“The Bee Goes to the Flower—Not the Other Way Around”—Donna Chiacchia on Attracting Clients Instead of Chasing Them

Cut The Tie Podcast with Donna Chiacchia

What happens when you stop chasing clients and instead let them come to you? In this episode of Cut The Tie, host Thomas Helfrich sits down with Donna Chiacchia, founder of 1 Advantage Consulting, to explore her journey from ballet to boardroom to entrepreneurship. Donna shares how discipline, resilience, and a powerful mindset shift—“I’m the flower, the clients are the bees”—changed how she built her business and defined success on her own terms.

From cutting ties with misaligned clients to creating sustainable revenue streams, Donna’s story is a masterclass in courage, clarity, and self-leadership for entrepreneurs ready to stop chasing and start attracting.

About Donna Chiacchia

Donna Chiacchia is the founder of 1 Advantage Consulting, a boutique firm helping executives and entrepreneurs design strategies for growth, leadership, and business transformation. With a background in ballet and decades of experience in management consulting, Donna brings discipline, creativity, and authenticity to her work with clients. She believes in building businesses with integrity, creating impact, and defining success through the value delivered to others.

In this episode, Thomas and Donna discuss:

From ballet to business
How the discipline of dance laid the foundation for Donna’s career in consulting and eventually, entrepreneurship.The flower and the bee mindset
The pivotal realization that clients are drawn to you when you stand in your value, rather than chasing them down.Cutting ties with misaligned clients
Why walking away from big contracts is sometimes the smartest—and bravest—business decision.The power of authenticity
Donna shares how knowing and expressing your true self can transform both your life and business relationships.Building diverse revenue streams
Why entrepreneurs must create multiple income paths—consulting, courses, books—to thrive long-term.

Key Takeaways

Attraction beats chasing
Position yourself as the flower and let the right clients—your bees—come to you.Value is measured by results
Success is defined by the transformation you create for others, not your own accolades.Integrity matters most
Cutting ties with bad-fit clients protects your energy and opens the door to better opportunities.Self-awareness fuels success
Authenticity and clarity about your strengths are your greatest entrepreneurial assets.Diversify early
Don’t wait until one income stream dries up—create multiple paths to stability and growth.

Connect with Donna Chiacchia

📎 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnachiacchia
🌐 Website: https://www.1advantageconsulting.com
📧 Email: AskDonna@1AdvantageConsulting.com

Connect with Thomas Helfrich

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutthetie
📎 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfich
🌐 Website: https://www.cutthetie.com
📧 Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 Instantly Relevant: https://instantlyrelevant.com

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