10 Pearls From 15 Years of Hard Knocks U
People sometimes ask me, “What can I learn from you that I couldn’t figure out on my own?” I reply, “Absolutely nothing, but it took me 15 years, how long do you want to wait?” Today I am sharing 10 pearls of wisdom I learned the hard way.1. It’s...
Clearing Roadblocks to Revenue
My job is to clear roadblocks to revenue. I want you bringing in revenue as quickly as possible. Let’s be clear, I work for the money and I think you should too. If I didn’t need the money, I would be busy, but I would be doing something different. The...
Charge What You Are Worth
Why don’t new consultants charge what they are worth? FEAR. Fear that they won’t get the work if they price too high. Fear that they are not worth it. Fear that if I say, “My rate is $150 an hour,” the client will laugh in my face.STOP right now and...
Networking Mechanics and Metrics from a Former Wallflower
Networking is your single most important business activity. It is the best possible career insurance. It is the best possible use of your business development time. And the sooner you embrace it, the more successful you will be. You must develop a clear strategy to...
Shhhh, Don’t Tell! My Secret to Meeting with Important People
Today I am sharing one of my best secrets. I’m not sure I should be doing it. It’s like sharing your secret parking spot at the best beach. If everyone knows about it, your secret will be lost. Oh well, here goes… The hardest thing any consultant does every day is...
Never Work for Free!
NEVER. WORK. FOR. FREE. PERIOD. It doesn’t pay the mortgage or the health insurance or the college tuition. As soon as you become a consultant, smart people with good ideas will come out of the woodwork looking for your free expert help. Make a rule now that you...
You Have to Hunt What You Eat
The hardest thing about being a consultant is bringing in the business. I get out the binoculars, climb the mountain, scout the herd, raise my bow and arrow, shoot it, cook it, eat it and throw away the bones.
Should You Make Less Money Because You Work from Home?
Should you make less money because you work from home? Are you less smart? Are you doing lower quality work? Not at all. In fact, you’re probably far more productive…
Never Take Up Residence
If you give a client 40 hours a week, and take up residence, what happens? Are you still a consultant? For a few minutes maybe, but you very quickly become a de facto employee. You lose all the benefits of being a consultant and you get none of the benefits of being a full-time employee.
Live and Die by the Billable Hour
Welcome to consulting where you live and die by the billable hour. You must internalize this concept until it becomes instinct. I know some of you are probably thinking, “Wait, I’m not charging by the hour.” But it doesn’t matter if you’re billing by the hour or the day…
How to Succeed in Business
I do a lot of speaking. My audiences range from college students to senior executives. I enjoy them all. Speaking can be a great way to build your business and your brand. I have met so many great friends and clients through my various speaking engagements. I end every presentation with the points below…