I just heard last night about a California state proposal to begin to require companies to withhold three percent of all monies paid to 1099 independent contractors. MANY organizations are opposing this for the following reasons: Extra costs for local governments to enforce the withholding Extra costs for businesses to administer the withholding This is not incremental revenue for the state...just accelerated revenue These are some good reasons...but I have a few more … [Read more...]
Prepare for Abundance…Do a Resources Inventory!
February 14, 2010 By 1 Comment
Recently, in a spurt of ‘abundance thinking’, where I was convinced that 2010 is going to be a MUCH better year than 2009 (I can’t afford to think otherwise, can you?!), I decided to do an inventory of people/resources I can turn to when my workload is too heavy to do it all myself. Like many fellow consultants, I can perform every function needed to support most client projects myself, but have found it very wise to outsource certain portions of my research projects when I have a heavy … [Read more...]
Grow Your Consulting Business With Change
December 14, 2008 By 5 Comments
"If you're not moving forward, you're moving backward." I can't locate the originator of that quote; it's been attributed to a few people. Nonetheless, consider this for a moment. There are new start-ups every day—businesses that are bringing new, different and improved services and products to the market. Have you checked on your competition lately, or asked your clients how they feel about your offerings? If you don't want to lose your clients to the competition, you need to routinely … [Read more...]
Should I Become a Consultant: Part III
October 8, 2008 By Leave a Comment
In Parts I and II of "Should I Become a Consultant," the focus was on already-established professionals who were contemplating making the jump from corporate to consulting. If you're a new college grad, the question takes on a whole new dimension. I recently asked the WIC Community List members the following question, "I'm a new college graduate, and I'm thinking of going into consulting. What would you advise?" About 20 WIC consultants replied. Here's a summary of their advice … [Read more...]
Should I Become a Consultant: Part II
October 8, 2008 By Leave a Comment
In Part I of "Should I Become a Consultant," I wrote about understanding what a consultant's life really involves, exploring the waters a bit, answering the question about whether the entrepreneurial life is right for you, and researching the field that interests you, whether its marketing, management, sales, or some other field. Next, research specific areas and ways you can help clients. What Problems Can You Solve Well? Think about the types of problems you want to solve, the … [Read more...]
Should I Become a Consultant: Part I
October 8, 2008 By 1 Comment
With the current economic uncertainty, more and more people will likely be contemplating a consulting career. Odds are, if you're reading this blog, either you know someone who's entertaining the idea or you, yourself, are considering making the move. So, what's the first step in deciding to become a consultant? Start asking questions. Understand what's involved. Explore your options. Some may think it's easy to start, manage, and grow a consulting practice, while others may be frightened by … [Read more...]
How Do I Get New Consulting Assignments
October 6, 2008 By Leave a Comment
I'm asked this frequently: I'm new to consulting. I've got a lot of experience in my field, and I know I can be a good consultant, but I don't know where to go to find consulting assignments. There are four key things you should have to get consulting assignments: People need to know you're out there and available to them Your services have to fit a client's need You need to provide good value for what you offer Potential clients need to feel confident in hiring you In other … [Read more...]
