secrets to a successful consulting business

Are you earning what you’re worth? Take the quiz.

September 1, 2011 By Michelle Gouldsberry Leave a Comment

It's probably safe to say that most of us would like to boost our incomes. How do you do that without burning yourself out? How do you break the income barrier, especially when the economy is poor, unemployment is high, there are many consultants competing for the same business, and clients are trimming budgets? Perhaps you've wondered why some consultants maintain high incomes in good times and challenging ones. Take this simple quiz developed by Linda Popky, a million-dollar consultant … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Consulting Training and Education, Running a Consulting Business Tagged With: client-focused business approach, consulting, Growing a Consulting Business, income, pricing, secrets to a successful consulting business

Dealing with Personal Issues or the Blues? 3 Ways to Ensure We Can Still be Effective for Our Clients

July 14, 2011 By Melody Appleton 2 Comments

We develop coping skills early in our lives. Some of these coping skills may be effective in our adult working lives, but in some cases, we may need to develop new skills for dealing with personal issues while still producing at work. This is particularly true for consultants. In the corporate world we may be able to close our office door for the day, or work from home. We can choose mundane things to work on like clearing out our email or organizing our files. But as consultants, we don’t … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Running a Consulting Business Tagged With: secrets to a successful consulting business, work-life balance

The Five P’s: An Alternate Approach to Time Management

June 30, 2011 By Stacey Vulakh 1 Comment

The concept of time management remains an enigma for many and it’s understandable. On any given day, we start with 24 hours and within that time-frame process through personal and professional needs, tasks, projects, responsibilities, priorities, and everything else. There are days when we feel very accomplished and others when we feel completely defeated. It can be a continuous see-saw of productivity versus ineffectiveness. Rather than monitor the minutes and attempt to control every … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Running a Consulting Business Tagged With: productivity, Running a Consulting Business, secrets to a successful consulting business, Women in Business, women in consulting, work-life balance

Put Your Luck Charm to Work for Your Business

June 28, 2011 By Angel Rampy Leave a Comment

Mysticism is something we scarcely associate with business. However, I believe that some part of us wants to be optimistic even if it takes ‘something’ to remind us of the magic that is inside us. I was wearing a pin the other day that was of a gold pig flying over very tall buildings. A client questioned me about it “Hey Angel, what’s that pin all about?” I replied It reminds me that if pigs can fly –so can I. It’s a good luck charm that I use when I have to remind myself … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Running a Consulting Business Tagged With: secrets to a successful consulting business, Top Consulting Tips, Women in Business

Selecting the Right Consultant – How Do Companies Decide?

April 5, 2011 By Deb McClanahan Leave a Comment

Best Practice lessons from the employment arena Companies usually put a lot more effort into hiring employees than they do into hiring consultants. Larger companies actually have a standard selection process for hiring employees – this includes gates like: -- a completed application and reference checks, -- 2 levels of management signing off on the new hire, -- the same people interview all candidates for a given position, -- standard interview reviews and feedback These are all examples … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Running a Consulting Business Tagged With: consultant, consulting, consulting business, consulting career, secrets to a successful consulting business, Top Consulting Tips

The Importance of Pricing Power For Your Consulting Service

March 31, 2011 By Robin Pieracci Leave a Comment

Powerful Advice from Warren Buffet and Seth Godin Two very influential people have recently commented on the power of pricing. Warren Buffet said “The single most important decision in evaluating a business is pricing power” and Seth Godin said "the goal, no matter what you sell, is to be seen as irreplaceable, essential and priceless. If you are all three, then you have pricing power." Pricing professionals like me find it exciting to see pricing in the headlines. There have been … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Running a Consulting Business Tagged With: consulting business, pricing, secrets to a successful consulting business, setting pricing

Consulting Tip: Carry Your Own Baggage and No One Else’s

February 26, 2011 By Avery Horzewski 4 Comments

I used to be an owner. If someone reacted negatively to a situation or an exchange, I owned their reaction. I focused on it, internalized it, and wouldn’t let it go. What an energy drain that was – and a total waste of time. I knew the only thing I could control in any given situation was my own actions and reactions, but did that stop me from owning the person’s negative response? Nope. And if you would have asked me anytime last year if I thought I’d ever be able to relinquish … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Top Consulting Tips Tagged With: client management, secrets to a successful consulting business, Top Consulting Tips, work-life balance

Oh a-huntin’ we will go!

October 19, 2010 By Deborah Hoard 2 Comments

Join us on Thursday night, 10/21, at the WIC general meeting for a fun scavenger hunt. From 6:00 - 6:30pm, you can team with two of your friends to seek answers hidden around the room to some tough questions for a chance to win some prizes. Along the way, you'll learn more about WIC and the pro bono experience. Make sure to stop by the Pro Bono table to learn about the many opportunities to power your business growth by becoming a pro bono team member in 2011. Then stay to learn to how to grow … [Read more...]

Filed Under: WIC News Tagged With: Growing a Consulting Business, scavenger hunt, secrets to a successful consulting business, Top Consulting Tips, women in consulting

Prepare for Abundance…Do a Resources Inventory!

February 14, 2010 By Jen Berkley Jackson 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...]

Filed Under: Running a Consulting Business, Top Consulting Tips, Women in Business Tagged With: collaboration, consulting work, Growing a Consulting Business, organize, organized, resources, Running a Consulting Business, secrets to a successful consulting business, subcontractors, successful virtual teams, Top Consulting Tips

Jumpstart Your Business for 2010

November 19, 2009 By Deborah Hoard Leave a Comment

It seems that the recession is finally ending. But if you’re like me, my business took a beating and I have some major planning to do to be poised for opportunities in 2010. However, it seems so overwhelming to do it all by myself. Luckily, WIC has a workshop on December 1st that can help me – and you – be ready to take advantage of the business upswing. Seven experts are available to explore all aspects of our businesses, in a one-to-one setting, and help develop the best strategic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Consulting Training and Education Tagged With: consultant learning, consulting business, consulting business strategy, Consulting Training and Education, Growing a Consulting Business, Jumpstart your business for 2010, Running a Consulting Business, secrets to a successful consulting business, WIC workshop, women in consulting