Last Fall I was approached by a student at BSU to be interviewed about my consulting business and consulting in general. That inspired me to ask the same questions of the TVCNet membership. Everyone has a story to tell, so a couple weeks ago I approached the membership with a similar set of interview questions about their businesses. Josh Woodard of GlobeCom Solutions was happy to answer.
How did you become a consultant?
I feel like I have always naturally been a consultant. I am fairly autonomous, and have always delighted in helping other people when I can. Beyond that, I consciously chose the consultancy path – not a victim of circumstance, retired, or out of other options (I say that somewhat jokingly, with regard to the common ideas of why people become consultants). The real reason I think most, if not all, consultants choose their path is two-fold (I am no different): (1) They have a skill that is valuable and possibly rare and (2) they have a passion for their work.
How would you describe your consulting business?
The consulting portion of my business is focused on adding value to our clients’ online presence. That is extremely broad and differs in each case, but the underlying principles are the same – Understand their goals, understand their customer, and create an online presence that links the two.
What is (or has been) your greatest challenge as a consultant?
(1) Rolling out, (2) finding the ideal clients, (3) narrowing the offering, (4) getting the necessary education and training, and (5) not having a steady, foreseeable income.
How do you (or did you) overcome your challenge?
In some ways I am still in the process of overcoming them, but the key has been to surround myself with good people and take the good advice. And, as a second part of that, DO IT. Planning and preparing has to end at some point.
What advice to you have for someone wishing to start a consulting business?
Make sure you have a good support system (if your spouse isn’t supportive – stop now and get a salary job) Charge what you are worth. Be patient.
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