She Took 2 Weeks Off and Her Business Grew—Here's Why

She Took 2 Weeks Off and Her Business Grew—Here's Why What does it really take to move from freelancer to CEO—and finally take time off without your business falling apart? In this special mentorship spotlight episode, Holly Rustick sits down with Alexandra Cohen, founder of ANC Consult, to share her journey of building, refining, and scaling her grant writing business. Alexandra first joined one of Holly’s earliest programs back in 2022, then rejoined years later to grow and scale her business in a more sustainable way. Since then, she’s streamlined her services, shifted fully into nonprofit work, increased retainer clients, and—perhaps most importantly—built systems that allow her to step away from her business without everything stopping. If you're ready to grow beyond freelancing, create consistent income, and build a business that supports your life (not the other way around), this episode is for you. Connect with Alexandra Cohen: Website: https://anc-consult.com LinkedIn:   / alexandra-n-cohen   🔔 Subscribe to our channel for more tips on growing your freelance grant writing business! 🌟 Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts! Leaving a review helps others find our podcast and supports our mission. If you've learned something new today, consider sharing your thoughts. Your feedback is truly appreciated! Connect with Us: 🌐 For more information about the podcast, visit Grant Writing & Funding Podcast: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/gr... ➡️ Freelance Grant Writer Academy: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/fr... CHAPTERS 00:00 The biggest surprise about the mentorship 00:41 Meet Alex Cohen of ANC Consult 01:36 A 4-year journey: how Alex found Holly 04:08 Year 1: from freelancer to systemized business 05:32 The 2.5-week vacation that changed everything 06:20 Pivoting to nonprofit-only consulting 08:11 What surprised her: the cohort 10:01 Collaborating with other mentorship members 11:03 Advice if you're on the fence about scaling 12:07 Launching a new grant writing training program 13:52 Where to find Alex #GrantWritingMentorship #GrantWriting #FreelanceGrantWriter