When it comes to your business, whether you have decided to leave the routine 9-5, expand your business or optimize operational efficiency if you are eyeing change, chances are, you need a consultant.
Who?
If you are;
- Operating a business,
- Planning a business idea
- Planning to expand your business
- Planning a specific project for your business
- Looking to apply structure to your business
- Need assistance with branding or marketing strategies.
Even if you are merely thinking about any of the above, you may need a business consultant.
When?
Although a business/business owner may not think they need business consulting services at the beginning of the venture or the planning of same, this is an ideal time to work with a consultant. Fleshing out your plans and ideas in a realistic way can eliminate stumbles relating to operational efficiency and prevent stagnation and growth. Costs for the service is significantly lower at this stage and provides a clear, decisive plan of action.
It is always best to know where you want your business to go and more importantly, how you will get there. Proactive business planning can prevent failure and with statistics showing that 90% of start-ups fail, whatever competitive advantage one can offer their business and better the odds. Sound business planning is one such advantage. 
Notwithstanding that the above is true, a business consultant is helpful and effective at ANY stage, for startup, growth or change management and even some cases, to save the business from failure. Likely, there will be more issues to resolve and work around at the latter stages and will usually require some amount of urgency, but it can be done and effectively. In such an instance where assistance is required post-haste, the business at that time must be prepared for intervention at a later stage to cost more than at an earlier interject. After all, prevention is always less expensive than to cure and at the intervention stage can be costly. The cost must be considered with a failing business. Can the business afford intervention at that time? Not always.
Why?
Consider a scenario in which an individual/group of individuals (my niche is small businesses) or company has been operating for a bit without structure. As the business either grows or becomes stagnant in its growth, the business owner is now unsure what steps to take and searches frantically for the means to effectively manage and compartmentalize growth through strategic structuring or identification of opportunities that may available yet unexplored for that specific business or industry. In any of the aforementioned circumstances, an effective consultant will assist you in many areas, including operating efficiency and maximization of resources and opportunities.
Conclusion
Once you have a business or the decision to start one, a business consultant is a distinctive resource and can be engaged at virtually any stage of your business’ life cycle. A good consultant can be an invaluable investment.
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