Details

The New Business of Consulting

The Basics and Beyond
1. Aufl.

von: Elaine Biech
19,99 €
Verlag:	Wiley
Format:	PDF
Veröffentl.:	30.04.2019
ISBN/EAN:	9781119556923
Sprache:	englisch
Anzahl Seiten:	368

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Beschreibungen

Titelbeschreibung

Everything you ever wanted to know about consulting—a practical roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs Seismic changes occurring in the workforce are leading to more and more people entering the world of contract, freelance, and contingency work. Rapid changes in demographics and advances in technology have led companies and talent to engage in profoundly new ways and consulting is one of the keys to success. The New Business of Consulting is authentic and practical, and shares the knowledge and skills required to start and grow a successful consulting business. From how to make a smooth career transition, to how to determine a consulting fee, to how consultants inadvertently create a bad reputation, it covers everything you need to know to thrive and flourish in this competitive field. <ul> <li>Covers contemporary topics, such as how to achieve success in the gig economy</li> <li>Discloses a reliable technique to land the clients you want</li> <li>Presents options to help you balance your life and your business</li> <li>Prepares you for naming your business, managing critical financial issues, and building a client relationship</li> <li>Shows you how to take your income and impact beyond working as a solopreneur</li> </ul> The crucial start-up days of a consulting business may be frenetic and fraught with questions. This new edition provides sanity and answers all the questions. It includes practical tools, templates, and checklists that you can download and implement immediately.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Exhibits and the Companion Website xi Foreword xv Acknowledgments xix Introduction xxi One So You Want to Be a Consultant 1 What Is Consulting? 3 Why Consulting Now? 4 Four Ways to Get Started 10 Myths About Consulting 17 Realities and Rewards of Consulting 22 Just What Are You Getting Yourself Into? 23 For the Consummate Consultant 29 Two Talents and Tolerance 31 Your Skills for Success 33 Roles You May Play 40 Signs of a Mediocre Consultant 42 Your Personal Situation 43 Caution: Business Owner Ahead 45 Entrepreneurial Characteristics 45 For the Consummate Consultant 50 Three Dollars and Sense 51 How Much Income Do You Require? 52 How Much Should You Charge? 56 Selecting a Pricing Structure 64 Other Pricing Decisions 68 Other Charges 70 Fee Increases 71 Ethics of Pricing 73 Money Discussions 75 Value of a Guarantee 76 For the Consummate Consultant 77 Four Starting . . . 79 Why Some Start-Ups Succeed and So Many Fail 81 What’s in a Name? 82 Selecting an Accountant 86 Selecting a Legal Entity 87 A Business Plan to Guide You 89 Plan to Use Your Business Plan 95 Start-Up Costs 100 Finding Your Niche 102 Your Image Is Everything 105 Experiencing the Experience Maze 108 For the Consummate Consultant 113 Five . . . And Staying in Business 115 Marketing from Day One 117 Creating Your Marketing Plan 118 Using the Internet 128 Surprising but Practical Th oughts on Marketing 131 Tactics for Low-Budget Marketing 136 Contacting Potential Clients 141 Proposals Lead to Contracts 148 Why Would You Refuse an Assignment? 150 For the Consummate Consultant 151 Six The Cost of Doing Business 153 Keeping Records for Your Consulting Business 155 Watch Your Cash Flow 156 Track Your Expenses 164 Set Aside Petty Cash 172 Charge Your Client 175 Project Revenues 179 Deal with Bad Debts 179 Keep an Eye on Your Numbers 181 For the Consummate Consultant 186 Seven Building a Client Relationship 187 Relationships: It’s Why You’re in Business 189 The First Meeting 191 Four Phases of Building a Client-Consultant Partnership 193 Adding More Value 204 How Many Clients Do You Need? 211 How to Improve the Relationship Continuously 211 It’s the People 214 Maintain the Relationship Aft er the Project 215 Ensure Success 216 For the Consummate Consultant 218 Eight Growing Pains 219 Adding People 221 Growing Without Adding People 238 Expand Your Geographical Market 247 Doing Everything You Can to Grow Your Current Business 249 For the Consummate Consultant 253 Nine The Ethics of the Business 255 Consultant to Client 258 Consultant to Consultant 265 Client to Consultant 269 Parting Ethics Shots 270 For the Consummate Consultant 272 Ten Exude Professionalism 273 Competencies to Boost Your Consulting Success 275 Continuing to Learn 286 Balancing Your Life and Your Business 289 Managing Your Time 291 Giving Back 297 For the Consummate Consultant 299 Eleven Do You Still Want to Be a Consultant? 301 A Week in a Consultant’s Life 304 Visualizing Success 316 Taking Action 317 Get Ready, Get Set . . . 318 For the Consummate Consultant 324 Appendix 325 Helpful Resources and Links 325 Reading List 327 About the Author 331 Index 333

Autorenportrait

ELAINE BIECH is a dedicated lifelong learner who believes that excellence isn't optional. She has been consulting for more than 35 years helping global organizations and individuals reach their potential. Elaine has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Management Update, Investor's Business Daily, and Fortune. She has published more than 85 books, including Training and Development For Dummies, The New Consultant's Quick Start Guide, and the Washington Post #1 bestseller, The Art and Science of Training.

Back cover copy

PRAISE FOR THE NEW BUSINESS OF CONSULTING "Practical, compassionate, and a good alternative to an MBA." —Peter Block, author of Flawless Consulting "If you want to start a business—and stay in business—The New Business of Consulting is an essential read." —Daniel H. Pink, author of When, Drive, and Free Agent Nation "Is it time to start your own consulting business? Don't start without first reading Elaine Biech's??The New Business of Consulting.??The book, paired with her 35 years as a successful consultant, forms a perfect guide for your success." —Marshall Goldsmith, #1??New York Times??bestselling author of??Triggers, Mojo, and What Got You Here Won't Get You There Are you thinking about starting your own consulting business? More and more people are entering the world of contract, freelance, and contingency work. The days of lifetime employment, regular salary increases, generous benefits, and full pensions upon retirement are largely a thing of the past. The dream of being your own boss and charting your own path is more attainable than ever for those willing to pursue their passion and to do the work they love. The New Business of Consulting shares the skills and knowledge required to start and grow a successful and profitable consulting business. The specifics of your consulting are entirely up to you—if you have expertise that is in demand, it is relatively inexpensive and easy to break into consulting. Wherever your expertise lies, entrepreneurial skills are essential to your success. The initial days of your new endeavor may be hectic and riddled with questions. Elaine Biech provides the answers from creating your business plan and naming your business, to managing critical financial issues, as well as building client relationships and expanding your business. This book covers everything you need to know to thrive in this competitive field. Work with the people you choose, increase your sense of meaning and fulfillment in your professional life, control your time and commitments, and take charge of your own future.