Become a Consultant

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One of the options available in your business is to take your valuable expertise and step into the role of a consultant.

Being a consultant is essentially taking what you know and appropriately applying it to the client’s situation to give informed advice.

When I work with a client to build revenue in their business, or even to determine what business they want to start, I always turn the process at some point to leverage.

The idea of leverage is pretty simple: how do you make use of what and who you already know? In the context of skills and experience, what is it in that mix that you can utilize for your and your business’ best advantage?

One way to do that is to become a consultant.

You may already have built a lot of expertise in your career. Any job you have ever had has allowed you to learn and to apply what you know.

When you have developed a broad perspective, by multiple roles within an organization or by moving to different organizations, and also by extensive experience, either by years or by variety, you bring a unique perspective.

That background is a good foundation to the consultant role.

If you have an interest in teaching and giving advice, and either have or want to develop the confidence to do so, you may be able to work as an independent consultant.

If you are someone who has worked in the corporate setting for years, even if you are ready to retire from that environment, you may well have the capacity to take on this role. You can build an entire business around it.

Consulting back to your former corporate colleagues also has the added benefit of being well compensated. Like any business, as long as you add value, you can continue to grow your business in that role.

Being a consultant requires a high level of people skills. Relationships are part of the consulting process, both in terms of obtaining and delivering necessary information and advice. One of the challenges in consulting is that you have no direct authority, yet you want people to listen to your advice and act. Something is demanded of you in those relationships: to know yourself and be authentic.

That place of authenticity is the perfect place to come from to enact another aspect of a consultant’s role: to influence. When people know that you are real, that you are being present to them and their situation, your power to influence greatly expands.

Like any good teacher, part of your role as a consultant is to build your client’s capacity to make assessments and answer their questions on their own. You’re teaching them how to eventually become independent of your advice.

Consulting is a way to be helpful, to show others a way through their challenges. It is a way to use what you know to make things easier for others.

Peter Block, the guru of consulting, once wrote: “Consulting at its best is an act of love”.

What an amazing way to be in your work. Will it be your way?

How Consultancy Can Be Developed

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A successful product must connect with the personal values of customers. Consultancy services are no different. A consultancy product experience includes both the expression of the product and the interaction with the product. Clients are looking for three basic things from a consultancy product that will improve their business:

  1. Is the product useful, does it enhance some activity, or allow them to accomplish an activity that is important to them?
  2. Is the product easy to use and does it stay consistent in use throughout the expected life of the product?
  3. Is the product desirable?

Does the consultancy product respond to who the customer is as a person and compliment how he or she wants to project themselves to others?

For example, a car is useful if it allows you to get from one place to another whenever you want. Some cars are easier to use than others; some have controls and settings that are easier to adjust to particular sizes and preferences. If you owned a Mini in the past, you may desire to relive that experience in the present. If you have a large family, then a SUV is more desirable than a sports car. If you have disposable income and can afford an extra car, you may desire a sports car just for the driving experience.

The same issues exist in complex consultancy products. Consultancy products tend to be built around each individual consultant’s core skills, interests and passions, but it is still important to ensure that the client’s needs, abilities and desires are taken on board. Ensuring that there is a willing market for consultancy services is just part of the challenge here. More importantly we need to ensure that our consultancy products are sustainable. The consultancy product needs to satisfy a client’s key corporate objective (KCO). It also needs to be simple and easy to use. Too many experienced consultants fall into the trap of trying to confuse clients in order to convince them that they have knowledge worth buying. In reality very few people buy things that they do not understand. If they do then they will certainly not retain the service for very long. Think of any good software for example. We not only have to need it, but it must be relatively easy to use.

Clients also need to desire the consultancy product. This may not be so easy to understand. We can all relate to desirable products such as automobiles, vacations, houses and luxury accessories because they all focus upon dreams. Well the fact remains that so do simple products. Starbucks doesn’t just sell coffee. They sell a community experience. How many products can you think of, which on the face of it do not appear very desirable, but which happen to be promoted by using passion, sex, dreams, exclusivity, importance, a feeling of belonging, or success?

A good consultancy product not only does its job, it also engages a client’s employees in a desirable way. The way in which a consultancy service achieves this goal is always obvious when services are developed with their intended markets. You see what clients respond to throughout each stage of the service process. You see what excites them, what motivates them, what they believe in, what makes them feel achievement and what makes them feel reward. Developing a consultancy product in isolation is subsequently a worthless and reactive way of doing things. This is why at the Academy of Business Strategy new consultancy products are always developed with their intended markets before being launched. It is what provides students and clients with confidence and belief in the consultancy products which are being developed. Innovative consultancy products are born out of an innovative product development process.

Why Are Consultations Important?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

There are hundreds of reasons to run a consultation. Here’s just a few:

  • To seek the opinion and views of staff or key stakeholders against a proposed change in working practice or hours
  • To see what users think of a particular service, activity or building
  • To find out how the local public feel about a change within their area
  • To find out how the local public feel about a proposed or possible change that could take place within their area
  • To see if a new service proposal or business idea is viable within a particular area

So, as you can see, the majority of consultations that take place are led by companies or businesses within the public and private sectors alike. And they are run as a means of determining how a particular audience feels about an idea, a service or a change.

Consultations can be cumbersome things to organise. If you are going to run a consultation you have to determine who the audience is going to be, how that particular audience will be able to access information about the consultation, how you are going to be able to communicate with the audience and importantly how the audience is going to communicate their views back across to you. Then there is the collation of all of the consultation feedback, and of course the decisions that fall out of the consultation then need to be made. This can be particularly difficult if the opinions expressed throughout the consultation do not match the opinions that you had anticipated would be expressed. And finally, you’ll then need to find a way to re-communicate your determined action back to all participants, based on the outcome of the consultation.

So, yes, consultations are time consuming to organise and to run. But they are hugely important and so are usually well worth the time and money you invest into hosting one. Some of the key benefits that come out of running a consultation are listed here:

  • You can avoid making big financial and service design errors. By consulting with potential customers you can ascertain what they do and don’t like, want and need, and thus can then ensure that any new business you pull together or any amendments to your current business or service you choose to make is in line with real need and desire.
  • It helps individuals feel valued. Whether it be staff, customers, clients or the general public, if individuals are made to feel as if they are valued and their views are valued and considered, regardless of the outcome of the consultation you are bound to increase the respect they hold for you.
  • There is a moral or governed requirement. For some issues, such as work place restructures or redundancies or changes that are likely to be made to public services, there is a governed or legal requirement to lead some form of consultation with any individual who may be affected by these changes. Thus, if you are concerned that your consultation falls into this bracket, it is always better to run the consultation than to skip over it and hope for the best.

The Benefits Of Obtaining Services From A Business Development Consulting Firm

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When first starting a new business, there is much to be taken into consideration. A person will need a good business plan that includes effective marketing strategies, an assortment of financing options and more. To help with the creation of a business, it can be very helpful to obtain services from a professional business development consulting firm. This type of firm can do much more than a get a new business up and running, it can also help it to flourish.

What Do Business Development Consultants Do?

Business development consultants are usually self-employed or they work for a consulting firm. Their overall main goal is to aid new business owners with a wide variety of development tasks. From client development to angel investors, they will have expertise knowledge in many areas. Many company owners turn to the assistance of such consultants because they need help with marketing plans. These types of consultants understand that owners have an assortment of challenges that must be overcome, especially during the beginning stages of opening a business. The consultants can tailor a plan to help over come any obstacles, helping enterprises to succeed in today’s competitive world.

Increased Web Presence

To reach a global audience, it is imperative that businesses promote their products and services using the Internet. A business consultant can help with Internet-related tasks. From content creation to correct image usage, there are many things such consultant can help with when it comes to maintaining professionalism on the Internet. More importantly, the consultant can help businesses with increasing their page ranks with major search engines.

Increased Lead Generation

Businesses that are continually working to identify effective leads will need to partner with a business development consultant. In doing this, the consultant will be able to help the business learn how to generate leads on a consistent basis. No matter the industry the company is operating in, the consultant will be of great assistance.

Development of Negotiation Skills

To effectively close deals, an owner and his or her employees need to understand the importance of developing top-notch negotiation skills. Business consultants can teach workers an abundance of negotiation skills, allowing them to close deals with a diverse range of consumers. Since every customer will be different, learning an assortment of negotiation skills will be necessary.

Development of a Good Brand

Every business needs its own brand. Without a brand, the company will not be easy to recognize within its own industry, and without being recognized, the business will be likely to go under. Business consultants can help companies with the creation of noticeable and effective brands. Doing this involves the creation of a good business name, an eye-catching logo and an easy-to-remember slogan. Business consultants know the common mistakes that firms usually employ when it comes to creating a brand, so these professionals can help those avoid such costly issues.

No matter how small or large a business may be, it should not forget the importance of obtaining services from an experienced business development consulting firm. Services from this type of firm can be obtained for an affordable price, and better yet, the services oftentimes come with some type of guarantee.

Home Business Blueprint: Tips That Create Success For Your Home Business Blueprint

About forty to fifty years ago, a lot the family homes looked the same. The father went to work from 9 to 5, the mother stayed home all day, cooking dinner, while the kids went off to school, came home and completed their homework before supper time. As you know, today is a whole new world. Today, women, moms and wives work… and the standard working hours are not 9 to 5 anymore. Today, there is more stress, more work and more costs associated with living our everyday. These are only a few of the reasons as to why the home business industry revolution is sky-rocketing. There are several words of advice in navigating through the treacherous home business blueprint.
Women have taken the proverbial “bull by the horns” within the home based business revolution. Company’s like Rodan & Fields and Nerium have created an enormous business opportunity for women to not only create additional cash, but to catapult their family into financial freedom. Men have taken notice and joined the home based business club, moonlighting at night, so they can create additional funds for their families. Whether you are a mom, dad, or single, you need to adhere to the home business blueprint.

1. Do You Like It? When looking for a home business, the biggest question people ask is “what’s my income”? This is most definitely an important aspect of a home based business—I mean, that’s why we’re working, right? You also need to consider if this business is meant for you. Is this fun? Do I like the product or service? Personally, being a 34 year old male, I am not interested in beauty products… I’m more of a sports or travel guy. Pick something that is right for you and pick something that you will really love within your home business blueprint.

2. Is This A Scam? Always, always, ALWAYS do your research. The internet is huge…and I mean really huge. Enormous. There are plenty of great things you can find on the internet. You can also get yourself into a lot of TERRIBLE things. Scams and people trying to take advantage of you are everywhere you look. If you come across a potential opportunity, check out the company and the person that is recruiting you. Ask the right questions and make sure to confirm everything in writing before you make any decisions—this will be a big first step when embarking on your home business blueprint.

3. The Dubya, Dubya, Dubya The Internet is THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL for home based businesses. There wouldn’t be a home based business industry without the internet. With Internet, you can do everything and anything, from anywhere. You can work virtually from anywhere. With two main elements of Internet –email and websites, you can interact locally and internationally and correspond with others, instantly. The internet will be required for anything and everything as you progress through your home business blueprint.

4. Uh Yea, We’re Gonna Need Some Backup, Over Whether you’re trying to start your home based business full time or part time, you are going to need someone to help. If you are a mom or dad wanting to do this part time, you are going to need someone to watch the kids while you focus your efforts at night. If you are a recent college graduate, you are going to need the funds to at least house you, a computer and a phone right off the bat. Depending on how fast you pick things up and how hard you work, people start generating those residual incomes within the first months of your home business blueprint.

5. It’s Your Baby, So Take Care of It! This is a business and your business needs your attention. Treat this like any other entrepreneur starting a brand new business. How fast and how far you go is ultimately up to YOU. It takes hard work, persistence and a little creativity. The harder you put all of those things together, the faster you will ascend to financial freedom. Make sure to keep up with the recent trends in the industry and ADAPT when needed. Look, the concept of this industry is extremely easy. Anyone can do this. It just takes hard work and the will to succeed with your home business blueprint.

There are a lot of things you need to consider when deciding to take the plunge into the home based business industry. The most important things are that you work hard and continue to persevere. Like any business, you are going to have your ups and downs, but just stay positive and stay motivated. If you can weather the storms of life, you will ultimately reach the financial freedom you have been looking for on your journey through the home business blueprint.

Home Business Blueprint: The Building Blocks When Starting Your Home Business Blueprint

We have all been there… trying to figure out the best ways to get ahead. We are always in search of the next “big thing”…We are constantly trying to find that edge that can separate us from the competition. Why do some people achieve elite success and others, well, others just flounder? There are specific steps we all must do in order to stand high and mighty, on top of that hill. These can and will create a tremendous foundation for anyone navigating through their home business blueprint: 1. Brand Yourself! The biggest challenge when starting your home based business is understanding that you must create & cultivate a brand…a brand of YOU! When I first started my home business (and had no idea of what the industry entails), I figured I could be that guy behind my computer, growing my business without anyone knowing me. That could not be further from the truth! Set up a Facebook page, a Twitter account, Google Plus, LinkedIn and start a website with YOU as the focus. People want to know who and what you stand for—the faster you can build your brand, the faster you will ascend within your home business blueprint. 2. Expose Yourself (Don’t Worry—it’s not what you think!) While cultivating your home business in the early stages, you have to know what works, what doesn’t and where to find this information. Like any business, you need to immerse yourself in as much information in as many places as possible. The more you know, the more you succeed. If you need to read “Home Business for Dummies”, don’t be ashamed—DO IT! Sign up for various social media sites and become familiar with how they work. Read articles from every type of business within the Home Business industry…read about the people that have succeeded…and failed. Learning about this industry is a necessity with the home business blueprint. 3. Show Me the Money…I mean, Show Me How Good YOU Are! Obviously, developing and growing your home based business is going to take some time… you will be slow, things may not look all that great, and you are going to stumble and fall a few times. As you grow, gaining more confidence and understanding the concept of what you are trying to do, you need to exhibit how great you are. What that means is, make everything that resembles you—your webpage, your articles, your blog posts, your pictures, everything needs to show professionalism. Why? Because that’s what people first see, when they come across your profile or name. No one is going to click on your information or want to know more, if it doesn’t look like you know what you’re doing and have some experience. This will constantly be changing as you trek through the home business blueprint. 4. Get in a Relationship….Hundreds of Thousands of Relationships! Business is all about people. Period. It doesn’t matter if you own a convenience store or a rental car company, it’s all about creating relationships. Relationships with your customers. Relationships with your vendors. Relationships with your colleagues. People buy from people. Growing your network of relationships is no different with your home based business. You do this through your “brand” and what you are showing people on the web. Join forums and Facebook groups to meet new people and learn about what they have achieved with their business. Creating a large, quality network of relationships is a major component of the home business blueprint. 5. Find the Best of the Best The home based business industry has been around a long, long time. A great way to find solutions to problems, information on a specific company or product or just flat out see how that guy is making Seven Figures of residual income every year(!!) is to find out who’s the best in the industry. Who are they? Where did they come from and how did they get there? What are they doing now? The reason this industry is booming is because of the enormous opportunity—so find out who does it best and mimic them! These leaders are the ones that laid the groundwork for the home business blueprint. 6. You Own a Business, So Act Like It! When I started my home based business, I thought this was going to be sooo much fun. I will get to play on Facebook at night, talk with people and then they will just send me their business all day long. Didn’t happen..and it doesn’t happen. This is a business and the sooner you realize this and take it seriously, the sooner you will succeed. People tend to not grasp this, because of the fact that there is a minimal to start a home based business, they already have a day job, etc. But, if you want to create your financial freedom in the home based business industry, you need to work at it—just like any other business. This is one of the bigger obstacles when people start with their home business blueprint. 7. Take the Bull By The Horns—and Make Sure Your Team Sees You Another huge attraction to the home based business industry is the thought that once we recruit a few new team members, we are good to go. You’ve already done your part, now just wait for your team to recruit more and you’re in hog heaven…right? WRONG. You need to work harder than everyone else and show your team this. This is not only a sign of a good leader within the home business industry, but this is how the great leaders act in all aspects of life. Work hard now and you will reap the rewards soon enough. Working hard will create exceptional team morale and it becomes contagious—something you will see during your home business blueprint. 8. Pay It Forward To piggy back on to the previous point, when you’re working hard, recruiting your new members, you also need to make time to help your existing team members. Not everyone has the same experience, knowledge and drive that you do. Motivate your team, role play with prospecting scripts, and give them tips on ways to improve their own brand. The coolest thing about the home based business industry is that everyone has to work together. If the people below me aren’t succeeding, I’m not succeeding. Helping them grow and create their business will exponentially help you and everyone else. This is the best aspect within the home business blueprint. There you have it, a few things everyone needs to know going forward with a new home based business. Believe me, it’s not ALL you need to know, but these tips should secure a solid foundation where you can start your journey. This industry is fun, but it does take hard work. All that hard work is totally worth it when you’re collecting on your 6 or 7 figure residual income a few months from now. One more thing: NEVER GIVE UP once your home business blueprint is set in motion!

Move into a 2 Bedroom Apartment, Move into Opportunity

You may think that because you are single or as part of a couple with no kids that having an extra second bedroom in your apartment is too much. However, there are many benefits to moving into a new place that has this extra space. Here are a few ideas that you can do with the extra space in 2 bedroom apartments in MN.
Bonus Room

What’s better than having a room that is entirely yours to just do whatever you want with it? Extra space is a great thing and having a bonus room to do with what you want is just that—a huge bonus. What most people use bonus rooms for is for entertainment purposes such as watching the game with your buddies, playing board games with friends on a Friday night, or shooting pool or playing foosball.

Dressing Room

Especially if you are a single person living on your own, then you may have the benefit of being able to spend a lot of your hard earned money on yourself. For many people, this means an extensive wardrobe and massive collections of accessories. What does a second bedroom have to do with this? Consider your very own dressing room with all of your clothes, shoes, and accessories laid out for you and easy to see. For an added perk, add a vanity and mirror so you can do all your morning preparations in one spot.

Guest Bedroom

You could always leave that second space as a guest bedroom for friends and family who come by to see you and need a place to stay. One of the benefits of having an extra space is that those family and friends who visit don’t have to leave right away. If weather is bad, they have the option of staying an extra night or two until the weather dies down. It also gives you and your guests an excuse to keep the party going a little bit longer without worrying about long drives home at night or after drinking.

Library or Reading Area

Few people have seen the classic Disney film “Beauty and the Beast” and not dreamed about having a library similar to the one in the Beast’s castle. It wouldn’t take any construction expertise or a lot of DIY effort to turn an apartment second bedroom into a library with wall to wall shelving and a reading nook in one corner.

Office Space

If you have been working from home for a while, then you probably know already that working from home sometimes is not all it was cracked up to be. When you are working from home, it is difficult to truly separate your work from your home so that you can compartmentalize your professional and personal lives into their own boxes. Not so when you have a second bedroom. It is easy when you have a second space available to focus on work when you need to and live in the rest of the house.

Studio

You probably have a hobby that could utilize some extra space. Consider making your second space in your apartment a studio for that hobby or even for a side job if your city code will allow it. Whether you have a talent or passion for photography, yoga, painting, or sculpture, turning the second bedroom in your apartment into a studio for your hobbies can really maximize the space available in your home and allow you a space to devote to your creativity.

For many couples and single people, the thought of living in 2 bedroom apartments in MN might seem like too much space. However, with some creativity, you can probably find something that you want to do with the extra space.

HOME BUSINESS BLUEPRINT: CREATING ADDITIONAL INCOME WITH IWRITER IN THE HOME BUSINESS BLUEPRINT

As you already know, the home based business industry is BOOMING! Aside from driving traffic and selling products or memberships, numerous of people earn their living working online by writing/providing content for individuals, organizations and so on. If you have writing skills and are fascinated with writing, you may be ready to rock ‘n’ roll, creating additional income, online. But, the most crucial element to writing—and the home business blueprint—is content. Content is one thing people always need for their website, product, and blog and for other reason. There are many ways you can use your writing skills to make money online and one of the great ways is to use iwriter as a source of income. Most of you may have heard of iwriter but for those who have not heard of it, check out the following information. iWriter is a broad content writing service that has a vast community of writers and publishers—and can be used in various ways within your home business blueprint. As a publisher, you can get articles written, blog content, website content, product descriptions, eBooks, article rewriting. As a content provider/writer you have the choice to pick from a wide range of projects that publishers have requested and make money from it. Earning as a writer you have to be discipline and always hardworking. Getting started with iwriter The first step in making money with them is to visit their website, iwriter.com and create an account as a writer. You should be doing this within your home business blueprint, whether your are writing or receiving content. To be a member not difficult for you only need to have an email and a PayPal account for payment and follow the instructions. You are paid based on the word count of the article you write. The more words you write, the more cash you make depending on the level you are. It has four levels which is standard/basic, premium, elite and elite plus. As a beginner, you will start as a standard writer. After over thirty ratings/reviews, you will become a premium writer. A rating of 4.5 after 30 reviews makes you an elite writer while a rating of more than 4.85 after over 30 reviews qualifies you to be an elite plus writer. The highest paid writers are elite plus writers while standard writers earn the least. To move from standard to a higher level without wasting time you can use the fast track program that requires you to have only 3 reviews and to do it; you will have to pay some money to achieve this which is optional. Sometimes, this is necessary as you progress within your home business blueprint. After writing and submitting your article, you have to wait for the client to approve or reject it. Spun or plagiarized articles are not approved on iwriter. Some articles are not approved and it is a major issue for many writers, well below are some tips on how your article can be approved. Some tips to increase the opportunity of getting your article approved • Before you start any of the job make sure you the read and follow the special instructions carefully given by the client. • Write a unique content. • Make sure the article is organized, readable and informative. • Make sure proofread your article and correct any error. If you discipline yourself to create a unique content and you did not break any rules, you will definitely make money through iwriter and start seeing progress within your home business blueprint. Chris Thompson currently resides in Mobile, Alabama and has been an entrepreneur & seasoned traveler for many years. Aside from his business, he is busy tending to his wife and three (3) children.

Home Business Blueprint: Weather the Storm & Overcome the Obstacles within the Home Business Bluepr

Home Business Blueprint: Weather the Storm & Overcome the Obstacles within the Home Business Blueprint You’ve done it. I’ve done it. We’ve all done it. Whether it’s New Years Day or just coming back from a long trip, we make a vow that we will start a new life. A new life where we change everything and begin to stop worrying, start producing and start living! But…then real life hits us square in the face. BOOM! We stall…get sidetracked and then our new “life” is put on the back burner until we “get around to it”. If you’re in search of a new home business blueprint, this article will illustrate the 7 major road blocks you need to overcome: 1. The Security Blanket. Ahh, this one is easy. It’s just so easy to stay in this “rut” because no matter what (knock on wood) that paycheck comes every two weeks. Hey, we all have bills to pay, so this makes a lot of sense. Job security is everyone’s excuse on why they wouldn’t invest in a new business or take the time to learn a new trade. But the reality is, as long as you keep doing the “status quo”, you’re still going to see the same results. In order to get ahead in the home business blueprint, you need to spend the extra time to make new endeavors happen. 2. Hypnotized in Routine. Abraham Lincoln once said “It is not the years in the life that matter, but the life in the years.” Most people do the same exact thing from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed. Don’t get me wrong, a productive and positive routine can be a great thing, but in order to get some new blood flowing, you need to switch things up every once in a while. Instead of getting up at 8:00am, wake up at 5:30am and watch a sunset… instead of taking your sack lunch to work, go to the best steakhouse in town and get a T Bone during lunch, instead of watching CIS: Philadelphia, read a self improvement book. Treat yourself, live “life”, and try to improve yourself all the time and any time you have the opportunity. You will start to learn new ways of solving problems, new opportunities you have never heard before and you will start thinking “outside the box”. 3. Naysayers. This is a BIG ONE. Have you ever heard the Mark Cuban’s and Warren Buffet’s of the business world say “Surround yourself with Great people”? Well, there’s a reason for that… great people are usually positive people and vice versa. When you fraternize with negative people all the time, it not only causes you to be negative, but it wears on you. Being around negative people makes me tired, annoyed and very unproductive. The best thing you can do is step away and start thinking, talking and living positive. This is a major step in the home business blueprint. 4. Motivation (or Lack Thereof). You can almost chalk this one up to the obstacle #3, but sometimes you are just not motivated to do anything. This happens to all of us at one point or another. I have been in sales my entire life and experienced a lack of motivation over and over. I have to constantly remind myself that giving up or taking my foot off the proverbial “pedal” is not an option. EVER. When you are in need of motivation, find something that moves you…whether it’s a song, a memory of the good times (or bad times), or your family, you need to find that special inspiration, grab it and use it. Lack of motivation can be dangerous, snowballing your life into major trouble within your home business blueprint. 5. Not Investing in YOU. The engine that generates your income is YOU. If you want to get of the rut, be your own boss and create a new life, you absolutely need to invest in you. Invest in learning. Invest in growing. Invest in trying to get better each and every day. Mentally and even physically, you need to create the time and invest in making yourself a better person. Don’t get too overwhelmed when you are taking on a new endeavor—learning and cultivating is a process and takes time. The adoption, recognition and execution of this step is the most important thing you can do in the home business blueprint. 6. The Story YOU Create: Everyone has a story. Everyone. The best way to discuss a new endeavor with someone is to make it personal. Be honest. Tell your story of where you were, how you started and how you arrived where you are today. A story that someone can relate to creates trust, thus a bond between the both of you. The home based business is all about helping the next person and paying it forward. Earning someone’s trust is crucial. A solid story is a huge step in the home business blueprint. 7. Pride and Ego. This is one is another “all of the above”. We all have an ego…whether it’s large or small, our ego’s can get in the way. Depending on where we are in life, our ego can be somewhat of a false compass… it can make us believe that we are in line for greatness… our ego’s can make us think “hey, as long as we stay the course, we will hit it big sooner or later”…it is our destiny! Ego’s can convince the mind that we are better than taking on another business endeavor or “I’m above that” mentality. The truth is, with that kind of thinking, you’ll never attain greatness. You may be happy staying the course and gaining little by little, year after year…. But, you will never achieve true financial freedom. Never achieving true time freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want. Not having to worry about the next paycheck, not having to worry about retirement, not having to worry about where you kids are going to school and just living life like everyone should: care-free and happy. I see it too many times where people accept mediocrity because they think they don’t need to get involved with another business. They are “fine” right where they are. You have to get past your ego and realize that there is something bigger than what you are doing and you need to have the dreams, goals and motivation to get there—and you can with a little hard work and persistence following the home business blueprint. Again, we all have these obstacles in our lives… it’s all a matter of believing in yourself and taking an honest look in the mirror. You have to be truthful of where you are now and realize you are capable of so much more. Anyone can achieve financial freedom and kick down the doors to success, but you have to be willing to put in the work and not fold when things get tough. Small storms and large storms will visit you frequently, but it all comes down to one thing when following the home business blueprint: NEVER GIVING UP! Chris Thompson currently resides in Mobile, Alabama and has been an entrepreneur & seasoned traveler for many years. Aside from his business, he is busy tending to his wife and three (3) children. Chris is a proud contributing author and writes on several subjects, including growing your own home based business in the travel industry. You can find out more about the exceptional business opportunities

Business Consulting Made Easy

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No matter how good a manager is at running his staff, completing his projects, operating his business and coming up with solutions to pressing problems, there will come a time when he would meet a challenge for which he does not have a solution. After all, nobody is perfect, people do commit mistakes, and information that may be current today will certainly become obsolete in the days to come.

It always pays to have a look at one’s business from a different perspective, preferably from the eyes of someone who is not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. Having someone else take a fresh look at how the business is run helps managers spot potential problems, existing problems, as well as ways to streamline operations to make them more efficient and productive. This is why many corporations hire business consultants.

Business consultants are supposed to be experts in their particular field. They may specialize on a specific aspect of business or a specific industry, such as management, finance, operations, human resources and development, research, et cetera. They may adhere to a particular business theory or principle and are certified to conduct trainings, workshops and consultancies. Business consultants are supposed to be more informed and more knowledgeable about certain approaches in business. At the very least, they can give new insight on how things can be done better at the office.

During crunch time or in times of crisis for the company, getting a business consultant to come and take a look at the way things are being run in the company may prove to be invaluable. It always helps to have someone look at any given situation with a different perspective. A stranger to the situation most of the time is able to spot what is being done wrong more easily than one who is firmly entrenched in it. A person who is firmly entrenched in a given problem may be too stressed out to see what may be obvious to some. Moreover, a stranger will be able to offer a more objective opinion than one who is from the inside.

Finding a good business consultant is not as hard as it may seem. If you regularly reads books on business and personal leadership, books such as those written by Stephen Covey, Peter Drucker, Brian Tracy, Dr. John C. Maxwell and Robert Kiyosaki, you would be aware that some of these authors started out as business consultants. Most likely, these authors still do consultancy work for large corporations.

Of course it may not be possible for you to hire the likes of such stellar experts to be regular business consultants for your company because they may charge hefty consultation fees. If these experts’ fees are too much for you, the least you can do is to make their books, podcasts and CDs available at your company’s library and start up a personal development program for your staff. You can make this program compulsory, done for around ten minutes a day, once or twice a week. Or you can book these experts for a seminar or a speaking engagement.

Another way of finding good business consultants is to search for them at online directories and search engines. Typing in a search query on your browser can turn up the websites of companies such as the IBM Global Business Services, FranklinCovey and many others. Choose a business consultant whom you think can address the current needs and concerns of the company.

Once you have chosen a particular business consultant, you can invite the consultant to come onsite, at your company’s premises, to go and have a look at the way things are being done at work. This look-through can last a few days and the consultant may ask for access to some company files and documents. You can also set up a meeting between the key members of your staff and the business consultant to discuss the current situation at work, the possible challenges and the possible solutions that can decisively deal with these challenges. You can hire the business consultant to come at the office on a regular basis to sit with you and your key staff at board meetings or annual planning events.

Of course, the business consultant does not need to be physically present at your office to conduct an evaluation. Perhaps a video conference can be set up between you and your business consultant so the two of you can have a candid talk about your concerns about your company. Your key staff members can also join in the video conference. Business meetings can be done online, after all, regardless of the location of the parties involved, thanks to video streaming technologies over the Internet.

As for details of your concerns that you would like your business consultant to look at, you can have your staff prepare flowcharts, PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, reports and other documents related to these concerns. You can even send the consultant copies of old records if you think that these documents are not confidential and are not too sensitive to be read by other people. So the consultant would know what he or she is looking at, an abstract or an executive summary should accompany this packet of documents. The packet can be emailed in case matters are urgent, to be followed by an express delivery of hard copy on the following day. If time is of the essence, make sure that your business consultant knows that there is a time pressure involved.

Hiring a business consultant is most of the time helpful in improving the productivity in the workplace. The business consultant can offer a different perspective on how operations and procedures can be streamlined and improved. In times of crisis, a business consultant may be able to present a solution that you and your staff may not have thought of.