Consultants get a bad rap. Some of it deserved. But the founders in this section are the real deal. People who’ve built consulting firms, advisory practices, and service businesses that actually deliver results. Not just slide decks. Results.
These interviews cover every flavor of consulting. Management consulting. Strategy. Operations. HR. Technology implementation. The kind of work where you walk into someone else’s mess and try to make it better, which requires a very specific combination of confidence and humility.
The founders here talk about how they built their practices from scratch. How they landed their first clients. How they price their services, which, if you’ve ever tried to price consulting, you know is more art than science. Also how they scale without burning out. That’s the question every consultant eventually faces.
You’ll find conversations about the shift from corporate to independent. Building a team versus staying solo. Niching down versus staying broad. The pros and cons of productizing services. And the constant challenge of doing the work while also finding the work. If you’re in consulting or thinking about it, these are people worth learning from.
[quote style=”boxed”]Learn, unlearn, and relearn as quickly as possible. And be honest — with yourself and everyone else.[/quote] Devon White consults and speaks professionally with individuals and companies on the…
[quote style=”boxed”]Well, the first way to effectively bring ideas to life is to limit them. If you’re like me, you probably have a million ideas. The first thing you need…
[quote style=”boxed”]Idea generation is not a solo process. My ideas come from talking with my team. Then, we bring them to our customers to get feedback.[/quote] Asha Saxena is the…
[quote style=”boxed”] I would hire people right from the beginning that are experts in their particular area as opposed to me trying to save a few bucks and wearing all…
[quote style=”boxed”]In fact, in my job it’s hugely more important to ask the right questions rather than have all the right answers. I’m an innately curious person. I’ve always asked,…
[quote style=”boxed”]I walk a lot. It clears the brain and helps me focus on core problems. I get off my shuttle a couple stops early to have more walking time….
[quote]Remember to practice what you preach.[/quote] Sue Bingham is the founder and principal of HPWP Consulting. She works closely with company leaders to analyze their organizations and facilitate the implementation…
[quote style=”boxed”]Always take time to reflect on the day or what’s to come. Some call it meditating or praying. However you label it, it’s during these quiet times that you…
[quote style=”boxed”]Timing my decision-making processes helps me be more productive. Often, decisions that can’t be made immediately are hard to time.[/quote] Andrew Fayad is the CEO and Managing Partner of…
Meet Andrew Fayad – CEO and Managing Partner of eLearning Mind
[quote style=”boxed”]Be a good listener and get involved in your community![/quote] Jason Grill has extensive experience in media relations, public affairs, public relations, government affairs, law and the media. He…
[quote style=”boxed”]I am willing to give anyone in my network that asks 5 minutes to help them make a quick introduction to someone else (if I can and it is…
[quote style=”boxed”]Knowing when someone else could do it better and they can deliver. It’s too easy to try and do everything yourself, but you’ve also got to make sure the…