How to Turn Brain Pickers Into Clients (Without Guilt)
Establish Yourself® Podcast | Episode 23
Tired of giving away your best advice over coffee?
As a seasoned coach or consultant, you’ve likely heard it: “Can I pick your brain?”
And if you’re anything like me, you’ve said yes—while quietly resenting the lost time, the unpaid strategy, and the awkward walk to the car wondering what just happened.
In this episode of the Establish Yourself® podcast, I’m sharing the story of a turning point in my own business—one coffee meeting that changed everything—and the mindset shifts that have helped me set boundaries without guilt and turn free advice into paid opportunities.
It’s Not “No” - Try “Yes, And…”
After years of saying yes to unpaid coffee dates, I realized that the advice I was giving for free was the exact same strategy my clients were paying me for. And worse—I was left drained and undervalued.
That day, I shifted from feeling stuck between “say no and feel rude” or “say yes and feel resentful”, to using a more powerful phrase:
“Yes, and…”
This small but mighty reframe allowed me to:
Confidently offer a branded, paid session instead of free advice
Stop apologizing for valuing my time
Serve with integrity, while staying in alignment with my business goals
Feel generous on my own terms
✅ In this episode, I walk you through:
The "Yes, And" boundary-setting technique
How to create a back pocket offer you can send when someone asks to “run something by you”
Why having a pre-branded session (even if it’s simple!) helps you serve without overgiving
The mindset that helped me go from drained to empowered in these conversations
It’s time to learn how to turn brain pickers into clients you love—without the emotional hangover.
Ready to feel authentic and guilt-free about protecting your time?
Listen now👇
