by theEmother | Oct 2, 2008 | entrepreneurial mothers, inspiring women, so you think you're in business
The Human Capital Magazine published an interesting article this month on ‘Contracting – is it the Kiss of Death?‘ The article highlights some of the pros of cons of contracting and/or consulting and is a most worthwhile read. But I would also like to offer my own experience and thoughts on the matter. At aCE talentNET we are often approached by clients and associates who are considering becoming an independent consultant either through immediate circumstance (ie job restructure) or a general discontent with working the 9-5pm (or should I say 7am-8pm!) grind in the corporate jungle. For many, the appeal of becoming an independent consultant is enticing but most do not know how to go about it. My advice to these aspiring ‘independents’ or ‘free agents’! is as follows:
Build your Network! It is essential that when starting out as a consultant you have as wide a network as possible on which to draw, including past colleagues, associates, managers across a range of companies and associations. Many can get bogged down in day to day activities and decline or opt out of opportunities to expand their network. So when next considering whether to attend that networking opportunity or stay at work to write that report… the report can wait another day – go network!!!!
Be clear about your consulting specialties or preferences. When starting out as a consultant it is enticing to accept any project that comes along… all too often you can then find yourself gaining consulting and project experience in an area that is not your preference – making it difficult to then get opportunities in other specialties as too much time has elapsed since you last had tangible experience. Do not be afraid to say no to a client and recommend them to another consultant that can help them (not forgetting aCE talentNET of course!!!).
Be prepared to DO the work! All too often I hear from consultants that they want to be strategists, identifying the problem, researching the solution and making the recommendations to address. Unfortunately in many cases companies aCE work with are quite capable of doing this work themselves, what they need are the resources to implement the identified solutions. So be prepared to be the DOER!
Be strategic about building your client base and what you commit to. It is always understandable to commit to a 1-2 ongoing consulting engaging with a client (very useful for regular cashflow) however be aware that this can work against you when other full-time opportunities come available. In many cases, aCE talentNET clients require consulting full-time resources for projects ranging from 2 weeks to 3 months – consultants who do not have availability of at least 4 days per week are generally not able to be considered for these interesting and lucrative projects.
Be smart about how you use your time. If working with clients is why you want to be a consultant, then it doesn’t make sense trying to do all the others parts associated with running your own small business. Think about finding alternative arrangements for doing the administrivia around bookkeeping, invoicing and follow up, BAS, tax returns for example, and subscribe to key web sites and blogs etc which will in turn not only keep you current but also can help build your networks. Always ask the question – do I need to be doing this or can someone else?
Be realistic when rate setting. Research consultants or contractors that you know or have worked with to get a good feel for the ‘market rate’ for consultants with your skill set. But be realistic and consider too, the length of time and experience these consultants have had in the market place. Consultants who have years of experience and multiple project experiences in their CV are worth a higher premium in the marketplace. Corporate experience in 2-3 organisations over 10+ years does not translate necessarily to charging daily rates of $1200+ from the outset. Again, be realistic!
Maintain and grow your Network. I know networking has been mentioned already, but this is also important once you become a consultant, particularly if you are a very busy one! It is essential that you join relevant associations, attend seminars (many are free these days and only take 1-2 hours of your time) and keep in touch with your original network… you just never know when you will need them!
Don’t forget your Professional Development. Even as a fledgling consultant it is important that you have a strategy to keep up to date with professional development in your field. As mentioned above, you don’t need to invest a lot of money, but you do need to make it a priority to attend as many events as possible. But the best way to keep up to date is to read, read, read! This is not hard, there are a plethora of professional development forums that you can subscribe to that will keep you updated on a daily or monthly basis (including aCE talentNET!!!).
Manage the Pipeline! When times are good and you are nice and busy and earning money, it’s easy to forget about what is happening next month. But any consultant will tell you that you need to prepare for lean times as they happen to everyone! Make sure you put funds aside for when this happens but also ensure you maintain that network and manage lead generation as much as possible. Even if it is dashing off an email or two to stay in touch with potential projects/client to let them know what you’re doing and when you will be available to work with them. If this something that you really don’t want to be doing yourself, then tap into corporate talent agents such as aCE talentNET, to help do this for you.
And finally, it’s OK if consulting is not for you! It’s not for everyone… some find it too stressful to manage the pipeline on an ongoing basis or some just get too lonely and miss the daily camaraderie that comes with being a full-time employee. And that’s OK! In fact, many of our most successful consultants enter in and out of the consultant market as a way to keep themselves and their careers invigorated.
Anyway, that’s enough from me for this month. I hope the above hints are useful for those of you considering a career change to an Independent Consultant. And like my Dad always says…FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY!!!
Have a great month!
Deirdre Gruiters
Corporate Talent Agent
www.acetalentnet.com.au
by theEmother | Sep 26, 2008 | entrepreneurial mothers, Online Strategy incl. www
Last week I had the pleasure of co-speaking at the “Figures Fitness for Women” Fund-raising Dinner and Auction Night in Geelong. Not only was the fund-raising very successful for the Geelong Hospital, it was a chance to “launch” the evolving concept of the “ME Inc” workshops to an audience, the majority of whom were very interested in taking the first steps in “DESIGNing your Life! around what you want”. The feedback was most positive, with many receiving the best-selling “Secrets of Inspiring Women Exposed” to assist them in taking their first steps on their way.
“Me Inc” is now the official title of the workshops which will enable, and give permission to entrepreneurial mothers (and fathers!) to take the time out to spend on that business idea, or that plan around combining all that you want and do into DESIGNing your Life! and making it work.
I will let you know when the ME Inc workshop is hitting your part of town, with plans at this stage for the first to commence in Geelong mid-late January 2009. If you think you’d be interested and/or have a group that would benefit from having its own ME Inc workshop, then please reply to this email advising same and we can look at how to do just that.
So… how are you going with the “The Entrepreneurial Mothers Guide to Making Life! Work”? … the ME Inc workshop will be just the thing your need if you’re feeling stuck….
The workshop will be 5 hours (to fit in with school hours), LIVE and interactive to work on “ME Inc” i.e. YOU… you will spend the time, that you never grant yourself, on strategies and tools that you can apply right away.
as always, all suggestions readily accepted
be in touch again soon…
cheers denise
P.S. If you have friends or family or colleagues that you believe would also be interested in this … simply hit the “Forward” button in your email program, send this email and encourage them to contact us!
P.P.S. and/or I would also encourage you to encourage them to “subscribe” at www.theentrepreneurialmother.com.au so that they too can begin their own path of making Life! work and of course, a beautiful relationship with the entrepreneurial mother community.
And for becoming part of the entrepreneurial mother community, they will also receive a soft copy of not only the Denise Hall “Free Agent” chapter from the ” Secrets of Inspiring Women Exposed ” FREE but also access to the story of how Dale Beaumont created the entire Secrets Exposed series, and how successfully it has worked… all they have to do is reply to this email… it couldn’t be simpler
by theEmother | Sep 20, 2008 | entrepreneurial mothers, so you think you're in business
“An Expensive Haircut”…
by the barefoot investor for The Herald Sun
THIS week I spoke to thousands of first-time investors who had each invested $50,000 three weeks ago and suddenly seen much of their money disappear.
Luckily it was only students competing in the ASX’s School Share Market Game, which in current conditions is kind of like doing work experience at a hairdresser and having Donald Trump walk in for a trim.
Little Johnny’s first foray into finance causes him to lose his imaginary shirt. Bring back the Playstation, this game sucks! Try doing it with real money.
Wait, us old folks did.
Apparently $100 billion of our superannuation has been sucked down the toilet. Now that’s an expensive haircut.
So what lessons can we learn from what former Fed boss Alan Greenspan has called a “once-in-a-century financial crisis”? Here’s my top five.
Lesson 1: There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
Lesson 2: There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Lesson 3: Don’t buy things you can’t afford
Lesson 4: Don’t invest in things you don’t understand.
Lesson 5: Do your homework
So that’s my five tips. But the thing that the suffering students playing the ASX Share Market Game and the rest of us need to understand is that once Wall Street is cleaned out, things will start to move again, although not until we’ve fully paid for the sins of our past.
I explained to the students that the news headlines they’re reading are important for one critical reason – the domino effect.
Hopefully, by the time these kids are handed the financial keys to the country, they’ll have learnt a valuable lesson. Here’s hoping.
Tread your own path!
read on…
these lessons not only apply to students playing a game do they?
or to just investment per se either…
every entrepreneurial mother promotes these as well
by theEmother | Sep 16, 2008 | entrepreneurial mothers, inspiring women
another gem that landed in my inbox today (thanks Karmen)
slightly modified for this blog!
again not sure who wrote it, so thank you anyway
enjoy!
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PLAN TO BE GREAT MUMS,
THOSE OF YOU, WHO ARE GREAT MUMS,
THOSE WHO HAVE GREAT MUMS
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAD GREAT MUMS…
entrepreneurial Mothers don’t eat quiche; they don’t have time to make it.
entrepreneurial Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.
entrepreneurial Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.
entrepreneurial Mothers know that dried play dough doesn’t come out of shag carpets.
entrepreneurial Mothers don’t want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.
entrepreneurial Mothers sometimes ask ‘Why me?’ and get their answer when a little voice says, ‘Because I love you best.’
entrepreneurial Mothers know that a child’s growth is not measured by height or years or grade… It is marked by the progression of Mama to Mum to Mother…
4 YEARS OF AGE – My Mummy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE – My Mum knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE – My Mother doesn’t really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE – Naturally, Mother doesn’t know that, either.
16 YEARS OF AGE – Mother? She’s hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE – That old woman? She’s way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE – Well, she might know a little bit about it.
35 YEARS OF AGE – Before we decide, let’s get Mum’s opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE – Wonder what Mum would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE – Wish I could talk it over with Mum.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
Please celebrate the wonderful and beautiful entrepreneurial mothers in your life, you included (if the cap fits).
If you don’t, nothing bad will happen, but if you do, something good will… You will boost a Mother spirits
by theEmother | Sep 8, 2008 | entrepreneurial mothers, inspiring women
This landed in my inbox today (thanks Liz) and it certainly hit a nerve for me, so much so I want to share this with all who choose to read it… the power of one! Not to be forgotten ever thats for sure.
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard..
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X’s and then putting a big ‘F’ at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child’s past records and she put Teddy’s off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy’s first grade teacher wrote, ‘Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners… he is a joy to be around..’
His second grade teacher wrote, ‘Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.’
His third grade teacher wrote, ‘His mother’s death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn’t show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren’t taken.’
Teddy’s fourth grade teacher wrote, ‘Teddy is withdrawn and doesn’t show much interest in school. He doesn’t have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class.’
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy’s. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children’s laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, ‘Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.’
After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her ‘teacher’s pets..’
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he’d stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favourite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor’s degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favourite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer….. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, ‘Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.’
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, ‘Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.’
(For you that don’t know, Teddy Stoddard is the doctor at the Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
I don’t know who wrote this, or even if its true… but you know what, its still a damn good story worth sharing. I hope you agree.
by theEmother | Aug 29, 2008 | entrepreneurial mothers, so you think you're in business
Caution: Four-Day Workweek is AN Answer, Not THE Answer|
posted by Cali Yost for FastCompany.com
Everyday there’s another story extolling the virtues of the four-day workweek, or four, ten-hour days, as the answer to our energy problems. In fact, last week CNN devoted an entire segment to the Utah state government’s mandatory four-day workweek which began August 4th. Before the four-day workweek gains more steam as the answer, I want to urge caution. It is an answer, but not the answer.
The distinction is subtle but very important.
The typical problems with one-size-fits-all, four-day workweeks are already starting to crop up (see USA Today and CNN), specifically:
1) Some work probably does have to happen on Fridays
2) It’s very hard for people with dependent care responsibilities
3) It’s very hard for people who have a long commute particularly those who use public transportation.
4) The hours don’t always match when people work best which impacts productivity.
5) Finally, it’s probably not going to have that much of an impact on overall “carbon footprint.”
keep reading…
I do have to agree with Cali I must say…
Certainly from my experience, it’s not just about a prescribed four-day workweek scenario, but rather the emphasis needs to shift to a “designed” workweek, where all parties are looked after in the arrangement.
And yes, it is doable. I can cite many a working arrangement, where the focus is on “outcomes focussed” results, as opposed to the traditional “hours worked” focus. There is many an entreprenurial mother for example who is designing her life around what needs to work for her and her family… as it should be.
Where does your working life fit in?
What changes would you like to make?
