Start your own Consultancy from scratch – practical tips

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So you really want to start your own Consultancy business from scratch !?

ppt1Here are some tips I hope will help:-

  • Identify your key skills – if you want to sell yourself as a Consultant the first thing you need to identify is the skills you possess which people will be willing to pay for. If you can’t do this don’t give up your day job.
  • Develop a Business Plan – don’t put it off because you can’t be bothered or don’t think it’s necessary. If you want people to take you seriously as a Business you need to start thinking like a Business.
  • Identify your target market – who are you going to sell your skills to ? – your current or former employer perhaps ? Former customers or suppliers, ex colleagues, business partners etc etc
  • Network – Develop your contacts, LinkedIn is great for this but don’t forget about your address book & business card collection.
  • Have a look at the Professional Contractors Group website www.pcg.org.uk – it has a fantastic free downloadable guide for freelancers/consultants.
  • If you still want to take the plunge this is perhaps the hardest step of all – You will need a MINIMUM of 6 months income in the bank before you start. Do not plan to earn anything from your Consultancy business for the first six months. If you really want to succeed with your own Consultancy business you will find this money. If you see this as too big a hurdle then sorry but Consultancy is not for you.

Look out for my new book “Start your own Consultancy – Now!”

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Why not start your own consultancy ?

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As Chairman Mao famously said “we live in interesting times”.

Office6Millions of people live in daily dread of redundancy, working longer & longer hours to appease the boss in an effort to avoid the dreaded 90 days notice interview and ultimate dismissal. I know, I’ve been there once or twice myself and it sucks!

However, there is an alternative, and that redundancy payment can provide a great springboard to a new successful and rewarding career.

Any professional person with a skill to sell can start their own consultancy business but it does need a set of personal attributes which not everyone has:-

  • Persistence – you will need this in abundance to generate leads and pursue opportunities.
  • Flexibility – are you willing to travel or work away from home.
  • Pick up things quickly – can you hit the ground running & “add value” from the start of any assignment.
  • Positive Outlook – do you let things grind you down or do you react by seeking solutions to problems.
  • Uncertainty – can you live with not knowing what you will be doing in 3 months ?
  • Outgoing personality – if you can get on with people from different backgrounds & talk to the cleaner as well as the CEO you will do well, if you are a shrinking violet who prefers staring at a computer screen all day you will fail.
  • Embrace Change – if you love ding different things in different places you will thrive. If you prefer the routine then consultancy is not for you.

For more practical advice on starting your own consultancy look out for my next post.

Extracts from my future book ” Start your own Consultancy….now!”

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What’s wrong with #Interim?….

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Rafael Benitez the current Chelsea F.C  Manager has been having a bit of a rant about his job title including “interim”.

But that’s exactly what he signed up to when he took the job!

Benitez was appointed Chelsea F.C Manager until the end of the season and that makes him an “interim”

Anyway, what’s wrong with that ? Those of us who are Professional Interim Managers by choice are proud of the fact. We provide an essential service in an increasingly fragmented economy where flexibility is a key factor for success and interim personnel are valued for the contribution they make.

Come on Rafa ! celebrate your interim status with pride.

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10 great #Leadership traits….#pmot

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All great Leaders share common traits, here are some of them:-

  1. Swim against the tide – if you want to be a great leader, don’t go with the flow. Great leaders invariably pursue their goals regardless of the opinion of the masses.
  2. Have a Vision – to be a leader you need to know where your headed.
  3. Be tenacious – strive for your goals & never give up.
  4. Maintain a sense of calm – no matter how bad things get, keep your cool (or at least look like you do!)
  5. Promote people who are cleverer than yourself – the great leader does not put his ego above success.
  6. Consult experts – it doesn’t matter how great you are, you can’t know everything.
  7. Achieve the impossible – don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done.
  8. Be Positive – always moving forward.
  9. See the big picture – rise above the situation.
  10. Learn from mistakes – don’t seek someone to blame.

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Who needs a #business plan ?

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Every Business needs a Business Plan.

It is commonly recognized that 4 out of 5 new start ups fail in the first 12 months and a key reason for this is a lack of a proper Business Plan. Your Business Plan is not just used to gain financial support (although this is obviously a key reason) but to act as a “roadmap” for the Business by which progress can be measured and tracked.

If you are starting a new business a comprehensive Business Plan is essential. If you want help with your Business Planning get in touch for a free consultation.
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Kingdom for a horse………………………………..#business

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As the horse-burger scandal sweeps the country people are turning away from mass produced convenience foods & the supermarket giants who sell them in droves.

Like the banks before them the manufacturers & distributors of this garbage will learn they neglect their ethics at their peril.

Trust is a fundamental part of business. Most people only allow themselves to be “ripped off” once and it is in the interest of all parties in a business arrangement to ensure that all participants get a piece of the cake.

In our daily business transactions we need to maintain an open & honest communication with all parts of our supply chain to ensure future business success.

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Success in Project Management by improving people skills #pmot

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Whatever type of Project you are Managing results will be improved by paying more attention to your people skills:-

  • Treat others as you would expect to be treated yourself – it’s so obvious but so easily neglected. When the pressure is on it’s even more important. Every word you say, every action you take needs to take into consideration the impact on the feelings of those around you. It sounds a bit ‘wet’ but if you consistently neglect the impact your actions have on others you will pay the price of poor Team performance and morale.
  • Communicate – keep the team informed by giving regular briefings and updates.
  • Don’t rely on email – it’s a great way of communicating complex information but terrible at conveying emotions.
  •  Face to Face – the most effective way of communicating. Sit down with your key team members at least once a week.
  • Leave the door open – always make yourself available for a private chat.
  • Make it fun – it’s all too easy to get bogged down in the bureaucracy of project management – keep a sense of humor & maintain a positive outlook.
  • Never criticize anyone in front of the Team – keep it for your one to one.
  • Open & Honest – personal communication should make your team members aware of your thoughts. This means telling people face to face what you think is good & what you think is bad. This requires you to listen openly without interrupting & being argumentative. Through this process your team will gain respect for your point of view & learn that you are a good listener.
  • Treat people equally – whether they are the cleaner or the CEO.

These issues will be further explored in my forthcoming book – ‘The Projectsguru guide to effective Project Management’
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10 tips to eliminate the blame culture…..#pmot…#leadership

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Changing a company culture is not an easy thing to do & the blame culture which is endemic to many organizations needs to be eliminated for innovation to thrive. Here are some tips to eliminate the blame culture:-

  • Adopt a leadership position by ignoring the accepted blame culture & practicing a solution based mind set.
  • Instead of asking who did what & why identify the steps required to move from the current position to the desired one.
  • Look to the future not the past, develop a vision of where you want the organization to be.
  • Ignore the jibes of others who try to lay the blame by focusing on the steps required to achieve the desired outcome.
  • Lead by example – people will begin to notice & copy positive behavior.
  •  Reward positive behavior with encouragement.
  • Deal with negative behavior by ignoring it.
  • Promote positive people within the organization at the expense of those who cannot change.
  • Forgive those who exhibit redemption.
  • Celebrate success & generate genuine teamwork.

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3D print your own brain………………………… #innovation

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Scientist’s in California are developing a fantastic new process utilizing revolutionary 3D printing techniques & laboratory grown brain matter.

Dr F Stein describes the process:-

” Human brain matter can be grown quite successfully in the laboratory from stem cells. This process can be accelerated using standard pressure cooking techniques which enables us to grow 1kg of pure brain matter in less than a week. This material is then fed into a 3D printer cartridge. A 3D Cat Scan image of the donors brain is then fed into the 3D printer program & an exact duplicate is then ‘printed’ layer by layer.”

“The next step of the process is to store the donors brain which may then be transplanted into her body at a later date; perhaps at the onset of any sign of brain disease”

This incredible innovation ranks alongside other 3D printing firsts like printing your own house, your own robot or your car.

Even Nokia have got in on the act by releasing templates so you can print your own phone cover.

It’s almost a license to print money – now there’s an idea !
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Buy British because it’s British ? #business

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There has been some debate in the Media recently about buying British products as a way of reducing the impact of the recession & preserving British jobs; so is this a good idea ?

We live in a Capitalist society (whether we like that or not) based on competition. The consumer has a free choice of which products to buy or not to buy & we tend to seek good value for money, regardless of origin. As a consequence we are pretty good at identifying products which deliver most “bang for the buck”.

In the 1970’s most of our Electronic products originated in Japan. Some people complained this wasn’t fair to British manufacturers but consumers continued to buy Japanese products because they were better quality and hence better value for money.

Now most of our electronic products are manufactured in China or Korea & people buy them because they are cheaper & better quality than their Japanese counterparts.

Jaguar Land Rover has been in the News recently because sales are up over 30% compared to last year, is this because these products are manufactured in Britain or because they are of exceptional quality and, though expensive, represent good value for money.

Over time products evolve and the companies which make them either grow – & their shareholders get richer or, if their products deteriorate the company shrinks, the shareholders lose money & eventually the company is bust.

So, in the long run, is the best way to preserve British jobs to buy inferior goods just because they are British or to buy the best value products whatever their origin & ensure quality increases & the fittest survive ?

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