I am an attorney offering general advice on what you need to do from an IP perspective as you set up (or level up) your business.

Professional starting a consulting business

I'm happy to offer 'office hours' to audit your business documents, including: brand strategy; operations playbooks; proposals and SOWs; pitch decks, etc.

Professional starting a consulting business

I'm offering periodic office hours on how to organize your finances. Email me to set up a time to chat!

Guides, Tools & Templates

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Guide

Pricing Playbook

Price your services like a pro: An insider’s guide to charging your full value.

Guide

Activate Your
Network

Learn the proven, 3-tier strategy for leveraging your existing network to land high-quality clients.

Guide

Lead Gen Made Simple

Create a robust client pipeline with a custom, repeatable strategy that attracts your ideal clients.

Guide

Supercharge Your Bio

Learn the step-by-step process for crafting a LinkedIn bio that will have high-paying clients lining up to work with you.

Guide

What People Charge Database

Never question your pricing again! This database holds 1,000+ real-world datapoints so you can confidently benchmark your proposals and never leave money on the table again.

Guide

Conquering Any Discovery Call

Learn how to maintain control of the conversation, ask the right questions and close more contracts.

Guide

Non-Monetary Forms of Payment

Learn valuable ways to fill in the gaps if a client is unable to pay your full fee.

Guide

Client Management: What to Say When

Advice on how best to respond during common situations that can be tricky to navigate.

Access Dozens More Resources Like These
apply to join

Expert Speaker Sessions

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Expert Session

No-BS Pricing Strategies from a 7-Figure Consultant

Expert Session

Architect Your Sales Process

Expert Session

From Solo-Consultant to 7-Figure Boutique Firm in 2 Years

Expert Session

How to Land Your TEDx Invitation

Expert Session

Land a Paid Board Seat

Expert Session

Define Your Offer Suite for Scale and Profit

Expert Session

Price to
Scale

Expert Session

Tap into the Power of AI for Your Consultancy

Access Dozens More Resources Like These
apply to join

Erin’s Wisdom

Show All
  • Show All
  • Podcast
  • Press
  • Wisdom
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May 20, 2026 Read Article
April 15, 2026 Read Article
February 11, 2026 Read Article
January 7, 2026 Read Article
December 24, 2025 Read Article
September 14, 2022 Read Article
April 12, 2022 Read Article
November 16, 2020 Read Article
Independent consulting professional in The Upside networking community
Brand Strategy Advisor
CV:
Penguin Random House logo
NYU logo
quote-artwork

The community conversations, 1:1 connections and on-demand recordings are all tremendously valuable for me, despite not being able to attend every live Upside event.

I've far, far surpassed my investment to date in terms of the many benefits The Upside offers me and additional client work I received through this network, which was not an expectation or even a reason I joined!

The Results

What The Upside Can Do for You

Access

You’ll have access to what feels like your own huge company with multiple department heads and experts at your fingertips.

“I was about to get a client who wanted LinkedIn advertising, which wasn’t something I’d ever provided.

I turned to The Upside, and a member gave me an hour of his time to educate me on it. It was so great that within a short amount of time I was able to access an expert like that.”

Member of The Upside consulting community for entrepreneurs
Nubia DuVall Wilson

Founder & President - Cielo Consulting

Confidence

You’ll step forward as the CEO of your business.

“I have become fearless about things that used to cause me panic, like posting on linkedIn, doing live videos, cold prospecting, following up and raising my prices.

Being in The Upside makes me feel confident as a business owner and a consultant because I have the support of an entire community of fellow consultants backing me up.”

Member of The Upside consulting community for entrepreneurs
dana owens

Founder - Next Level Copy

Expansion

You’ll evolve in ways you never imagined.

“I didn’t realize I would experience such a mindset shift from just being in this community.

For a long time, my identity was centered around being an engineer, even after I’d become a business owner. But the energy in The Upside helps you start to embody the identity of a CEO. When you see yourself that way, your actions start to align with that identity.”

Member of The Upside consulting community for entrepreneurs
neeta jain

TEDx Speaker & Consultant

Want to meet Upside members?

Attend an Open House!

The Upside Vs...

How The Upside is Different

General Entrepreneurship

The feeling that most conversations and content are not 100% relevant to your business. Often, there's not a feeling of fully belonging and all being on the same journey together.

vs

The Upside

Conversations, events, resources and content that are 100% relevant to your business. Our members feel a sense of community and togetherness because they are all on a similar journey together with shared goals, challenges and values.

In-Person Communities

Better for extroverts; need to be in-person to be able to access and gain maximum value from it. Limited to people in that geographic area.

vs

The Upside

Receive value from anywhere in the world. Our community is designed for busy business owners who want both live and asynchronous access from their laptops. Our members span 7 time zones, with many having both local and global clientele. Designed to be both introvert and extrovert-friendly.

Free Slack Groups

Not curated; one-dimensional (usually just a forum for asking questions, no events, masterminds, etc.); leadership is focused on other priorities; unsure if you're getting the right/smart advice; no systems or structures set up to ensure you're meeting the right people and tapping into the right resources; you get what you pay for.

vs

The Upside

Highly-curated people, events, and content with a high-touch, white-glove member experience. The Upside is led by its original founder, Erin Halper, and a beloved, dedicated team who genuinely care about each member and whose collective goal is to bring excellence to everything we do.

Industry Specific Communities

Echo chamber of information, networks and discussions; not able to tap into the ideas and advice that may be working well for consultants in other industries; not as much cross-pollination of clients; less networking since everyone is a degree away from everyone else.

vs

The Upside

Diversity in thought leadership within The Upside is what creates the magic and inspires our members' biggest ideas. Cross-pollination of clients across industries and sectors; access to experts from various industries and skills feels like you have access to your own huge company with multiple departments.

Is The Upside For Me?

Yes:

You’re an independent consultant, executive coach, or advisor looking for an all-in-one community for your stage of business:

Founder - You’re in year one of business, seeking a trusted source for mentorship and answers from others who have already figured it out.

Grower - You’re past the first year of business and are ready to build your inner circle of peers, refine your offer and increase your value.

Scaler - You’re an established business owner who’s ready to start thinking like a CEO alongside others who will hold you accountable.

Veteran - You’re a high-caliber expert seeking a network of true peers where you'll receive as much as you give.

Not Yet:

You aren’t looking to grow, improve or evolve at this time.

You are looking for a transactional networking group vs. a give/get community to help you grow.

You don’t own your business yet (at least 50% equity).

You want to sell your services to our members. (The Upside is a non-selling environment.)

You are in the pre-launch stage. (You’ll love our Accelerator.)

Don’t despair if you’re not yet a fit for our community. Our Accelerator program could be the perfect next step for you:

Your Questions Answered

What is the value of joining The Upside?

100% of Upside members say that the value of membership met or exceeded their expectations. Additionally, the longer members stay in The Upside, the more value, results and ROI they gain.

Real-life examples of Upside membership results include:

  • Within 3 months of joining The Upside, one of our members landed a 6-figure client from a relationship they made in The Upside.
  • Instead of paying a lawyer hundreds of dollars an hour for their time, one of our members accessed contracts and templates provided by fellow members, saving them thousands of dollars in lawyer fees.
  • One of our members received time-sensitive feedback that saved them upwards of $10,000 by avoiding a potential mistake.
  • One of our members received advisory from Erin Halper and their fellow Upsiders that led to closing one of their largest clients to date, and doubling what they earned in their previous full-time role.
  • One of our members took advantage of an Upside-exclusive podcast feature which positioned them as an expert and led to a 5-figure/month retainer client.
  • Members have become friends beyond The Upside, partnering on clients and holding one another accountable through regular meetings and goal-specific Upside pods.

Upside members agree: the cost of an Upside membership more than pays for itself quarter after quarter.

What sets The Upside apart?

You won’t find a community quite like The Upside anywhere else, and here’s why:

  • Niche Programming: Upside programming is designed to help our members double or triple their revenue. Our high-caliber tools and niche programming are not widely-found on Google or in any general business community.
  • Curated Membership: We have the luxury of growing our community based on quality members who are here for the right reasons.
  • High ROI for Time Invested: We respect your busy schedule. Which is why we’ve developed high-impact programming that facilitates connections, sharpens your skills and advances your business, fast.
  • Members Who Play Big: This is not a client matching platform. Being able to generate your own quality, consistent clients is what separates Upside consultants from hand-to-mouth freelancers. We provide the essential tools to make this happen.
  • Powerful Network: Our secret sauce lies in bringing the right people together. The power of The Upside’s network is truly unmatched. You won’t find any other group of consultants as diverse, high-caliber and generous as those in The Upside.
How often will my membership renew?

An Upside membership requires a minimum commitment of 3 months. From there, membership renews every quarter.

How do you determine who makes the cut?

We strive to maintain the perfect balance between being a highly-curated network and an inclusive, diverse community.

We screen all applications carefully and accept members based on:

  • Diversity in backgrounds
  • Diversity in skills
  • Diversity in industry
  • Desire to contribute and support others
  • Drive to achieve

We look for:

  • Professionals who are operating or scaling an independent consultancy or service-based business that works with companies as the end-client.
  • Independent consultants, advisors, speakers, workshop facilitators, executive coaches and CEOs of agencies/firms.
  • Members who view themselves as business owners.

In the case where we have more applicants than open spots, we will prioritize those who have been referred by our current members.

Know an Upside member? Make sure to include their name in the application where we ask how you heard about The Upside.

Is there anyone you don't accept?
  • Because all of our members work with businesses or executives as end clients, our membership is not the right format for real estate agents, side hustlers, network marketers or health/life coaches working with individual or group coaching formats.
  • If your target audience is our members, The Upside is not the right fit. Upside members do not solicit other members and do not use The Upside as their personal client funnel or to market their services.
  • If you are not fully supportive of closing the gender pay gap and you are not passionate about diversity and equal opportunities for all, then we are not the right fit for you.
What is the format/platform of The Upside?

The Upside’s community platform is based on Circle.

Why Circle?

  • Circle respects your time and doesn’t let an algorithm determine which posts and discussions make it into your feed.
  • Circle makes it simple to create searchable tags and topics for finding answers quickly and easily.
  • Circle is 100% private and will not serve you ads of any kind.
  • Because many of our community peers, like 10th House and Dreamers & Doers, are on Circle. This makes it easy for members to toggle across multiple memberships in one app.
When does most programming take place?

Our members span 7 time zones. Therefore, all of our programming takes place Monday – Friday between noon and 3pm EST.

What is the minimum time commitment needed in order to gain from membership?

If you can invest only 1 hour per week, you can benefit from ALL of our high-impact programming like masterminds, industry cohorts, and expert learning sessions.

If you can invest an extra 30 minutes each week, you can benefit from a 1:1 member connection call to expand and deepen your network.

If you can invest a little more time, you can use our private forum to receive answers to your most pressing questions, attend live office hours, access our library of high-impact learning sessions and much, much more!

No doubt, the more you engage, the quicker you will advance. But even members who can only commit to an hour per week will tell you that the value they receive from that tiny time commitment has exceeded their wildest expectations.

What is the difference between Membership and the Accelerator?

Membership is a community that gives you access to our powerful network and provides essential tools for business advancement. Membership opens up 4x per year and renews quarterly.

The Accelerator is an online course with all of the lessons, tools, scripts, templates, guides and blueprints you need to build a successful consultancy business. The Accelerator is available for purchase year-round.

Still have questions?

Attend an Open House

Ready to Join Your People?

“Something that I really struggle with is the selling side of the business. Hearing other members talk about this, too, really normalizes that experience for me, and hearing advice in Office Hours reminds me to focus on the value I’m providing and to not undersell.”

Independent consulting professional in The Upside networking community
sean dagony-clark
Founder - EffectiveEDU
Pay and renew every 3 months
$885/Quarter

(Equates to $295 per month)

apply to join
Save $540 🎉
Pay and renew annually
$3,000/Year

(Equates to $250 per month)

apply to join

Not Sure Yet? Attend an Open House with Erin!

Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what we do and experience a taste of The Upside for yourself!

“After the Open House I realized that the people are the best part of The Upside.” “I really enjoyed the vibe at the Open House and I could tell that members were really invested in the group and each other. It seemed different than just a regular networking group.” “I got the confirmation I needed that I'd be with like-minded consultants.”

Just Starting Out on Your Consultancy Journey?

Our online Accelerator program provides a step-by-step action plan for building your consultancy.

“The Accelerator gave concrete examples and walked me through exactly what I needed to do to carve out my niche and start generating a pipeline of clients.” “Before the Accelerator I was worried I would have a tough time finding clients. Now I have clarity, direction and a customer-focused approach.”

Start Leveling-Up With These FREE Resources

Pricing Playbook

Price your services like a pro: An insider’s guide to charging your full value.

Activate Your Network

Learn the proven, 3-tier strategy for leveraging your existing network to land high-quality clients.

Supercharge Your Bio

Learn the step-by-step process for crafting a LinkedIn bio that will have high-paying clients lining up to work with you.

Lead Gen Made Simple

Your roadmap to landing more consulting clients (especially if you hate selling).

Real Talk with Erin Real Talk with Erin

Pricing, positioning and staying sane while building your own thing.