Barron Evans ⋅ Ann Arbor, MI Customer Experience Change Management ⋅ 30 years experience

Hello Tammy... and foremost: thank you for your service. Secondly, I'm delighted to read you're inspired to pursue an organizational leadership consulting business -- as with my masters in O.D. in the field of public administration -- I think you'll find it rewarding. My first thought would be to engage H.R./O.D./Change Management consulting firms to explore their willingness to mentor/partner with you -- where you can hone skills/applications (prior to launching a solo practice), leveraging the Society for Human Resources Management list of companies that include contact emails: http://vendordirectory.shrm.org/category/consulting-hr/organizational-development
Next, if not already done so, peruse this site for great tips on being a consultant: https://managementhelp.org/staffing/consulting.htm ; very helpful counsel. And finally, to actually sourcing clients, perhaps align with one of two organizations that have the client rosters already, have the support infrastructure in place, and they match you with the opportunities (I've worked with both): 1) Business Talent Group https://businesstalentgroup.com and 2) RGP www.rgp.com Hope this helps, and best wishes for success. ~Barron~

Jack Hager ⋅ El Segundo, CA CBS ⋅ 1 years experience

HI Tammy!

I'm in Advertising Sales and we use a firm like this a couple times of year to help guide our teams. Perhaps a phone conversation would better suit your efforts. Happy to jump on a call to give you more details if that helps. You can email me at jack.hager@cbsinteractive.com and we can set up some time from there. All the best and thank you for your service!

Jack

Erick Gamas ⋅ Spring, TX The Business Shop-Chemical Engineering Services ⋅ 30 years experience

Dear Tammy
Please prepare a 1-page business plan
1. Identify your product or service in a very specific way, “Mentoring” or “ Consulting” are very generic word
2. Determine the value of your service, would you pay for it?
3. Identify your customer base, who NEEDS/Wants to give you their money for your service
4.Advertise, advertise, advertise, start a blog, monthly newsletter, volunteer your services in the community
5. DO NOT start big with office space and fancy facilities, keep it simple
I hope this helps

Erick

Louis Schwarz ⋅ Somerville, NJ AIG ⋅ 43 years experience

Hi Dr. Nice approach to this topic. I recommend joining an existing firm as a consultant and offer your expertise to them to supplement their staff. This approach will be very attractive to them, since they do not have employee obligations to you and you will gain experience as you get assignments. You may have to travel a bit, but for them there is no down side to the agreement. If they really like you, they may offer a position, but I think they would rather stay with the consulting arrangement. Think about a rate you would ask, remember you have limited experience, but get market compensation.
Look at the states where companies are moving or the local economy is growing. That is where your skills will be most useful. New York City is always a good place to start. Contact the major firms and prospect the consulting opportunities as a consultant staff augmentation.
Good luck and thanks..

Dr. Tammy Foster-Knight, Ph.D. ⋅ Wesley C, FL U.S. Air Force, Major ⋅ 23 years served

Gentlemen

Thank you for the valuable insight... you are appreciated!!

Tammy

Carl Wideberg ⋅ Naples, FL Dun & Bradstreet ⋅ 35 years experience

Introduce yourself to Hyrum Smith. Hyrum founded Franklin Covey and is a recognized leader in Organizational Behavior and developing great corporate cultures through Employee Engagement training. He has founded a new company called 3Gaps that provides corporate training. He is very fond of the military. Hyrum is always trying to help young people.

Carl Wideberg

FRANCIS TEPEDINO, ESQ. ⋅ San Diego, CA THE CONDOR GROUP ⋅ 30 years experience

I founded and successfully ran a very successful nation-wide management training and consulting firm for some 25 plus years before retiring.

If interested, send me an e mail a: condorgrup@aol.com. with some details.

Elliot Young ⋅ Brooklyn, NY Uniworld International Associates Inc ⋅ 25 years experience

What Brian Frasier said. That goes to my corporate account point. Get your ad on company newsletters, write a column on subjects that apply in thier industry newspapers. A "specialist" in a particular area is Paramount. Own that space. Always in all ways. URL, ebook, book, and branding that's for EACH thing. Example: You pushing Organizational Leadership then orgnzdldrshp.com, Orgnzd Ldrshp t-shirt branding (1 t-shirt) on air when your live (people will ask for the shirt then pop it in the mobile app and website and cash in) and book with that name. Usually one word and shorter but that's just an example. Always in ALL WAYS, own it. Watch your video and when you say something great put it on a t-shirt and go live. Obscurity evades greatness never forget that.

Elliot Young ⋅ Brooklyn, NY Uniworld International Associates Inc ⋅ 25 years experience

Dr. Knight congratulations. Starting a business is a great start. You must take full advantage of technology to compete and thrive. Identify your core competencies and make sure you translate that online from your website to social footprints. I agree with everyone here but that's what the average do. You must stand out and out think your industry. The Staples of smart work begin in the easiest forms of today. We grew up in an anolg world today is digital and that means mobile and automated. Mobile website and app for the foundations but also the basics. Use the best of both worlds. You don't work for Hotmail or worse AOL so please don't use them for business email. People do but people also tattoo their faces follow me? Professional logo. It's the promise to deliver the professional service you advertise. Make sure looking at it you ask " Would you buy from you?" Use qrcodes on you business cards, fb ads to acquire customers, funnels to close the sale and remarket to, and Regus to hold meetings. Use 2nd line (app) for a second number separate mobile and business line. Make sure corporate accounts are on your radar. Create ebooks at least once a month to engage your audience. Brand yourself one name accross all social media. Use Regus as a professional environment to shoot video from your phone. Simultaneously shoot live social content accomplished by using old phones or purchasing older model phones from Groupon and shooting FBLive, Periscope, and YouTube. Three portable tripods and you have a three camera shot. Use the video to edit longer video to sell your services at the beginning of your sales video intros in funnels. Write a book start today and be done by June or July the latest. You need what you need to do what you need to do, period. You must do what you dont in order to achieve the extra ordinary. We have enough of ordinary. Take notes from them on what not to do. If you do things how you learned it's already outdated. Do what's being used now I think we forget that sometimes. Once you identify your customer go to them directly. The FB Ads will do that, and funnels will help for sure as well. If you don't know what a pixel is and I don't mean anything that has to do with an lcd, led, or oled. Or know what a funnel is, the importance of hashtag branding, or thought about Google's. 2015 mobile mandate, or qrcodes, or accepting crytpo in your business then you are out of touch not thinking ahead. Most of us are because tech changes every 18 months and right now the entire world is changing simultaneously. Make sure your not left behind. Email is king. Use it to market your business. You should be making $1 a month for every email address you have. Giving away a free ebook in your FB Ad attached to a funnel should get you thousands. You have the $ purchase your first batch and import LinkedIn and Facebook for email starters to add to it. Thnkdfrnt it's #JustSmartBiz Dr. Knight email me anytime conversation and consultation is free it's always a good day talking business. Ive been in IT Business Development for decades. I personally build websites, mobile apps, and keep abreast of software and companies disrupting spaces. Started my first business at 14. I used to work on Wall Street as well. My perspectives are unique so I'm talking from experience not what you are taught. Education always comes first, if your learning the right things. Smart work schedule ng the right automated tools saves alot of time, energy, and disappointment. Congrats again Dr. Knight I can share some of those tools with you. Reach out eyoung@uniworldbusiness.com. Enjoy your week.

Joe Pierce ⋅ Jonesboro, AR Husqvarna Outdoor Products ⋅ 30 years experience

Hi Tammy
Get your LLC in place. I used legal oom for mine and it was fairly inexpensive

Brian Frasier Frasier ⋅ Seville, OH RPM International ⋅ 20 years experience

Hello Tammy-

Already great advice. My only add is to get out in front of groups and speak. speak. speak. Rotary clubs. Chamber of Commerce. College classes as a guest speaker. Any group you can, have a presentation and speak. That will get needed exposure and should round out other advice.

Bob Molluro ⋅ Wilmington, DE Benchmark Consulting Services ltd. ⋅ 30 years experience

I have been in the consulting business for more than twenty years after extensive business experience for over 25 years. To get started I worked pro bono to build my rep and to show people what I could do. Then they referred me to others. Almost 95% of all my business has come from word of mouth personal referrals. Since it sounds like you have the credentials but lack the track record why not hook up with a company that already has clients. I believe that would short circuit your process considerably. To be blunt no one is going to be beating down your doors until you have a compelling story.

Paul Tusting ⋅ Salt Lake City, UT Bond Arms Inc ⋅ 20 years experience

Oh, and the following site has historically had good white papers on creative services consulting (their focus was advertising and marketing, but I've found the concepts to apply much more widely)

http://www.recourses.com

Paul Tusting ⋅ Salt Lake City, UT Bond Arms Inc ⋅ 20 years experience

Running a product design consulting firm for 10 years, I found that the best new clients were either 1) referrals from existing good clients, or 2) spinoffs from existing good clients (either in the form of people leaving or companies creating new business units). Unfortunately, neither of these happen very quickly....and rely on getting the foot in the door with the initial clients.

One simple option is to act as an independent contractor (or even part time W-2 employee) for an existing consulting firm to learn the ropes, build a resume in that niche, and network for a few years. Often scenario #2 above is outside of most non-competes when you move to running your own firm.

I didn't have much luck with advertising (didn't get the clients I wanted), but networking at professional trade events was helpful at times.

Best of luck!!!
-Paul

Kent Watson ⋅ Monticello, FL U.S. Army, Chief Warrant Officer ⋅ 34 years served

Good afternoon Dr. Tammy Foster-Knight, First recommendation would be to determine your consulting area of expertise (defense, aerospace, procurement, manufacturing, engineering, etc.). Next, please take a look at Forbes (Most Prestigious Consulting Firms & America's Best Management Consulting Firms). [https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffkauflin/2017/04/19/americas-best...] Afterwards, you might want to look at the Fastest Growing Consulting Firms in North America, and this will help you to better understand the field of engagement. Society for Human Resource Management, 1800 Duke Street, Alexander, VA 22314 (703) 548-3440 [https://www.shrm.org/pages/default.aspx]. In the event that you are considering becoming a Lobbyist then registration, area of expertise, and Congressional networking are all necessary steps. On behalf of a grateful Nation, we greatly appreciate your noble and honorable service! Kent T. Watson, Contract Consultant to the US Department of Homeland Security & Fraud Prevention Inspector.

Dr. Tammy Foster-Knight, Ph.D. ⋅ Wesley C, FL U.S. Air Force, Major ⋅ 23 years served

Good Morning Jack, Erick, and Barron

You guys are awesome. Thank you for your recommendations and more importantly, your support.

Tammy