How to tell if your Organization can Benefit from an Outside Perspective. 

Do I need a consultant?

By: Katie Newell

So you finally created the business you’ve always dreamed of, with work that you love, your own schedule, and no boss! Congrats, not many people can make it this far! Except now the awesomeness of a new job is wearing off, and reality of the money and risk at stake starts to settle in. Maybe your business isn’t growing nearly as quickly as you’d hoped, or the velocity of the situation feels like a huge mountain to climb. If this sounds like you, or a direction you may soon take, it could be time to find a consultant. 

Aren’t ups and downs expected as an entrepreneur?

Of course. But sometimes looking for an outside perspective can help manage the imminent rollercoaster of starting a business. Here are a few examples of situations you may find yourself in:

• The company dynamic has started to shift in a new direction. The clear path you imagined when starting your business has taken a turn from the original vision, seemingly without real motive. 
• Little tasks seem to take way longer than expected to complete. You find yourself slaving away over little details that aren’t translating to money in the bank. 
• Small conflicts always seem to arise internally or externally. Communication between individuals is breaking down and you can’t pinpoint when the break is happening.
• Customers aren’t buying. You are running campaigns, you are marketing the product, but the deals or the sales aren’t happening.

Yeah, that sounds like me. What now?

Start by taking the Five Facets of Business™ Assessment. The assessment looks at the health of your company’s Culture, Finances, Operations, Story and Strategy. It will tell you what areas of your business are holding you back. We often find that 2-3 Facets are excelling, while the other Facets leave a lot of room for improvement. No matter how much effort you show, your business can only go so far if one area is lacking. Success comes once all Five Facets of Business™ are aligned. 

Are the benefits actually worth it?

The largest benefit of hiring a consultant for your business is that they know nothing about your business. They come to the table with completely fresh eyes. Fresh, and very experienced, eyes. The slate is completely clean to see your organization for what it is. 

Consultants have no prior frustrations with the one annoying guy from IT, or intern who keeps refilling your coffee incorrectly. Consultants haven’t been trying to fix one area of the business over and over again with no luck. In fact, consultants, like our team at Evolve, have worked with dozens of companies and have helped solve a variety of problems. We have most likely come across the exact same challenges that are holding your team back at other companies we’ve worked with. 

Oftentimes, we see business leaders who have been trying to fix symptoms, but we come in and take a systems approach. We want to address the overall processes and patterns that are causing your pain. A consultant with a fresh perspective can find the root of the issue without bias and bring new ideas to the table so that your company can move forward. 

But I started my own business to get away from my boss. Now I’m supposed to pay for another person to tell me what to do?

What if we told you that during his prime, Olympic Gold Medalist, Micheal Phelps, had six coaches? Yes, SIX! Even the best of the best wasn’t able to win alone. Seeking outside guidance helps you develop as a leader and helps your company develop as an organization. There is never any shame in adding more resources and tools to your toolkit. That’s what a consultant is – a resource. Our job isn’t to steal your spotlight, it’s to make sure the spotlight is hitting your best features! We only want the best for you! 

Interested in working with our consulting team at Evolve Leadership Consulting? Schedule a free consultation here.