Here is the synopsis of a recent e-mail exchange from a JTC candidate that you may find of interest. I’ve edited it and sanitized it (personal information is left out), but I’m sure C will recognize herself. Hi Daryl, I came to your website from Mister Money Mustache, and I’ve decided to throw my hat […]
This is a true story. Not even the names have been changed… Mary (my wife) was at the beauty shop, getting her hair done. She couldn’t help hearing the conversation in the next chair. The discussion centered around the new boy friend of the customer’s niece. Here is a summary of the exchanges: Hairdresser – […]
With apologies to David Letterman… 10 – MONEY – Can lead to Financial Independence. It ultimately did for me. 9 – PLACE – Choose your own work location. Worked out of my home for the past 30+ years, and must say I really enjoy the commute. The view from the patio is nice too. 8 […]
Consulting isn’t just about expertise — it is also about relationships. What better way to build those relationships than through networking? Networking isn’t just for consultants. It is something you should do regardless of your career. As the old saying goes, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” True for finding new jobs… […]
In celebration of Engineer’s Week, February 17-23, 2013… You could not… Drive to work… cook a pot roast… bake bread… take a shower… watch television… make toast… brew coffee… mow the lawn… call your mother… be cool in the summer… wash you clothes… play computer games… listen to your stereo… ride your bike… videotape a […]
As part of my commitment to get off my butt and write my book on consulting, I attended the Indie Author Publishing Conference this weekend in Phoenix. Over 120 authors and prospective authors heard from several panels of experts that included book editors, agents, publishers, legal experts, and more. The focus was on the business […]
Directories should be a part of every consultant’s marketing strategies. The secret is to be listed in the right directories – those used by potential clients. So give some thought to where you might look to find someone like yourself. Most directories provide search capabilities (expertise, location…), so consider your search categories. If you don’t […]
Recently ran across this web site and newsletter, and wanted to share it here. In addition to being a useful resource, it is also a delightful success story. In 2000, Michael Katz launched Blue Penguin Development, a one man firm that teaches professional service providers how to position themselves as “likeable experts.” Much of his […]
I’m living proof. No MBA, and in fact, I’m an MBA dropout. But more on that later. This post was precipitated by a post by Martin Zwilling at Startup Professional Musings, where Martin discusses the pros and cons of an MBA for entrepreneurs. His advice is right in the title – Don’t Delay Your First […]
Boomers and geeks take note! Close to retirement, and wondering about consulting? My long time friend Don shows you a way. Fresh out of engineering school, Don and I worked together in the late 1960’s at Collins Radio. In addition to both being EEs (Electrical Engineers), we shared a common interest in amateur (ham) radio […]
Not my favorite approach, but when times are desperate… I’m with luminaries like Alan Weiss, Howard Shenson, and Perry Marshal on this method. Much better to have potential clients call you, rather than the other way around. As Shenson once said, your marketing goal should be have clients clamoring for you. Think about it. As […]
The tough part is making it a success. Recently ran across a blog post on business startups. The author suggested consulting, since it was so easy that anybody could do it. Of course, the author had never started and run a full time consulting practice himself. Go figure. So, time for a short rant… But […]
Another year has gone by, and once again it is time to reflect. Got this idea from Chris Gullibeau of The Art of Nonconformity. He does this each year, and last year challenged others to do the same. Great idea! Once again, I’ll review three categories: JumpToConsulting (www.jumptoconsulting.com) EMI-GURU aka Kimmel Gerke Associates, Ltd. (www.emiguru.com) […]
Merry Christmas, from our family to yours! Thanks for your support, and for just riding along. Hope you will join us 2013. Peace — Daryl & Mary © 2012, https:. All rights reserved.
This post was written in response to a troll. Did not post his comment, but he did inspire this little missive. Did you ever notice that there are no statues for critics? President have them. Statesmen have them. Military heroes have them. Even business leaders have them. But NOT critics. Hmmm… there must be a […]
If you like teaching (Lead Generator #11), you may consider developing and presenting your own materials. Due to the considerable start up efforts, however, I don’t recommend this for brand new consultants. Other marketing methods usually provide faster results with less work and money. This is an excellent method to consider, however, after you become […]
I once posed that question to an attorney, about the time we were starting out in consulting. I knew this was not going to be an overnight success, but was curious about what to expect. The attorney had run his own small practice for many years, so I figured he was a good person to […]
To share, or not to share – that is the question. (With my apologies to William Shakespeare.) Two schools of thought. One says YES, the other NO. (You say tom-A-to, I say tom-AH-to.) Who is right? Well, it depends — on you and your overall objectives. NO to free advice. As Abraham Lincoln said, “A […]
When making several career changes (including my own Jump to Consulting), I often justified my actions with “Well, I don’t want to wake up one morning and discover that I am 60 years old, and I never did that…” Well, I’m now past 60, and guess what — I am damn glad I took those […]
Two bank accounts — financial and experience… Can’t remember where I first heard this story, so I can’t credit the original author. But I found the idea so compelling I wanted to share my version here. Once upon a time, there were two consultants, John and Bob. Both had unique expertise of value to clients. […]
