Cheryl C Perez “CP”

Cheryl C Perez known affectionately as “CP” to her community of thousands has built one of the most successful online business consulting practices by teaching entrepreneurs something radical: that you can build a thriving six or seven-figure business while actually living the life you started that business to create. In a world where entrepreneurship often means sacrificing life for business, she has spent 25 years proving there’s a better way.

As the CEO of Cheryl C Perez Brands and the largest African American female-owned HR consulting and coaching firm in the Cleveland area, Perez doesn’t just teach business theory she’s walked every step of the entrepreneurial journey herself, from selling candy on her Catholic school playground in seventh grade to becoming the first Black female chair in the 52-year history of the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE).

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From Playground Entrepreneur to Strategic Powerhouse

Cheryl Perez’s entrepreneurial spirit emerged early. She started her first business in seventh grade, selling Now and Laters on her Catholic school playground buying them for ten cents and selling them for twenty-five cents. The hustle was real from the beginning.

After earning her MBA from Ohio University, Perez lived in Kenya for two years doing contract work with USAID, traveling throughout Africa and Europe working with small nonprofit organizations on development, fundraising, and operational efficiency. When she returned to the United States, she worked in nonprofit sales and operations before transitioning to healthcare, working for a major health insurance company.

Her decision to become a full-time entrepreneur came from a pivotal moment of frustration and clarity. After an exceptionally successful sales year where she was the top new business coordinator in the country for her insurance company, Perez sat down for her performance review expecting recognition and reward. Her VP praised her performance extensively and then offered nothing in terms of additional opportunities or compensation. It was crickets.

That conversation crystallized everything. Perez registered her first LLC in the early 2000s, officially launching what would become a business empire. She built her insurance agency to multiple seven figures, only to face one of her most stressful periods when the Affordable Care Act changed the game overnight wiping out 40% of her revenue in an instant.

Rather than give up, Perez pivoted. She joined COSE during that crisis, seeking a community of other entrepreneurs who were also “losing sleep.” She adjusted her business model, adding full-fledged consulting services, and eventually sold the insurance agency when health insurance became less profitable. That experience of building, pivoting, and persevering through crisis became the foundation for everything she now teaches.

Today, Perez describes herself as a serial entrepreneur who makes decisions about which businesses to start based on her skill set and where the market signals opportunity.

Recognition and Leadership Impact

Perez’s contributions to the entrepreneurial ecosystem haven’t gone unnoticed. Her awards and honors include:

• Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year (2019)
• Women for Economic Leadership and Development (WELD) Honoree (2019)
• Progressive Woman Award from Smart Business Magazine
• Achievement in Excellence Award from National Sales & Marketing Executives (NSME)
• Phenomenal Business Woman Distinction from the Presidents’ Council
• Distinguished Alumni Status from Ohio University

In January 2024, Perez made history as the first African American female chair in the 52-year history of the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE), which serves as the voice of small business within the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP). She joined COSE a decade ago, took a seat on the board of directors in 2018, served as vice chair in 2023, and now leads the organization into its future.

As COSE’s leader, Perez brings her skills as a strategist and her ability to create and execute game plans that benefit the organization. She’s structurally oriented, understanding that efficiency is essential for small businesses because inefficiency costs money. Her vision for COSE is to meet the needs of both traditional members who value in-person, hands-on networking and newer entrepreneurs who are building digital-first businesses ensuring the organization is prepared for future disruptions while serving an increasingly diverse membership.

The 4S Freedom Framework: Perez’s Unique Methodology

What sets Cheryl Perez apart from thousands of other business consultants is her proprietary 4S Freedom Framework a systematic approach to building businesses that create actual freedom, not just revenue.

The framework consists of:

1. Strategies: Clear, actionable plans that align with your goals and market opportunities
2. Structures: Organizational design and operational frameworks that support growth
3. Systems: Repeatable processes that free up time and reduce dependency on the founder
4. Squads: Teams (whether employees, contractors, or partners) that execute the vision

This framework emerged from Perez’s own hard-earned lessons. She once skipped steps in her process for a returning client and that client didn’t order wall art for seven years afterward. That experience taught her that her system serves her clients, and when she breaks away from it, she does them a disservice.

Perez’s brain naturally breaks everything down into step-by-step processes. Give her a goal and she’ll map out the steps to get there from start to finish even on a napkin if that’s all you have. This systematic thinking is her superpower and the foundation of all her teaching.

Why Cheryl C Perez’s Content Is Genuinely Helpful

Perez’s educational content stands out in the crowded online business space for several compelling reasons:

1. Real-World Battle-Tested Experience

With over 25 years of capacity-building experience for businesses and nonprofits including her own Perez possesses a uniquely qualified insider view of what makes a business truly succeed. She’s not teaching from theory or distant memory. She’s built businesses from scratch, scaled them to seven figures, survived industry-disrupting crises like the ACA, pivoted successfully, and sold companies. Every lesson comes from lived experience.

Perez has worked directly with hundreds of business owners and thousands of their employees in both the USA and Africa. This extensive hands-on work means she’s seen patterns across industries, cultures, and business stages that theoretical consultants simply cannot match.

2. Zero-Tolerance for Time-Wasting

If there’s one thing Perez hates, it’s things that waste time. Her coaching style reflects this intense focus on results. As she puts it: “If you are working with me and not getting results, then I’m wasting your time… AND THAT… I JUST CAN’T DO!”

This commitment to tangible outcomes means her content is ruthlessly practical. She doesn’t provide magic “tricks of the trade”—she delivers the actual tools of the trade and teaches the skills needed to use them effectively. Students get step-by-step guidance, not vague inspiration.

3. Comprehensive Business Systems, Not Just Coaching

What Perez wishes someone had told her when starting her business was the critical importance of effective operational, sales, service, and HR structures and strategies from the very beginning. This insight shapes everything she teaches now.

Rather than focusing solely on mindset or strategy, Perez addresses the complete operational reality of running a business. Her teaching covers:

• Operations consulting and capacity building
• HR consulting and team development
• Strategic planning and execution
• Sales systems and service delivery
• Process optimization and systemization
• Nonprofit consulting and board development

This comprehensive approach means entrepreneurs don’t just learn how to envision success they learn how to operationalize it.

4. The Freedom Philosophy

Perez’s mission is explicit: help entrepreneurs build their capacity and achieve growth and freedom by providing educational resources, coaching, and consulting services that give them the steps, strategies, processes, and tools that free up their time and energy so they can focus on growth.

She empowers entrepreneurs, small business, and nonprofit leaders to build their organizations for the long term more successfully so they can enjoy life and live it on their terms. This isn’t about hustle culture or grinding yourself into burnout it’s about building sustainable businesses that support the life you actually want to live.

This philosophy resonates deeply with entrepreneurs who started businesses seeking freedom but found themselves more trapped than ever.

5. Accessible Education Through Multiple Formats

Perez meets her students where they are through various offerings:

• CPTV YouTube Channel: With over 25,000 subscribers (some sources report 21,000-30,000), CPTV provides free step-by-step process training twice per week for anyone who wants to systemize their organization. The channel is designed as a “quick video” training library covering everything about starting and growing a business and team.
• Start Up Business Academy (SUA): A 12-week online learning program for entrepreneurs who want to build a meaningful, profitable business, with lifetime access to materials. The program is self-guided but created by CP herself, loaded with lessons, tips, and tools.
• VIP Consulting & Coaching: For entrepreneurs ready for personalized guidance, Perez offers 1-1 programs (though she can only accept a limited number of students due to high demand).
• Group Coaching Programs: Perez is continually developing group coaching options to serve more students while maintaining impact.
• Speaking Engagements: As an instructor at Tri-C’s Center for Entrepreneurs and a sought-after speaker, Perez brings her expertise to audiences throughout Cleveland and beyond.
• The CP Insiders Community: Over 2,500 entrepreneurs worldwide have joined this like-minded community for ongoing support and connection.

6. Authentic, Relatable Communication

Perez’s content feels like getting advice from a trusted friend who truly understands the entrepreneurial struggle. She shares her own failures openly the near-burnout, the 40% revenue loss overnight, the times she questioned everything. This vulnerability creates deep trust and shows aspiring entrepreneurs that success isn’t about perfection; it’s about resilience, adaptation, and proper systems.

Her energy and passion come through in every video and presentation. As one testimonial notes: “Inspiring, informative, encouraging! I was overwhelmed, looking for guidance through our strategic plan, the information is invaluable.”

7. Results-Oriented Approach

Client testimonials consistently highlight tangible outcomes:

• “She has given us the necessary tools to be effective and works closely with us following her assessment.”
• “Three benefits we’ve experienced as a result of working with Cheryl are: 1) Identifying what we had not done. 2) Identifying what we should be doing. 3) Determining how to go about doing it!”
• “Cheryl is extremely knowledgeable in her field. She knows what steps are necessary to help your organization move to the next level. She is definitely an asset to an organization looking to succeed.”

This consistent feedback about concrete results validates Perez’s methodology and her no-nonsense approach.

Cheryl C Perez’s Unique Edge in Content Creation

What gives Cheryl Perez a competitive advantage in the saturated online business coaching space?

The Corporate-to-Entrepreneur Bridge

Perez’s background working for major corporations and USAID before becoming an entrepreneur gives her a unique perspective. She understands corporate structures, professional standards, and sophisticated business systems and she knows how to adapt them for small businesses and startups. This bridging of corporate excellence with entrepreneurial agility is rare.

Sector Diversity

Unlike coaches who specialize in one industry, Perez works with for-profit businesses, nonprofits, and social enterprises. This cross-sector expertise means she sees patterns and solutions that sector-specific consultants miss. The skills that work in nonprofit fundraising can often be adapted for business development; operational systems that work in corporate settings can be scaled down for startups.

The Crisis-Tested Consultant

Perez didn’t just build successful businesses she survived catastrophic setbacks and emerged stronger. The ACA experience of losing 40% of revenue overnight and having to completely pivot the business model provides her with credibility that smooth-sailing entrepreneurs can’t match. She knows what it’s like to wake up terrified, unsure how to pay the bills, desperate for answers. This lived experience of crisis makes her especially valuable to entrepreneurs facing their own make-or-break moments.

Strategic + Operational + Human

Many consultants are either strategic thinkers OR operational experts. Perez is both. But she’s also deeply attuned to the human element the mindset, the motivation, the struggles with confidence and imposter syndrome. This three-dimensional approach addresses the complete reality of building a business: you need the right strategy, the right systems, AND the right mindset and team.

Process-Oriented Brain

Perez’s natural ability to break everything down into step-by-step processes is her secret weapon. Where others see overwhelming complexity, she sees a sequence of achievable steps. This cognitive style means she can take any goal and create a roadmap literally on a napkin if needed. For entrepreneurs drowning in chaos, this clarity is invaluable.

Representation and Role Modeling

As the first African American female chair in COSE’s 52-year history and as the owner of the largest African American female-owned HR consulting and coaching firm in the Cleveland area, Perez represents a breakthrough in leadership. Her presence creates an audience that hasn’t been typical for traditional business organizations entrepreneurs who see her as a role model and as someone who understands their unique challenges.

This representation matters immensely for Black female entrepreneurs and other underrepresented founders who haven’t always felt welcomed in mainstream business spaces.

Community Builder, Not Just Coach

Perez’s CP Insiders community of 2,500+ entrepreneurs creates network effects that amplify the value of her teaching. Students aren’t just learning from Perez they’re connecting with peers, sharing resources, and building relationships that support their businesses long-term. The community’s collective giving (over $100,000 to Operation Underground Railroad, $50,000 to Operation Smile, over $45,000 to pet charities) demonstrates shared values beyond profit.

The Business Consulting and Coaching Industry: A Field Primed for Success

Cheryl Perez’s decision to focus on online business consulting and coaching comes at an extraordinarily opportune time. The industry data overwhelmingly supports that this is a field with massive and growing opportunity:

The Management Consulting Market: Massive and Growing

The broader consulting industry provides the foundation for business coaching success:

• The management consulting services market generated $357.85 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach $451.28 billion by 2030, advancing at a 4.75% CAGR
• The global management consulting industry is valued at over $1 trillion and projected to grow at an 8% compound annual growth rate by 2028
• Consulting services market was valued at $353.19 billion in 2024
• Operations consulting held 29.28% of the consulting service market share in 2024, demonstrating strong demand for the process and systems work that Perez specializes in
• North America led with 41.03% revenue contribution in 2024, meaning consultants operating in the U.S. market have structural advantages

The Business Coaching Segment: Explosive Growth

Within the broader consulting space, business coaching specifically shows remarkable momentum:

• The business management consulting service market was valued at $161.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a 5% CAGR between 2025 and 2034
• The business coaching market in the U.S. reached $20.0 billion in 2025, growing at a 4.5% CAGR between 2020 and 2025
• The U.S. business coaching market was $19.9 billion in 2024 and increased 0.4% to reach $20.0 billion in 2025
• The global business coaching service market was valued at $1.42 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $2.77 billion by 2033, growing at a 7.6% CAGR

These numbers demonstrate that business coaching isn’t a fad it’s a mature, growing industry with billions in annual revenue and consistent year-over-year growth.

The Overall Coaching Industry: Unprecedented Expansion

The coaching industry as a whole is experiencing remarkable growth:

• The coaching industry market size was approximately $6.25 billion in 2024 and sits at approximately $7.31 billion in 2025
• The global coaching sector surpassed $6 billion in market value in 2024, with forecasts indicating growth to over $7 billion
• The industry is projected to reach $10.1 billion by 2032
• Active coach practitioners grew from 71,000 in 2019 to an estimated 109,200 in 2023 a 54% increase with projections of 167,760 active coaches in 2025

Regional Growth Opportunities

Different markets show varying growth rates, all positive:

• The broader European consulting market is projected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 6.1% between 2025-2030
• Germany’s coaching market is set to surge at a 16.3% CAGR, supported by growing entrepreneurship and small business expansion
• India anticipates a 14.4% CAGR, led by rapid digital transformation
• The U.S. coaching market shows 7.5% growth stemming from increasing coaching awareness
• The UK shows high demand for personalized coaching with a projected 16.2% CAGR
• Professional coaching within property and business services grew by 29% in the UK in 2023

Proven ROI That Justifies Investment

The coaching industry’s growth is driven by measurable results that justify client investment:

• An impressive 91% of organizations that implement coaching programs credit these initiatives as a key driver of their overall success
• The average reported ROI of coaching is 5–7× the original investment, with some studies showing up to 600%–788% returns
• 86% of companies that calculated ROI made back their initial investment
• Organizations with coaching report 51% higher revenue and 62% higher employee engagement compared to companies that don’t use coaching
• 77% of executives say coaching significantly impacted at least one key business metric
• Sales coaching can increase company revenue by up to 16.7%, with effective programs increasing deal sizes, win rates, and new leads by 25–40%

These ROI figures explain why businesses continue investing in coaching even during economic uncertainty the returns are too substantial to ignore.

Small Business Growth Drives Demand

Small businesses Perez’s core audience represent a massive and growing market:

• Approximately 29% of UK SMEs achieved growth in 2023, with property and business services (including professional coaching) growing by 29%
• Professional coaching came out top for profit in the UK, with a median annual profit of around £15,000 in 2023 higher than the SME average of £13,000
• 92% of small business owners agree mentors have a direct impact on their growth and chances for business survival
• 88% of business owners with a mentor say that having one is invaluable
• 30% of business owners who had just one interaction with a mentor reported growth

These statistics validate Perez’s focus on serving entrepreneurs and small business owners this segment has both the need and the willingness to invest in coaching.

Independent Contractor Growth

The rise of independent consultants and coaches creates both opportunity and validation:

• 48% of U.S. adults are either currently working or have worked as an independent professional at some point in their career, with the number expected to reach 54% this year
• In 2024, the number of independent contractors earning over $100,000 annually reached 4.7 million up from 3 million in 2020
• Full-time independent workers grew by 6.5% to 27.7 million
• Over 50% of consultants reach their previous income level as employees within 2 years of starting their consulting business

Consultant Income Potential

For those considering following Perez’s path into consulting:

• The industry average gross margin for boutique consulting firms is 20-40%, with high-performing firms seeing margins of 50-70%+
• 33% of consultants’ average project value is in the $15K-$50K range, with 6% exceeding $100K
• Consultants earning $45K+ per month have average consulting engagement values of $50K+
• Half of coaches make $50K+ annually, often adding courses, group programs, or other digital products
• The average hourly rate for consulting projects is around $200 per hour, though rates vary by expertise and niche
• Average client retention rate for coaches is 65%, providing steady repeat business and predictable revenue

Technology and AI: Enhancement, Not Replacement

Emerging technologies are creating opportunities rather than threats:

• Technology consulting spending is set to exceed $400 billion in 2025
• 87% of enterprises that embarked on digital overhauls now rely on external advisors
• Generative AI projects already represent up to 40% of new engagements among leading firms
• Digital transformation consulting is projected to expand at a 13.40% CAGR through 2030
• Coaches’ perspectives show not all practitioners believe AI will replace the human touch the relationship element remains essential

This data suggests that while AI handles technical tasks, human coaches who can provide strategy, accountability, emotional support, and customized guidance will remain invaluable.

Market Challenges Create Coaching Opportunities

Economic headwinds actually increase demand for coaching:

• 42% of consultants said they struggle most with sales: converting prospective buyers into clients (creating demand for sales coaching)
• High interest rates and tighter budgets are tempering appetite for large-scale engagements, creating opportunities for focused, high-ROI coaching
• Companies are compressing multi-year modernization programs into shorter cycles, driving premium demand for consultants who can accelerate results
• The pandemic-era pivot to remote work has democratized access to coaching, allowing top consultancies to serve smaller clients virtually

Sector-Specific Opportunities

Certain industries show particularly strong coaching demand:

• By client industry, the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sector commanded 22.54% of consulting service market size in 2024
• Healthcare and Life Sciences sector is projected to expand at a 6.89% CAGR to 2030
• Professional development brings in over half of business coaches’ revenue
• Niche-focused coaching businesses grow 30% faster than generalists

The Future Is Bright for Strategic Business Consultants

The convergence of multiple trends creates an ideal environment for consultants like Cheryl Perez:

1. Increasing Complexity: Businesses face more complexity than ever—technology disruption, regulatory changes, talent challenges, economic volatility creating demand for expert guidance
2. Democratization of Entrepreneurship: More people are starting businesses, but most lack business training, creating huge demand for foundational business education
3. Remote Delivery Models: Virtual coaching has proven effective, allowing consultants to serve clients globally without geographic limitations
4. Proven ROI: With documented returns of 5-7× investment, coaching has moved from “nice to have” to “essential” for growth-oriented businesses
5. Specialization Value: As the market matures, specialists who serve specific niches (like Perez’s focus on operations and capacity building) command premium pricing
6. Community Craving: Entrepreneurs increasingly seek community alongside coaching, valuing peer connections as much as expert guidance
7. Representation Demand: Underrepresented entrepreneurs actively seek coaches who understand their unique challenges and can serve as relatable role models

Conclusion: The Consultant Who Builds Freedom

Cheryl C Perez represents the evolution of business consulting from theoretical strategists to practical architects of operational excellence. Her 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, combined with systematic frameworks, zero-tolerance for time-wasting, and genuine commitment to client success, make her content genuinely valuable for entrepreneurs at every stage.

Her unique edge comes from her crisis-tested experience, her natural ability to create step-by-step processes, her comprehensive approach to business systems (not just strategy or mindset), and her role as a trailblazing leader who creates space for underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Most importantly, she’s teaching in an industry with extraordinary opportunity. With the business coaching market at $20 billion in the U.S. alone, projected growth rates of 4-8% annually, proven ROI of 5-7× investment, and increasing demand driven by entrepreneurial growth and business complexity, the field offers viable and rewarding career paths for those who approach it strategically.

For entrepreneurs willing to implement proper systems, build true operational capacity, and create businesses that serve their lives rather than consuming them, the future is remarkably bright. And Cheryl C Perez has created the roadmap to get there one that puts both profit and freedom first, supported by the 4S Framework that has guided hundreds of entrepreneurs to success.

As Perez herself would say: if you’re working with her and not getting results, she’s wasting your time. But the testimonials, the growth of her community, and the transformation of her clients prove that time invested with CP is time that pays dividends in revenue, in freedom, and in the joy of building a business that actually serves the life you want to live.