by theEmother | Mar 18, 2014 | build a Mother of a Business, business ideas & thinking, Consultant EXIT Options, exit strategy, Finish Unfinished Business, so you think you're in business, start with the end in mind, the business model
What about a “Sales Funnel” model, as crass as it sounds?
It does make sense for you to have access to a suite of offerings (whether they be yours or not) when talking to prospective clients, once you have the “Pull Factor” back.
Given your new world “pull factor” order, it has no doubt changed even more dramatically hasn’t it?. So much so that you are being invited to share your story with others. You are generating ongoing gigs with your new found charisma….
Now what?
That’s where the Weiss – Accelerant Curve comes into it’s own.
What have you developed previously and/or what has been developed on any one of the projects you have participated in, that can be morphed into a “range of products”, that takes prospective Clients/Consultants on the ride you want to take them on?
These are products, selected by you for a very valid reason, whether it be because they are ones you have your finger firmly stuck in, or ones you’ve sourced because they fits and they’re available.
This is about looking at how to move all potentially interested parties in a particular direction and eventually to one of an alternate choice.
Now is also the time to start identifying and potentially courting who might be interested in taking on what you have built. Whether it is as a Client and/or another Consultant, who might be open to a conversation about what you’re doing and participating in your future plans?
by theEmother | Mar 11, 2014 | build a Mother of a Business, business ideas & thinking, Consultant EXIT Options, exit strategy, Finish Unfinished Business, so you think you're in business, start with the end in mind, the business model
OK, you’ve worked out what’s happening and what you’ve potentially got to offer someone else taking over, a great start!
You’ve decided to continue working on your “Push” Business Model by exploring options, so what next? What about looking at how to get your “Pull” Factor back,to further leverage the new business model?
And so you don’t have to work so hard…
By going through the analysis of where you’re at in your consulting world means that it may/should have changed dramatically, as discussed in the previous weeks posts. You have played your client relationships beautifully and the work is pouring in.
Now what?
Time to look at how to get your “Pull Factor” back (or ignited in the first place!). Especially given that the first phase of development has been all about “Push”.
Where Consultants used to be about winning work, delivery, systems, processes, structures and hierarchies, they are now emerging as inspirational, creative-thinking, consultative and effective business “partners”. With movement from the “I” to the “WE”.
Given the marketplace continues to crowd however, information overwhelmed clients (that are not your clients – yet) are always looking for the next best thing to apply to their organisations. This is where the revived, re-energized, revitalised, refocused YOU come in.
- Get them talking about you and what you know,
- Have them invite you to events and to sit at their board table
- Generate demand so you have a waitlist!
- Automate the systems that sit behind you, enabling you to do your thing
This is about taking your story to the greater market, by sharing this new way of being a Leader in business and life.
by theEmother | Mar 3, 2014 | business ideas & thinking, Consultant EXIT Options, exit strategy, Finish Unfinished Business, MEinc, start with the end in mind, the business model
Consider these steps in your quest for passing your Consultancy on:
- identify your current Business Model ie how are you making your money?
- determine and reflect on your “Sweet Spot”
- analyse how well that model of choice has been working for you
- establish “proof”
- what “Push” and “Pull” forces have worked in that model
- review other Business Model options and its impact on your current model
- address the Transition between the two and any issues raised
- relate the “Sweet Spot” reflection to the Transition
- rank Client Relationships and what that implies
- develop a list of Clients to contact and by whom
All the while, continuously check in on how you are feeling, given the potential of the new modus operandi.
So, what’s the point of all this?
That you will:
- understand how your current/old Business Model and the proposed Business Model can work together (enrolment)
- understand how the “Push” and “Pull” forces have worked to this point (hindsight) and how they need to work for both moving forward (foresight)
- know your “Sweet Spot” ie what you want to be doing most of in the proposed Business Model (engagement)
- completely understand what is required in terms of ongoing Client Relationship management,and what that means in the new context (leverage)
- investigate how this fits with your personal outcomes (comfort)
Need help? Let me know at info@theentrepreneurialmother.com
by theEmother | Feb 25, 2014 | business ideas & thinking, Consultant EXIT Options, exit strategy, Finish Unfinished Business, start with the end in mind, the business model
“…the future competitive advantage lies with consultants being able to move from ‘consultant as expert’ to ‘consultant as partner and guide’ to a client…” (Summary of Cornerstone Session, March 2012)
The evolution of the Consultant can only commence when they are ready to transition from their current Business Model (revolving all around the “I”), to utilising and maximising the Business Model of the “WE”.
The Consulting world has changed fundamentally in the last 15 years and dramatically since the GFC and recent redundancies. With many more independent Consultants coming in to the market (regardless of quality), and clients having easier access to them (via LinkedIn for example), it’s increasingly harder for Consultants to consistently find new and ongoing work.
On other words, the feast and famine part of the consulting industry is still alive and kicking!
In addition, the “business” the Consultant has been building over previous years may not be worth anything at the time when the Consultant no longer wants to continue it. If the business focus is solely predicated on the Consultants personal delivery of their skill set and knowledge, this makes for an almost impossible transition to another.
However, this does not need to be the case. The difference lies in stopping the short-termism and flattening the peaks and troughs by instead focusing on elegant interdependence by being involved in a larger movement, whilst still retaining independence.
That is, being part of a “WE”, by building on what has been established as an “I”.
A select few new breed Consultancies are offering this type of Business Model now, enabling the Consultant to truly transition successfully into the next phase of their consulting career…
by theEmother | Apr 2, 2013 | build a Mother of a Business, business ideas & thinking, Buy a Mother of a Business, Consultant EXIT Options, EXIT execution, exit strategy, Finish Unfinished Business, Sell Your Business, SELL your Mother of a Business, the business model
Are you a Consultant?
Are you currently working as an independent practitioner?
Is this how you see the rest of your working life playing out?
Have you given any thought to your Exit Strategy?
Have you even wondered whether you could have one?
Are you saying to yourself “what have I got to sell anyway?”
Time we had a chat…
I’m currently working with “colleagues” developing different business models that will enable a fair and equitable option for Consultants.
Especially those who understand they have value in what they do, in what they’ve done but have NO idea how to extract it post them, other than a potential trade sale, which will not glean much if it’s solely reliant on the one person, as you know!
Happy to explore the options, as appropriate… you just need to contact me.
