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FREMONT, CA: The advice of consultants is often relied upon to solve problems that companies have been unable to solve. Businesses, large and small, have learned what big consulting firms can do for them.
In this industry, where the status quo seems to work for consultants and clients, there may seem to be little room for disruption, but the degree of discourse between consultants and clients suggests otherwise.
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Setting up a consulting service: In the consulting industry, it is becoming easier to start a business. However, launching a business that lasts longer than a few years is much harder. No licensing or foolproof credentials are required to set up a shop in the consulting industry, making it difficult for many to succeed. Determining a consultant's skill or value is impossible unless you live in an industry where anyone can call themselves a consultant. Most clients who can afford it opt for the less risky route and hire Big Consulting firms because there is no source of truth to tell who is legit and who is not. A significant disservice has been done to the industry by hiring an unknown or lesser-known firm, and this is an issue new consultants should avoid. A successful competitor in this industry must decide whether to compete on quality or price — the former being the less traveled path. This approach is not wrong since the number of clients who cannot afford Big Consulting is significantly higher than those who can, but the decision needs to be deliberate and strategic. It is becoming increasingly difficult to change your client pool and even more difficult to raise your prices. Striking out on this path, you risk being lost among competitors selling consulting services as commodities at low prices.
Networking: It is difficult to build a consulting business with the infrastructure and scale needed to serve large clients without getting your first large client first. It applies even to entrepreneurs with experience working with large companies before starting their own companies. Most successful startups and individuals will tell you you must do your part, but then the stars must align and get some pixie-dust luck for success to happen. Even if you lack the proper infrastructure or proof-of-concept, sometimes it takes circumstances, the person, or having one large client willing to take a shot on your unorthodox approach.
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