Hats off to you. You’ve chosen to do the impossible:

Run a business.

Ok, Ok. All joking aside, the truth is, running a business is hard. Sure, the payoff is amazing (once you get it right, anyways), but getting there can be a real pain in the you know what.

That’s because businesses have a lot of moving pieces. And all of those pieces need to work together in order for you to succeed. When they don’t, you’re going to have problems – anything from failing to meet financial goals, to a high employee turnover rate or, even worse, personal and professional burnout. 

Sadly, this is a tragedy many small business owners face. Stuck putting out fires day after day and feeling trapped in the flames.

However, there is some good news. And sometimes, all you need is a helping hand to show you the way. Someone to lead you back into the cool, clean, refreshing air. And that’s exactly what this article is about. 

Call the Fire Dept.

One of the best ways to improve your day-to-day and meet your goals is to hire an outside business consultant. Business consultants are contracted professionals that do one thing: make your company better. And there’s a special process they use to do just that.

1. Analyze your business
2. Spot current and future problems
3. Create long-term solutions for those problems 

The beauty of this approach is in its simplicity – find problems and then fix them. By focusing on a problem-solving approach, your company will naturally grow as improved systems are put into place – oftentimes solving multiple or complex issues with a single change in operations. 

An Outside View

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of a business consultant’s work, let’s first take a look at the business consultant’s secret weapon.

An outside perspective.

In other words, consultants aren’t emotionally invested in your day-to-day operations. They don’t care how things are done on a personal level – helping outside businesses in a non-biased way is their job. This offers some major advantages.

For one, owners and employees can sometimes be “too close” to their problems. And when attached to the way things have always been done, change – or seeing another way – can become difficult.

Additionally, consultants tend to have experience working with a wide variety of companies. This broader knowledge base helps them design better systems as they are less likely to be married to a specific way of doing things.

All-in-all, the consultant’s outside vantage point is a big part of why they’re so helpful to growing your business. 

Detective Work

Due to the nature of their work, you can think of business consultants as being professional problem solvers. They come into your business (with that outside perspective) and help you succeed by creating and implementing actionable plans that address company weaknesses. And it all begins with the “learning” phase. 

The learning phase is a time of discovery for your consultant. Like a good detective, they dedicate the beginning of their time with your organization to learning all they can about your business, clients, and processes.

What this means for the business owner is a willingness to learn. That means staying open and honest while giving your consultant free reign of the company.

Typically, this means free tours of your facilities, the opportunity to meet with the board, interviewing company employees as they see fit, and taking a critical look at your company’s financial statements.

The purpose of this detective work is to get acquainted with your company on a big-picture level. Then, with this birds-eye view, your consultant is far better positioned to move into the next stage of their plan.

Business Check Up

If the first stage of your consultant’s work is aimed at the big picture, the next phase is one of diving into the details.

During this time, your consultant will conduct a thorough investigation of your company's strengths and weaknesses. That means analyzing both current problems as well as foreseeing future difficulties – something they’re able to do based on their experience building and coaching other businesses.

It’s important that during the evaluation phase, everyone at your company remains open and honest. Encourage your employees to share their struggles. This may require a bit of reassurance and letting your staff know that no one’s going to get in trouble. The consultant is simply here to do what they do best – grow your company and make everyone’s lives better in the process.

Which takes us to the final stage of your consultant’s work. 

Getting it Done

After getting to know your business and studying the problems you face, it’s time for the final stage of your business consultant’s work:

The plan. 

It’s at this point that all of your consultant’s investigating pays off. They’ll present you with a clear and actionable strategy for finally solving your nagging issues moving your company forward. But, to make the most of their plan, there’s one thing required of you.

Remember that your consultant is an outsider. They also tend to be more diversified in their experience. The reason it’s important to keep this in mind is because their plan may seem a bit strange – and it’s completely normal to be hesitant about certain suggestions. 

This means that it’s in your best interests to remain open to change and have some faith in the direction your consultant offers. Of course, the final strategy is a team effort. But, do your best to not take these changes personally and remember to keep the best interests of your company, employees and clients in mind.

The Final Countdown

Once you and your consultant have set a new plan in motion, it’s now time to monitor results. Because, well, if the plan doesn’t work you’re going to want to know that.

If changes need to be made, your consultant will be prepared to do that. Ideally, though, things will be going to plan and you’ll notice problems melting away as new, streamlined operations benefit you, the staff and your customers. But before that can happen, you need to take the first step.

The Right Fit

Big, small, old and new, just about any company will benefit from hiring a business consultant. The catch is finding the right fit for your company.

That begins with a bit of self-reflection. 

• What are your business goals? 
• Do you fail to reach financial milestones? 
• Is it difficult to keep employees? 
• Are customers complaining? 

Narrowing in on your problems is the first step in finding a qualified coach or consultant. You can then start asking around for professionals in your area with experience solving the very issues you face. 

A good place to start is by asking local business owners and friends in your professional network. Of course, you can search online, as well, but personal recommendations tend to be a lot more reliable than anonymous online reviews.

Speaking with someone directly also gives you the opportunity to ask specific questions. Such as:

• Did the consultant help make their company more profitable?
• Did their staff enjoy the overall experience?
• How have things changed since following the consultant’s advice?

These questions (and ones like them) are simply meant to help you find a coach with a proven track record of helping businesses solve their problems and grow.

Enough is Enough

Business consultants are professionals equipped to help companies thrive. And how they do it is simple.

Find what isn’t working and fix it. 

That’s really all it boils down to. And there isn’t a company around today that doesn’t have some problem or additional room to grow.

Despite this, many business owners struggle to justify the cost of outside consulting – even when drowning in the day-to-day. And you know what: who could blame them?

Finding the right fit is a big deal. And hiring is always risky. It can be tough to know you’re making the right choice. And frankly, if you’re already overwhelmed at work, you probably don’t want to add another item to your to-do list. We get it.

That’s exactly why Integro offers a risk-free and zero-obligation Discovery Call to any business owner facing issues. 

Your call is a time for you to share your struggles and business goals. Then, once you’ve spoken your peace, our expert consultants will give you some suggestions for moving – with absolutely no pressure to purchase anything at all.

Integro’s business consultants have been helping business owners solve their nagging issues for 20 years. The results? Doubling company revenue in just 12-24 months. And we’re standing by to help you do the same. 

So, if you’re ready to move your company forward – and start having a lot more fun at work – book your free Discovery Call now. In ten minutes, you’ll be equipped with everything you need to grow your business confidently . . .

At no cost to you and absolutely pressure-free.

We think you’ll agree that beats staying stuck in the same old ruts.

Book your free call now to discover how to grow your company exponentially.

Book Your Discovery Call Now

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