Sami says “Feliz Navidad…” 

Thank you for your interest in my work at both JumpToConsulting and EMIGURU.  Wishing you the joy, peace, and happiness of the season, and all the best in 2020!

From our house to yours — Uncle Daryl, Mary, and Sami the Shih Tzu.

PS – For your holiday enjoyment, here is an Arizona version of Winter Wonderland — lyrics only, you need to supply the tune. 

© 2019 – 2021, https:. All rights reserved.

That is what my doctor told me this week during an exam when I commented I was a bit stressed and down in the dumps. She kindly chided me and said you sound like my dad (a year younger than me). She then said she sees this a lot in older men, particularly those struggling with retirement.

The light went on. While I’m not struggling with retirement, I was struggling a bit with what to do next — as in what is the next challenge? (Soon leaving the HOA board, and all the toxic “terminally unhappy” residents.)

So I jumped back into my blog, and a project to develop on line classes. Stuff I’d put aside, but fun for me. Starting to consider other fun stuff too, like mid-week getaways or local sightseeing. Playing with the 71 Bug. Or???

Guess what? The cloud lifted, the energy returned, and life is good again.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

This post is based on a comment left at RJ’s Corner, a blog by a retired fellow engineer. 

© 2019 – 2020, https:. All rights reserved.

Time for a Thanksgiving rant. I, for one, am weary of the whining and complaining that seems to be taking over the country, and even the world.

While I try to stay politically neutral on this blog, too many of today’s political leaders (if you can call them that) seem more focused on manipulating emotions rather than solving problems. Sorry if I stepped on toes, but as consultants we must call them as we see them.

The hot button the manipulators like to push is labeled “Resentment.”  To counter that, I suggest we try pushing the button labeled “Gratitude.“

Trying to understand what happened in the last presidential election, I read several books analyzing the underlying conditions. A common theme was resentment, amplified by the political rhetoric. Thinly disguised as populism, it occurred on both sides –  the right with “Lock Her Up” and the left “Occupy Wall Street.”

One of the books was The Politics of Resentment by Catherine Cramer. It started as a small research project at the University of Wisconsin to better understand how the university might better serve rural Wisconsin. Thus surprising outcome was the level of rural resentment against the “city dwellers.”

Many of the resenter’s assumptions were false (money spent on roads and other rural services), yet that did not stop Scott Walker and others from using that resentment to manipulate voters. Meanwhile, problems went unsolved. It also helped explained the Wisconsin swing to Trump.

So, do YOU like being manipulated? Emotions are powerful, but they often defy logic. Emotions do NOT solve problems, but they CAN divide and obstruct, making them a favorite tool of politicians.

Maybe it it time to step back, reflect, and show some gratitude. Maybe it is time to stop listening to the manipulators, and start thinking for ourselves. Maybe it is time to focus on solving problems and working to make the world a better place, as good consultants do!

In the spirit of Thanskgiving, here are five things I am grateful for:

• Living in a country where I am free to pursue my own dreams (such as starting/running a consulting firm.)
• Living in a time in history where exciting changes happen (instead of resenting those changes.)
• Living in the midst of abundance (food, clean water, health care, safety, and more.)
• Living relatively free of financial concerns (thanks to my consulting business and years of “selective frugality” and saving)
•  Living with a spouse who supported me for over fifty years (Thanks, Mary!)

And five more reasons to be grateful:

• Clients who put their trust in us
• Colleagues and advisers who supported us
• A business partner who was a joy to work with (Rest in Peace)
• Parents who cared and encouraged (in spite of hard times)
• And a wonderful family (two sons, their wives, and six extraordinary grandchildren.)

How about you? What are YOU grateful for?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Uncle Daryl 

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

The Number One question I’m asked by those interested in consulting is “How Do You Get Your Clients?”

My Number One answer is usually “Peddle your behind off.” Meaning, if you are not willing to market and sell your services, you are better off not pursuing independent consulting.

But to be successful, you need to be strategic about your marketing. As the esteemed business consultant Peter Drucker noted, “The better the marketing, the easier the sales.”  Strategic marketing is the linch pin to starting and operating your own consulting practice.

Many blanch when faced with marketing and sales, particularly my engineering colleagues. But as  mentioned in previous posts, this is not a big deal. It is just another problem to be addressed. And that is what do as consultants — solve problems.

So the first question to ask yourself is, “Who is my ideal client?”  Consulting is a niche business — you can’t serve everyone, not do you want to. Like fishing, what type of fish are you going after? Bass? Trout? Or maybe deep sea fishing? You need to focus your efforts.

Many “experts” say to focus on the CEO, or at least the C-Suite. That might work for McKinsey, but not for most of us as individual practitioners. Seriously, is a CEO interested in solving a subtle engineering problem or marketing problem? Only if it is costing a LOT of money.

For us, we quickly realized our ideal clients were engineering managers, project managers, or directors or VPs in smaller companies. Those close enough to the action, and with budget authority to retain us. (Our projects were typically under $20K — even at those levels you don’t need many to succeed.)

The second question to ask yourself is, “How do I reach my ideal client?”  This is where visibility and credibility become vital.

People buy professional services from those they know, like and trust. There are many ways to establish this — most revolve around writing, speaking, and networking. Here are 20 ways we have used to attract business.

A caveat — although social media is all the rage, don’t rely on that alone. Consider traditional  marketing like magazine articles, speaking at conferences, or being active in professional organizations. The goal is to be in front of prospective clients in a positive light.

Consider geography. If your potential market is local, focus on local publications and events. If nationwide, focus on methods with nationwide coverage. We started out local, and later expanded to cover both.

What if I am just starting out? Practice aggressive networking. Reach out to friends, colleagues, and past employers. Let them know you are in business, and available to help. Give them specific examples of services you can provide.

A simple direct mail campaign can work wonders. So can phone calls. But DON’T ask for business — just ask for help in publicizing your services. That way you are not seen as a pest. But if anyone does need your services, they will ask you.

Make a list of the top 100-200 people you know, and reach out to 10 a week. If your market is local, you can even offer to meet for coffee. Ask for advice — ask about problems and trends they see. And although you may be excited about your business, don’t go into hyper sales mode. Just listen and learn.

All of the above take time and creative effort, but the payoff is there. As the late Howard Shenson (the consultant’s consultant) advised, the ultimate goal is to have clients clamoring for you. But they can only do that is you are visible and credible, and knowable and likable.

Cheers — Uncle Daryl

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

Heard this story years ago, and decided to share it here. It goes like this:

Two neighbors lived across a creek from each other. There was a small bridge connecting their two properties, and they became friends and enjoyed each other’s company.

But then there was a falling out, and neither spoke to each other. That winter, the bridge collapsed.

In the spring, the one neighbor decided to build a wall so he would not have to look across the creek to his neighbor. He had a load of lumber delivered, and planned to begin the wall that weekend.

Seeing the lumber, the other neighbor knocked on the door. He said, “I’m so happy to see you are rebuilding the bridge. I’ve really missed our friendship. Can I pay for half?”

Realizing the mistake he almost made, the first neighbor quickly agreed. And they build the bridge together.

So what does this have to do with consulting (or life in general?) Misunderstandings happen, and don’t be afraid to make the first move to fix them.

Build bridges — not walls!

Peace — Uncle Daryl 

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

Here is a quote from Dr. Alan Weiss (the Million Dollar Consultant) in his recent newsletter. I could not agree more!

“Businesses of all sizes need external expertise these days.

They can’t solve their own problems or ensure their own innovation any more than a patient can operate on his or her own appendix or write a prescription for medication.“

In spite of the gloom and doom of the media and all the other Negative Ninnies, opportunities abound. Yes, we have problems in the world.

But problems are what we, as consultants, work on. That, and helping clients achieve their dreams. It’s all about helping clients succeed, and making the world a better place.

If you have the “itch”to consult (or launch any business), start NOW to scratch it.

But don’t jump in without preparations. No matter how exciting, you wouldn’t just hop into a sail boat and head for Hawaii without making plans (including backup plans) and stocking enough provisions.

Stick around here, and we’ll help. Check out the almost 300 blog posts. Search by category if specific interests. Join us for the free monthly teleconferences, starting again in November.

Watch the blog for future events. Head over to the free webinar, which I’ll be doing live at the Minnesota EMC Event.

Bill Kimmel (my late business partner) and I started the EMC Event in 1986 to make a pre-launch splash for our engineering consulting firm.

Read about it here — maybe the best $500 we spent. The show is still going strong after 33 years, after producing thousands in consulting and training business.

An example of what a little creative thinking can accomplish.

Don’t want to start a mini trade show? How about writing tutorial articles or blog posts in the trade press? Editors are hungry for simple relevant material, and you can be in print in weeks.  Keep it up and in a few months you will recognized as an expert.

We used writing when starting out. Still moonlighting, we offered to do a simple column for a local business magazine.

Eight hundred words every month on how to use the new fangled personal computers. The editor loved it, and within months we even picked up some small projects. (If still employed, be sure to avoid conflicts of interst.)

That first writing effort gave us both confidence and future credibility. We eventually wrote over 200 articles, three books (one with over 130,000 “sales”), blog posts, and a regular magazine column that ran almost 30 years.

But nothing happened overnight. It started simple and grew. More marketing ideas here.

So think NOW how to ramp up YOUR marketing. You can even do this prior to going full time. We moonlighted for nine years before making our JumpToConsulting. Planning and preparation made the jump easier – even when the stock market crashed the first day in business!

My 1987 jump to full-time consulting was like hitting a squall while leaving the harbor. But the preparation paid off, and we succeeded. You can too, but don’t expect smooth sailing all the time.  Just be prepared — and you can even start TODAY!

Back in the saddle here after the summer sabbatical. Plans are to post twice a month, and host the free teleconference once a month. Still working on the multi-module class.

Be sure to sign up for the free newsletter, as I may tweak a bit.  You can also get a feed on an RSS reader like Feedly.

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

Good advice from a recent newletter. Based on personal experience, there is too much risk for blowback and hard feelings.

#1–Your friend or family member might not have any clue about
market rates for freelance projects.

#2–They might assume that they’re entitled to a steep discount
because they know you.

#3–If the business relationship goes south, your friendship or
relationship could be damaged.

(Source: ASJA Weekly, 8/27/19)

A few years after starting my consulting practice, I was at a high school reunion. Like me, the husband of a classmate was an Electrical Engineer. We had a good time “geeking out”, and I even shared some quick ideas (gratis) for a problem he was having.

Had it stopped there, it would have been fine.

But then he asked for some additional research (with a report) which needed a day of my time. Although I was uneasy due to the old classmate connection, he insisted that he would gladly pay for it.

So I gave him a verbal cost estimate, and proceeded with the research and report.

Upon submitting my invoice, I was never paid. An awkward situation given the past friendship with my classmate, so I let it drop. But I was left wondering if it just fell through a crack –if I was intentionally stiffed — or he was upset at the cost.

Never did find out, but I suspect I was stiffed. Several years later I heard they divorced, and that he had been cheating on her. I felt bad as she deserved better.

A few years ago, I gain heard from my old classmate when she was working on another reunion. The exchange was pleasant, leading me to believe there were no hard feelings, or perhaps she was not even aware of her ex-husband’s behavior.

After all, he cheated on her — why not her friends?

Based on the initial encounter, I instituted a policy of NOT doing business with friends or relatives. Brief free advice was fine, as it was for anyone. But if it were more involved, I would offer a referral to a colleague rather than handle it myself. Much like a doctor would do.

I suggest you do the same!

P.S. Back on schedule – shooting for two posts per month. Thanks for your patience during my blogging sabbatical.

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

This post was written in response to a recent troll attack on Bob Bly, fellow engineer turned highly successful copywriter and author.

This is also an update to a favorite post done way back in 2012, when first trolled at JumpToConsulting. 

Trolls, by their very nature, are unsuccessful losers. If they were successful, they would not need to attack others. Rather, they would be helping others.

Here is a summary of Bob’s recent trolling:

Dear Direct Response Letter Subscriber:

DZ writes:

“Bob, … I downloaded your ‘book’ from Amazon — your book is a joke.

“Your writing reminds me of dog sh*t. It was a complete waste
of $10.

“And you are trying above to sell your ‘services’?

“Amazon should know as much — they shouldn’t sell such waste to
an unsuspecting public. Watch for my short review.

“And I even pity your clients that buy your ‘finished
copy.’ You don’t have any talent for writing — only
spelling.”

Upon reading DZ’s email, my associate JV sent me an email that
says: “Jackass … I certainly hope you won’t let this ruin
your day!

“Someone can express that they are disappointed or dislike
something — but this is rather juvenile and downright
ridiculous.”

I could not agree with JV more.

Sincerely,
Bob Bly

Incidentally, Bob has a money back satisfaction guarantee. If not happy, you can even keep the book. We adopted the same policy at Kimmel Gerke Associates year ago.

Here are my comments sent to Bob:

Hi Bob,

Here is one of my favorite blog posts, written in response to a simple minded troll. I did not post his comment, but wrote this instead. Best of all, he unsubscribed to my newsletter 🙂

https://jumptoconsulting.com/why-critics-dont-count/

Please note the second personal story, regarding the book by a colleague. I loved my late biz partners comeback to the critic ” better than your book.” The critic, of course, had not written one, and never did.

Recently ran across a story by a very successful businessperson, who pointed out that many critics are losers who lash out at the nearest perceived success.

As a result, I now consider BS like your critic as a compliment – they are obviously jealous of your success.

Best regards,
Daryl

More on the recent story on critics, told by former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb in his book “Excellence Matters.” Seems Mark Harmon (television show NCIS) wrote Webb because he enjoyed his books, and they ended up sharing lunch. BTW, Mark has a reputation for being one of the nicest people in Hollywood.

Their discussion turned to unfair public attacks, which both have experienced. Mark was philosophical, and noted “you are always going to have people who are miserable in their own lives and just lash out, out of their own insecurities. And they always lash out at the brightest targets. It comes with the territory.”

I found this story strangely liberating. As a member of an HOA board, I’ve been repeatedly hit with vitriolic emails and verbal abuse from a few homeowners. Would have left a long time ago, but we have many good people in the community who appreciate the board’s efforts.

Still, the negatives can grind one down – if you let them.

Mark’s advice on critics was like a light bulb. He reminded me the attacks are not personal, but are a manifestation of the critic’s own problems. As such, I no longer let the trolls bother me. If anything, I feel pity for them as they are obviously very unhappy.

In closing, ignore the trolls, or take their comments as jealousy of YOUR success.

Remember — Those who try to tear you down are already beneath you.

— Author unknown

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

Courtesy of my consulting gigs… 71 VW Convertible…

Although semi-retired here, I still teach classes in my engineering speciality. Very satisfying to share my experience and knowledge, plus it brings in “fun money.”

So when I parked next to this VW (with a for sale sign) earlier this week, I decided to act. My very first car was a red 1966 VW sedan, and I always lusted after the convertibles. 52 years was long enough to wait.

Was it a mid-life crisis?  If so, still much cheaper than a Corvette (or a girl friend — but after 51 happy married years that ain’t gonna happen 🙂 )

Thanks to the continuing consulting gigs, there was no negative impact on the budget for this little splurge. And thanks to my full time JumpToConsulting 33 years ago, I’m set for retirement anyway.

Not bragging — just sharing some happiness here and offering encouragement.  Don’t delay — life is short — be sure to enjoy the trip!

P.S. Read more of my VW adventures here.

© 2019 – 2021, https:. All rights reserved.

By now it is obvious the blog sabbatical continues. But the plan is to get back in the saddle, sharing ideas and advice on how to start/build/operate a small consulting practice.

Life has a habit of getting in the way. Nothing serious — just some unanticipated twists and turns that take up time.

• Got re-elected to the HOA board. Was planning to leave, but wanted to make sure the million dollar renovation continued. Place is looking great and units are selling like crazy, much to the chagrin of the nay-sayers.
• Joined a national board for consulting engineers. We’ll see how this works for time, but it is staffed by people I respect and admire. Hope to help set some more engineers free to enjoy the consulting life.
• Been working on getting classes on line. Both a consulting intro course, plus archiving the technical classes and presentations from my engineering consulting firm. Took a class last year on the subject – now mastering the details.
• Doing live technical classes and events. About one a month. Very satisfying as I still enjoy teaching about my engineering speciality — often for old clients.
• Finally, fun family stuff. Partied when the oldest grandchild graduated from high school. Woo hoo! A couple of family related trips coming up this summer.

Also, I guess I was getting a little burned out. But I have a list of blog posts in the wings (or at least in my head) and hope to be back “on the air” soon. Thanks for riding along!

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

Some words of wisdom…

When the client has beaten upon you long enough,
Give him what he asks for instead of what he needs.
This is very strong medicine, and is normally required but once.

(Author unknown)

Still on a blogging “sabbatical” here, but planning to resume regular programming soon. 

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

And you thought I was just taking a sabattical, right? Well, secret negotiations were going on, due to close on April 1.

Apparently blog sales are hot, as Mr. Money Mustache (a favorite blogging engineer who preaches financial independence) today reported the sale of his blog for $9 million. At 500 posts, he netted $18,000 per post, while my 300 posts netted but a paltry $16,666 per post.

Either way, not to bad for a couple of engineers who broke free of their corporate shackles. So if you are still sweating it out in a cubicle and want to get rich, start blogging!

OK, by now I’m sure you have figured out this is an April Fool’s spoof. No, I didn’t sell the website, nor did MMM. And I plan to soon rejoin the blogging ranks, along with other on-line stuff on how to start/build/operate a small consulting practice.

But in the meantime, if you crave freedom like MMM and me, start (today) plotting and planning your escape to independence – financial, occupational, and locational. Both of our blogs can help, but you still need to take action.

Like MMM, I wish you badass success (even if you are not a badass engineer.) And thanks, MMM, for the inspiration for this blog post.

Join us for our next FREE monthly teleconference.

“Ask Daryl Anything About Consulting”

Register Here

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

So began a recent post at Satisfying Retirement, a favorite blog I follow. The idea resonated — perhaps it is time to take a break here too.  

Not quitting — I’ll be back. In the meantime, there will be occasional posts. I still have a list of over 100 potential topics, with more ideas bubbling up all the time.

After eight years and almost 300 posts, I still enjoy sharing ideas on consulting. But like Bob at SR, it sometimes feels like work, something I try to avoid in my own “satisfying retirement.” Yes, I still teach my engineering classes, but only a half dozen time a year. Enough to be fun, but not enough to feel like a real job. And I no longer consult if it means getting on a plane.

Like Bob, I need a break from this and other self-imposed obligations, such as an HOA (homeowner’s association) board.

The timing is good — I have one more HOA meeting, and then I’m off the board. It has been an interesting three years and much has been accomplished, but still challenging at times.

Not bad – I learned new ways to handle negative people, made some new friends, and got to work with some really positive people who cared. But time to move on.

*** Update *** Decided to run for the HOA board again to help keep the momentum of several critical improvement projects, but at a lower level of effort. We have a good team and it is fun to see the progress.  Just like challenging consulting projects 🙂

So what will I do next?

The first goal is to move forward on two course development projects that have been pushed aside by the HOA activities.

A year ago I enrolled in a program to develop on-line classes. Two broad objectives here. The first is to convert my live engineering classes to on-line. The second is to develop some on-line classes on starting/building/operating a small consulting practice. 

Finished the program (including a pilot webinar) and now ready to implement what I’ve learned. It will take time, but I’m excited about the challenge. Stay tuned.

A second goal is to figure out what I want to do next. Maybe finally set up the garage workshop, or jump back into the ham radio hobby. Or hop in the RV — we already have an event in May with friends in New Mexico.

Read more books — especially American history, a topic that has long fascinated me. As a challenge, a friend read the biography of every US president. Took him two years, but he thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m intrigued by the idea.

Maybe write the book on consulting that was in the the back of my mind when starting the blog. With almost 300 posts, there is plenty of grist for that mill. Already co-authored three books with my late business partner, so this would be just for fun.

There are the grandkids, of course, but four of the six are teenagers, and two more not far behind. One graduates this year, and two more next year. They still bring great joy, but are moving on with lives of their own. As we must too.

So thank you to all who read, follow, and support my efforts. For now, I plan to keep the free monthly teleconference going, but the posts will be irregular. Feel free to drop me a line with questions, or to let me know how you are doing.

Some food for thought below:

Tell me,
What is your plan
to do with your one
wild an precious life?
— Mary Oliver (The Summer Day)

Regular blogging will reconvene at some time in the future.

Best wishes,

Uncle Daryl

P.S. Special thanks to Bob Lowry of Satisfying Retirement for being a catalyst. As Bob is also in Phoenix, we’ll be sharing ideas in a few weeks over lunch.

Join us for our next FREE monthly teleconference.

“Ask Daryl Anything About Consulting”

Register Here

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

Time for a mini-rant.

In recent months, I’ve received numerous unsolicited e-mails that follow this format:

• The first e-mail offers some unwanted service, like updating my website, increasing my leads, or even handling my HR hiring or payroll needs. (The latter is amusing as I am a one person firm, which simple research would have uncovered.)
• The second e-mail, two days later, asks if I’ve read the first email (already deleted) and wants to set up an appointment.
• The third e-mail, nine days later, gets a bit snarky. By that time I’m so annoyed that even if I did need the services I would NOT use this person.

Here is a specific example. It is thinly disguised, but if you have received the same email, you will recognize the perpetrator.

On Mon, Jan 21, 2019 at 6:28 am, CW wrote:

Hey Daryl,

Curious if Kimmel Gerke Associates is on an older payroll/HR system, like ADP or Paychex?

If you are, Ripoff can easily save your team 50+ hours of admin work (and, likely, thousands of dollars) every year. How, you ask?

Unlike older platforms, Ripoff integrates all (not just some) of your employee systems — blah, blah, blah…

Do you have any interest in a quick demo to see how we compare?

Thank you!

CW
Account Executive
Ripoff| CA License #999999

---

On Wed, Jan 23, 2019 at 9:53 am, CW wrote:

Hi Daryl — any thoughts on my email below?

Let me know if you (or someone on your team…) would like to connect this week.

C

---

On Feb 1, 2019, at 8:02 AM, CW wrote:

I’m not sure if this changes anything, but not only can Ripoff connect your current HR systems together, it can connect Kimmel Gerke Associates’s IT systems together, too.

You can manage your team’s computers, software licenses, user accounts and passwords — in addition to their payroll, health insurance, 401k, etc. — all in one dashboard.

Are you able to manage all of those things in one place today?

CW
Account Executive
Ripoff| CA License #999999

By the third unsolicited piece of spam (possibly illegal) I have NO interest in working with Ripoff on anything — ever!

Normally I just ignore this kind of foolishness, but feeling ornery, I sent the following note back. Feel free to use it yourself. If enough of us do so, maybe we can at least slow down these marketing idiots.

Please remove me from your list and all future mailings. I am a one person firm, and not in need of your services.

Had you done any research you would know that, and would not be sending repeated unwanted spam.

Which begs the question — why would I do business with someone who does that? Food for thought from a successful business owner of 32 years.

My suggestion – find a way to attract business to come to you.  Don’t be a pest!

If YOU are a marketing consultant recommending this approach, please STOP. If you are thinking about this approach, DON’T do it!

Instead, set up a program to ATTRACT business. Marketing guru Seth Godin calls this permission marketing. Uncle Daryl just calls this common sense.

You can do this many ways — here are 20 ideas from an early post (with detailed follow on links) on JumpToConsulting. The twin goals are establishing credibility and visibility – having clients come to you – not being just another e-mail pest!

End of Rant. 

 Join us for our next FREE monthly teleconference.

“Ask Daryl Anything About Consulting”

Register Here

© 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

Another year gone… and once again time to reflect… and to look forward. 

Got this idea years ago from The Art of Nonconformity, and have done it each year since.

So as always, I’ll review three categories:

• JumpToConsulting (www.jumptoconsulting.com)
• EMI-GURU aka Kimmel Gerke Associates, Ltd. (www.emiguru.com)
• Personal (www.linkedin.com/in/darylgerke)

But first, a quick overview…

The JumpToConsulting project is now EIGHT years old. What started out in 2010 as questions from my son, has now expanded to over 275 posts on how to start,build, and maintain a small consulting firm.

Many of these posts are the result of your questions, so please feel free to ask. Your questions and feedback inspire me to keep going. And stick around — new things coming.

JTC has been a labor of love. After thirty years as an independent full time consulting engineer, I’m happy to share what I have learned — and am still learning 🙂

JTC has also been fun. A good way to learn more about about blogging and writing. That curiosity and drive to learn is what led me to consulting in the first place.

The EMI-GURU project is now over FORTY years old (part time since 1978 — full time since 1987.) It also has been great fun, and quite successful. I made a lot of friends, traveled the world, and am comfortably “semi-retired” – whatever that means.

EMI-GURU  let me to practice my profession as an Electrical Engineer in a ways I could not even imagine as a college student or young engineer. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Much of what is discussed here is based EMI-GURU experiences. The stuff I talk about is not theory — rather, it is real world and based on those 40 years of consulting!

LOOKING BACK on 2018…

Jump-to-Consulting – The blog is now over 275 posts. The blog has helped several new consultants. That includes both genders – consulting is a great way to break ceilings and stereotypes. Along with a great way to become independent and free – the big driver for me.

Produced a WEBINAR titled  “So You Want To Be a Consultant” via the IEEE (Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers) consultants group. Based on presentation given at several technical conferences. (FREE)

Published my first E-BOOK  titled “Consulting for Geeks” also via the IEEE (my professional society.) Twelve relevant blog posts. (Not FREE, but very inexpensive — even more so if you are an IEEE member.)

Launched a MONTHLY TELECONFERENCE (OK – most months) titled “Ask Daryl Anything About Consulting.” (If you haven’t joined us, we’ve had several productive conferences. (FREE.)

Continued with the NEWSLETTER, but may change the format. Still fooling around with that project. Nevertheless, please sign up to get announcements of other activities. (FREE.)

EMI-GURU – Continued to wind down the consulting firm, as it morphs more fully into a training firm. No longer consulting, I refer inquiries to colleagues. However, taught several in-house classes this year, with a public class scheduled in February.

Teaching is a long time passion – nothing like seeing a student suddenly “get it.” And it adds great synergy to consulting. 

Personal — Continued the semi-nomadic life of heading north to MN in the summer (where there is family) and heading south to AZ in the winter (where there is no snow.)

Sami the rescue mutt continues to bring joy as a “personal therapist”, along with daily exercise as a “personal trainer.”

LOOKING FORWARD to 2019…

Jump-to-Consulting – Got some exciting plans. Signed up for an in-depth class on developing and presenting on-line classes.

The first topic is “So You Want To Be a Consultant” (an expansion of the free webinar) envisioned as five or six one hour modules. (Scroll down to “Courses”for details.)

Live webinars at first, with additional group discussions for each module. Plans include a workbook so you can tailor you own personal “JumpToConsulting.” Will include a fee.

Will continue with the FREE monthly teleconference titled “Ask Daryl Anything About Consulting.” May add some short mini-webinars to stir discussion. Still working this out.

Watch the blog for more details. Better yet, drop me a line!

EMI-GURU – More plans here. Continue teaching technical classes, but not more than once month. At the same time, plans are to go on-line based on existing course materials. Serve more potential students with little or no travel.

Will remain involved locally with the IEEE EMC Society. Plans include presenting a live one-day mini-symposium in Phoenix in April.

Personal – Continue with learning and implementing on-line programs, spend time time reading, writing, and traveling in our little RV. Fire up the ham radio. Play with Sami the Shih Tzu mutt, and just goof off. Life is good here!

Wishing you all the best in 2019 — and THANK YOU for reading my blog!

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Sami says “Please have a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2019…” 

Thank you for your interest in my work at both JumpToConsulting and EMIGURU.  Wishing you the joy, peace, and happiness of the season, and all the best in 2019!

From our house to yours — Uncle Daryl, Mary, and Sami the Shih Tzu.

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As consultants, we are often called on to diagnose and troubleshoot problems. This is particularly true of my technical colleagues. Here is a technique learned many years ago the has served me well.

Is it called the “Five Whys” and the goal is to find the “root cause” of a problem, rather than just applying a superficial fix. This usually requires some digging and questioning, until you can dig or question no further.

Here is an generic example. The machine failed, and needs to be fixed. Rather than simply repair it, ask questions.

• Why did the machine fail? Because the bearings were dry.
• Why were the bearings dry? Because they lacked oil.
• Why did they lack oil? Because of lack of maintenance.
• Why did they lack maintenance? Because we don’t have a maintenance program.
• Why don’t we have a maintenance program? I don’t know.

In this case, the “root cause” is a lack of preventative maintenance (PM.) The short term solution is to replace the bearings, but the long term (and real solution) is to implement a PM program. But this solution was only reached after asking “Why” five times.

There is no magic in the number five. You may reach the root cause in two or three questions, or it may take more. But in my experience, five is often enough. Try it the next time you are diagnosing a problem.

Now, a personal example. A new product had a 50% return rate. It was a control system used in a locomotive. The client had a preliminary diagnosis when I was called in to implement a solution. But the solution was superficial, so I dug deeper.

• Why the returns? The control system interferes with communications radios in the locomotive cab.
• Why does it interfere? We don’t know, but we need a way to screen for this in manufacturing.

At this point, only two “whys” had been asked. The client was insistent on a screening test, so I implemented a way to identify faulty units. But then I went further.

• Why only 50% failures? We don’t know.
• Why not more or less? We don’t know.

Based on this useful clue, I set a “good unit” and a “bad unit” side by side. A visual inspection showed no difference. But further probing suggested electronic leakage at a cable connector on the “bad unit.” Aha!

• Why is it leaking at the connector? We don’t know – they are all built the same.

So I suggested taking things apart. It turned out the connector used a special gasket, but the gasket needed to be installed one way. Properly reinstalling the gasket on the “bad unit” turned it into a “good unit.”

The “root cause” was now identified. I surmised the reason for the 50% failures was the production line person flipped every other gasket. Perhaps out of boredom, or perhaps it was simpler to do so.

The ultimate solutions were to (1) train the installer to properly install the gasket, and (2) screen for faulty installation as a quality check. The latter was “just in case” a failure occurred, preventing shipping a faulty unit to a customer. It was no longer the primary solution to a much deeper problem.

Remember the Five Why’s when troubleshooting. Don’t stop until you have a identified (or at least hypothesized) a root cause.

P.S. A wise colleague once said “If you fix a problem but don’t know why, it will come back later and bring all of its friends.”

Join us for our next FREE monthly teleconference.
“Ask Daryl Anything About Consulting”
Register Here

© 2018, https:. All rights reserved.

Five Keys to a More Positive Outlook… This just seemed appropriate for the Thanksgiving season. 

• Be thankful. Research shows you can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time
• Focus on what you get to do each day — instead of what you have to do.
• Smile. It produces more serotonin in your brain.
• Exercise daily. It reduces stress and boosts positivity.
• Get more sleep. You and your body need it.

Source: Jon Gordon’s Weekly Newsletter (9/10/18) via Bob Bly

A belated Happy Thanksgiving to all! — Uncle Daryl

Join us for our next FREE monthly teleconference.
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Register Here

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Vendors and suppliers are part of your business team. Take care of them, and they will take care of you.

Too often businesses go for the lowest cost, delay payments, and generally abuse their vendors. And then they complain when they get in a pickle, and nobody wants to help them out. I’ve seen it, and I’ve been on the receiving end as a vendor myself.

Better to treat vendors with respect. This includes paying your invoices in a timely fashion — your vendors are not your personal bank. Here are some quick examples:

Printing company – A significant part of our consulting business was training, which we promoted by direct mail. We often printed 50,000+ mailing pieces each year. We also printed brochures and other sales collateral. We even self published two books.

All of these were projects done by the same printer for over 25 years, until I stopped doing public classes after my business partner died. We often had offers from other printers to do the job cheaper, but always declined. And we always paid their invoices right away.

Why? Because our printer was a valued part or our business team. More than once they bailed us out of a crisis. We knew we could depend on them, and they knew they could depend on us. Over the years, we even became good friends with the owners. It was a pleasure doing business together. (They are now successfully retired.)

Training company – Contrast the above with a company for whom we did contract training years ago. Invoices were often delayed for months, even though they had been paid in advance. It got so bad, we put them on payment in advance (a C-client.)

They eventually went bankrupt, stiffing many other contract instructors along with several hotels. Needless to say, they did not recover. Nobody wanted to work with them again. The sad part is their materials were good, and they could have owned their training niche forever.

As an aside, I’ve done contract training for another firm for the last several years. They pay promptly and are a sincere pleasure to work with (an A-client.) They are successful, and pretty much own their training niche.

Two training companies — two vendor philosophies. One long gone years go —  one still successful after many years.  

Test laboratory – Not a client, but a colleague who started his business a few years after we did. He slowly grew his company, always taking care of his customers, employees, and vendors. As a result, he had a sterling reputation with reciprocated loyalty.

Although he started on a shoestring, he recently sold his company for many millions of dollars. Many times I’ve cited him as an example of how to build and run a business, and could not be more pleased with his success.

It is really pretty simple… just follow the Golden Rule! What goes around comes around. 

Join us for our next FREE monthly teleconference.
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When considering WHAT to consult about, you should also consider WHO you will serve. There are three general niches to consider:

• B2B – Business to business
• B2C – Business to consumer
• B2G – Business to government

Each niche calls for different business approaches. When starting out, it is best to focus on one of the three. You can always expand into the other niches later.

B2B – The realm of many technical specialists like engineers, and where I spent my consulting career. Our clients ranged from Fortune 100 companies to small firms. Most were designing and manufacturing technical products, and were experiencing EMI (electromagnetic interference) problems.

Problems ranged from product test failures to production line failures. A common denominator was pain, always a good motivator for calling in a consultant. Much like being a doctor or dentist 🙂

Marketing was outbound — writing magazine articles, speaking at conferences, networking through professional organizations. Credibility and visibility were key. The reach ranged from local to world-wide.

Sales were inbound — clients usually called requesting help. (No cold calls or knocking on doors to convince clients of a need.) Referrals were golden. 

Purchasing was via purchase orders or contracts. Since our consultations were typically a week or less, we used simple quotations or engagement letters. Simple contracts were used for longer projects.

Payment came from company funds, and may not have been officially budgeted.  But when the “cost of failure” was significant, money appeared.  

Our clients were typically Project Manager, Directors, or Engineering VPs, with appropriate purchasing authority. We rarely dealt directly with purchasing agents, or with the “C-Suite” so prized by management consulting firms.

B2C – The realm of many business specialists (accountants, lawyers, financial planners…) or personal specialists (coaches, counselors, personal trainers…) Clients are often individuals or small businesses.

Most clients are seeking brief help or experience they do not have themselves. It may be driven by pain, seeking improvements, or even fun (such as wedding planners.)

Marketing is often local — networking/speaking with civic groups, or writing local magazine/newspaper columns are effective. But thanks to the Internet, the reach is often expanded through blogs, Facebook, and on-line communities. Either way, high touch personal involvement is key.

Sales and purchasing are often simple (checks, credit cards, or PayPal.) Payment comes from personal funds, which often means smaller fees than B2B.

B2G – The realm of many larger consulting firms. Those working with the federal government are often referred to as “Beltway Bandits.” Nevertheless, there are opportunities for individual consultants if one understands and is willing to work with the bureaucracy.

After working many years in the defense industry, we elected not to pursue this niche. In our early days, however, we did pursue a state grant (which we won) and several federal SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) contracts (which we did not win.) I’ve known several consultants who built their practices around grants and SBIRs.

Marketing is highly dependent on networking. As such, it can work well for those leaving a government career (military or political) where one can leverage contacts and experience.

There are also publications (such as Commerce Business Daily) that list projects and RFPs (Requests for Proposal.) A word of caution – many are “wired” for preferred vendors. Not complaining — it is just the way it is.

Sales consists of submitting RFPs. In order to maintain fairness, there are strict rules and deadline for RFPs. If you are new to the game, you may want to partner with an experienced vendor or contractor.  Often times, small special efforts are sub-contracted.

Typical payment is via contract, which may be subject to audit. As such, you may need an accountant to assure compliance with government accounting rules.

Typical B2G clients are government agencies or branches of the military services. Your point of contact will be a program manager, unless you are working on a subcontract.

The choice of your business niche is personal – there is no right or wrong. While we were successful in the B2B niche, I know successful consultants in the B2C and B2G niches. Just choose carefully and wisely.

Join us for our next FREE monthly teleconference.
“Ask Daryl Anything About Consulting”
Register Here

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