Business of Consulting

We have to take prudent risks in this business: • Spending the money to fly to an important prospect • Attending a conference which can improve our skills • Buying clothes that are professional and indicate success • Investing in a meeting venue before

The men's shop in town here has a nice but understandably limited inventory of clothing. The owner offers an interesting service: If you have any shirts or jackets  you didn't buy here but which need tailoring and adjustments, he'll be

The traditional sales forces are disappearing and will continue to do so. This is due to highly educated consumers using the internet to both research options and purchase. (It's easier for me to order online than visit a local store,

Within an hour yesterday, an instructor at Dig This in Las Vegas taught me how to operate an excavator so that I independently dug a trench that removed over a ton of dirt; picked up volley balls from cones and

A recent article explained that people who are educated and have experienced success tend to assume they're much smarter than they actually are. Hence, they take on projects and accountabilities which they're really not qualified to undertake. Historically, over 80%

Not everyone who calls you and has some money represents good business. "Good" business has to be fulfilling, engage your talents and passions, and be subject to your expertise, not the prospect's arbitrary requirements (which is why RFPs [requests for

Fees follow value, right? The more value you provide, the more you can charge. But those lines cross, and when your brand, repute, and desirability are sufficient, value follows fees. In other words, people believe they are getting what they pay

I've always tried to get what I need to get done early in the day, and avoid the late afternoon. I've seen clients where everyone wants to see the boss before lunch because the boss allots more time and is

People who are angry in their jobs are really angry with themselves, perhaps for not having a better job, or not doing better in the current job. But my advice is always to remove them because they consistently provide poor

I believe in asking a few pertinent questions (such as, "What prompted you to meet with me today?") but I find too many consultants placing the buyers at a metaphorical bare table under a glaring light bulb and interrogating them