Niches are a great strategy for small firms — particularly if you are just starting out. For consultants, the old business bromide “Find a need and fill it” could easily be replaced with “Find a niche and serve it.” So what is a niche, anyway? It is simply a narrow market segment. As a small […]
Writing articles can be a very effective lead generator. Not only do they provide visibility, but they also enhance your credibility. Having written or co-written over 200 technical articles, I’ve found this method to be fast, effective, and even fun. Besides, nothing quite like seeing your name in print to give you a little buzz […]
For my second resource review, I’ve selected Shenson on Consulting by the late Howard L. Shenson. For over 20 years (mid-1970s to mid-1990s) Howard Shenson wrote books, published newsletters, and conducted seminars that focused on beginning consultants. Before he suddenly passed away in 1994, he was known as the “consultant’s consultant.” Howard’s materials were based […]
Fishing for business… OK, let’s get started with the question that has most of you chomping at the bit. How do I get clients/customers, anyway? In simple terms, you need to find customers, and then sell to them. And if you are just starting out, nobody else is going to do it for you. Oops! […]
A retired engineer does the math… Every time I tell Karl’s story, it bring me joy. My engineering colleagues always love it, too. You see, when some big company bureaucrats (BCBs) tried to stick it to Karl, he struck back and won. Karl didn’t intend to consult. Nearing retirement, he alerted his company that it […]
How I handle my insurance … This post is a quick continuation of the previous post on insurance, as someone asked how I handle my personal insurance needs. My philosophy is to self-insure the small losses, and put the premium savings into higher coverage. As such, I carry larger deductibles than most subsidized policies, but […]
OK, I promised an occasional rant — here is my first… Less that a week ago, and less than 100 miles away in Tucson, AZ, a crazed gunman tried to assassinate a US Congresswoman. He failed, but he did kill six other innocent bystanders, including a beautiful nine year old girl. (As a grandpa, I […]
So what is it about insurance (particularly health insurance) that spooks so many people? After the Four Key Questions (a previous blog post), this is probably number five. The question is usually posed as, “So how do YOU handle insurance?” For many, this issue is a potential show-stopper from making the Jump to Consulting. It […]
Food for thought… In the middle of the depression, my grandfather started a new new career — selling hybrid seed corn out in Nebraska. As a farmer himself, he was excited about this new technology. Still, he was literally asking his fellow farmers to “bet the farm.” Even though he was now a salesman, he […]
Here is my first Resource Review. These include books, web sites, and other resources that you may find useful in your consulting quest. The initial plan is to do at least one of these a month. Since she was a catalyst for this blog, it is only appropriate to make Pam Slim’s Escape from Cubicle […]
Whenever someone gets curious about consulting, they usually end up asking one or more of what I call the “four key questions.” How Do You Get Your Clients? How Do You Set Your Fees? How Do You Decide What To Consult About? How Do I Get Started In Consulting? 1. How do you get your […]
Here is my first anecdote. These are little gems that I’ve picked up over the years, along with musings and other random thoughts. I’ll be sprinkling these in the blog on an occasional basis. I hope you enjoy them. I first met Marv (his real name) when I was with a small company trying to […]
Consultants come in may flavors… To add to the confusion, not everyone calls them self a consultant — many refer to themselves as coaches, counselors, or contractors. So what is the difference, anyway? And do the differences really matter? In a broad sense, all of the above are “consultants,” providing advice and guidance for a […]
Consulting Success Stories will be sprinkled throughout the blog, so we can learn from others how they achieved their success. These are tales of those who have succeeded at consulting (or small business in general.) Many are acquaintances, but feel free to send me your stories too. This is one of my personal favorites. Here is […]
Welcome to the inaugural entry in my blog! Let’s start at the beginning — just what is a consultant, anyway? If we asked fifty people this question, we’d probably get fifty or more answers, and they would all be good. Webster defines a consultant as “an expert who is called on for professional or technical […]
Welcome to my blog… This is a blog about how to start, build, and operate a small consulting practice. It is aimed at those who may be considering consulting as a part time or full time venture, although existing consultants may find it useful too. The goal is to share ideas and experiences, and to help […]
