| STARTING A NEW BUSINESS | | | | responsibilities and not sidetracked with other tasks, |
| When starting a new business, entrepreneurs | | | | your business will take off and allow you the |
| regularly face the moment when they realize | | | | freedom to enjoy being an entrepreneur. |
| something needs to be done and they just don’t | | | | THE CHANGING FIELD OF CONSULTING |
| know how to do it. We allow dentists to fix our | | | | Consultants are more and more often being viewed |
| teeth and mechanics fix our cars; so why do we | | | | as an investment in the growth potential of a |
| expect that when running a small business we can do | | | | company. They are given highly specific projects, |
| everything ourselves? The key to a successful | | | | engage in partnerships with their clients, develop |
| business is the ability of the owner to stop and think | | | | manageable processes, and are overall seen as a |
| and ask themselves, “What am I not capable of | | | | valuable resource. |
| not effectively doing myself?” By carefully | | | | THE CONSULTANT’S ROLE |
| selecting professionals to sustain core functions of | | | | Consulting assignments, whatever their nature, |
| your business, you will ensure things get done right | | | | regularly originate with a problem. The |
| the first time and allow you the freedom to do what | | | | consultant’s client realizes that there is a problem |
| you do best. | | | | and for whatever reason they lack the specific skills |
| Your mission as a business owner is to decide what | | | | or staff to address it. The consultant, in conjunction |
| you do best and do it. Any time you squander | | | | with the client, will hope to accomplish the following: |
| outside of those tasks will eventually lose your | | | | 1. Identify Need |
| business money. You have to concentrate on your | | | | 2. Clarify Goals and Objectives |
| core strengths and hire employees or consultants to | | | | 3. Develop a Process to Address the Problem |
| handle what they specialize in. When you have | | | | 4. Engineer a Solution |
| everyone paying attention to their core | | | | WHY A CONSULTANT? |