Being helpful and humble is
keeping you underpaid.
You were taught that if you care about people, you shouldn’t care about money. That doing work you love means you have to accept little or nothing in return. So you keep saying yes. You answer questions. You review resumes. You give advice. You tell yourself it’s just being kind.
The truth is you keep giving away work that people would gladly pay for. Every time you help someone for free, you make it easier for them to forget that your time and knowledge have value. You have years of education and experience that can change people’s lives. What you need now is a simple system that helps you get paid for what you already do.
You deserve to earn well for your brilliance. And it starts when you stop waiting for someone to see your worth and decide to build something for yourself.
Can you imagine...
- Sitting in your weekly boring staff meeting when you receive a notification that someone just signed up and $1,500 hit your account.
- Arriving to your doctor's appointment early and you whip out your phone to record a quick reel without overthinking or second-guessing what you want to say.
- Paying off your student loans without having to touch your savings or take on extra committees at your job.
This isn't just a dream. This is what happens when you have a simple business system that works.
YOU CAN CONSISTENTLY
SIGN CLIENTS
(without spending hours on social media)
Happy, Free & Paid is your complete business system for scholars who want to help people and get paid doing it.
Think of it like grad school, but this time you get paid for what you learn.
Inside, you will learn a Simple Selling System that shows you what to do, when to do it, and how to keep doing it until it works.
You will stop overthinking your posts and start having real conversations that lead to clients, without feeling salesy.
We give you the plan, the support, and we make sure you finish what you start.
Grow Your Business Beyond $100K
(No Bra Required)
"I made over three hundred thousand dollars last year and I ain't even wear a bra half of the time. I'm one of those women who needs to wear a bra all of the time if I'm gonna do business and y'all I don't have to do that, now.Â
There's freedom here. There is pride in my work. There's a centering of my expertise. There's validation that I have for myself in a way that I've never had before. There's a system and a world that I'm creating and I'm safe here."
Wanda Swan
Anti-Oppressive Advocacy CoachÂ
Introducing The
Happy, Free, & Paid Membership
You don't need to figure this out on your own. Here's everything you get to build a business that pays you consistently in 10 hours a week.
Simple Selling System
Selling doesn't have to feel hard or sleazy.
We break down your most important business tasks into a simple 10-hour weekly routine. This system makes selling something you actually look forward to, not something you dread.
What you get:
The exact 10-hour weekly schedule that shows you what to do, when to do it, and how long it takes, plus time-blocking templates and a sustainable rhythm that fits around your full-time job. No guessing, no wondering if you're doing enough, just follow the plan. A business that runs in 10 focused hours, not your entire life.
3 Client Framework
You shouldn't have to wonder where your next client is coming from.
We teach you a 3-step process for finding the best people who are ready to pay you. You'll use this as the foundation of your business and never worry about an empty pipeline again.
What you get:
The complete sales process, from finding people who need what you offer to turning conversations into paying clients. We practice together first so you feel ready, and yes, people you already know will pay you (no cold outreach required). A repeatable process for finding and signing clients consistently.
HFP Content System
Creating content shouldn't take over your life.
Learn a 2-hour routine for creating all the social media content you need for the week. Content that gathers interested people without you spending hours promoting yourself. We'll help you build a content bank so you never have to scramble for what to post.
What you get:
The 2-hour content creation routine, the 8-post Simple Selling Sprints framework, AI prompts to generate endless ideas (no tech skills required), and content templates you can customize to your voice, even if you have no idea what your "voice" is yet (we'll help you find it). Consistent, compelling content that attracts clients without living on social media.
HFP Resource Library
You shouldn't have to figure everything out from scratch.
Your on-demand library for all your business needs. Templates, guides, and frameworks you can use immediately.
What you get:
Everything from your one-page business plan template to sales conversation guides, content templates, and client onboarding materials, all ready to use. Fill in the blanks, copy and paste, adjust to your needs, and you're done. Everything you need, exactly when you need it, no Googling, no guessing.
Personalized Coaching
You will never be alone in this. We are here to help you.
Every month you'll join group and private coaching calls to make sure all of your questions are answered and you feel prepared and confident to move forward.
What you get:
Three live group coaching calls per month plus one private 45-minute session with Dr. Lacy. Bring your questions, your fears, your stuck points. No question is too small, no fear is too silly. Can't attend live? We've got replays. Support exactly when you need it, with someone who's been where you are.
HFP Community
Business can be lonely. But it doesn't have to be.
You'll get support from people just like you, all working toward the same goal: building a business that pays them without burning out.
What you get:
A private Circle community where you can ask questions, share wins, get feedback, and find accountability, plus weekly check-ins and prompts to keep you moving forward. Show up as much or as little as you want. These people get the imposter syndrome, the perfectionism, all of it. You're never figuring this out alone. You have people in your corner.
Let's Make It Official
Pick the best option for you
Hi, I’m Dr. Lacy
I built my dissertation coaching business from my tiny apartment while working full time in Higher Education. What started as me using my qualitative research skills to help students finish their dissertations turned into a six-figure business that has stayed strong for the last five years.
Back then, I was exhausted and stuck in meetings that drained the life out of me. I joined every business program I could find, hoping someone would tell me how to make it work. Instead, I ended up more confused, more overwhelmed, and no closer to the freedom I wanted.
If I’m honest, I thought about walking away from it all and living a quiet life wearing Hawaiian shirts and stocking shelves at Trader Joe’s. But the dream of deciding when, where, and how I worked kept calling me back.
So I went back to what I knew best, qualitative research. I studied what helped scholars actually finish and built a simple system around it. That system became the foundation of a six-figure business that has lasted for years.
Now I help other scholars do the same. You already know how to do the hard work. I’ll show you how to get paid for it.
If you are short on time and energy
but you're determined to figure out this business thing, then we definitely need to work together.
I will show you how to follow a simple 10-hour weekly routine that will be your new secret weapon for finding, signing, and serving clients.
Over the past 7 years, I’ve helped dozens of clients like you start and grow their business beyond $100K. I know I can help you do the same.
I SEE YOU, FRIENDÂ
You’ve been telling yourself that things will be different, but there’s always some unexpected life event or emergency always disrupting your motivation to do what you know is needed to grow your business. Â
You’re so worried that this might be the one goal you can't figure out.
And truthfully…you’re tired of your job. You could keep climbing the corporate ladder but it doesn't have the same excitement it once did.Â
If you knew what to do to grow this business, you would work as long as possible to get it done. But, everyone seems to know what to do except you, and it’s time that we put an end to that.
HFP Membership is for you if:
- You have a clear business idea, and you’re willing to dedicate 10 hours a week
- You take action FAST - and are willing to ask questions when you get confused
- You show up and try even when you feel uncomfortable Â
- You love learning new strategies to improve your working and time management habits
- You are ready to get yourself together and sign your first 3 clients
HFP Membership is NOT for you if:
- You are unsure about your business idea or what type of clients you want to work with
- You are working with another business coach or program (conflicting info can be confusing)
- You are looking for a quick fix for your business (there is none)
- You want someone to do all the work for you
- You’re comfortable with your current business progress (and that’s amazing!)
If You're Still Reading, You Are One Of Two People
- You love reading! Probably having a hard time showing up consistently online to promote your business because you keep finding so many amazing free resources. At some point, you must decide to accept the structure and accountability being offered in this Insitute. All you have to do is sign up.Â
- You love the way I communicate. You read and watch everything I put out. I get it…You can watch even more here.
