Bringing in a consultant can be daunting.  It can conjure up a sense of failure when a problem can’t be fixed with existing resources or lead to a feeling of loss of control when significant projects are out-sourced.  

So, if it comes with all that baggage, why work with a consultant?   Having worked both as a senior exec in major corporation, as well as in C-suite roles for SMEs, AND now having a good chunk of consulting experience under my belt, I believe that I am well-positioned to provide a fairly balanced view.  I believe that there are four areas where consultants can add significant value:

1. You have a complex problem… that can’t be fixed by ChatGPT
2. You have time constraints
3. You don’t have the resources to do the work yourself
4. You know the answer but want external validation to increase buy in from stakeholders

Let’s look at each one in turn:

1            The complex problem

There’s no doubt that Google, and now ChatGPT, have transformed how we do desk research, both scientifically and commercially.  But these tools are collating the known knowns and most problems in business have large doses of ambiguity and uncertainty in the outcome.  Turning to a subject matter expert who has seen it all before and knows where to start, or engaging with a larger consulting firm that can combine a wide array of technical skills, can fix problems in a fraction of the time and with greater certainty of a positive outcome than any amount of time on the internet.  A good consultancy will also show their workings to equip the team to manage similar issues internally next time.

Critical success factor: call in the consultant at the first signs of project distress (or when you catch your Post-Doc scientist googling an area outside of their subject area).  This will reduce your risk and save paying for reworking of issues.

2            The time constraint

Think about your development plan, your funding cadence and your competitive environment.  If time is your constraint, call in the consultants.  While consultants can be a comparatively expensive resource, they can often begin work from a standing-start; it’s often forgotten that expanding a team takes months and requires significant internal resource to interview, select, onboard and manage.   Consultants are also able to offer flexible expertise on a project, providing 10 software engineers for a couple of months to move the project forward quickly, rather than recruiting two software engineers to complete the work over a couple  of years.

Critical success factor: clear project scope, timelines and budget.

3            The (senior) resource constraint

There’s a project that you and the team just don’t get to. It’s not on the critical path but it would be good to get it out of the way before it ends up there.  Sometimes, the project that doesn’t get done just isn’t important – but sometimes, it doesn’t get done because the team either doesn’t have the expertise to know it’s important, or the expertise to even know where to start.  Senior freelance consultants in particular can work as an extension to your leadership team, freeing up bandwidth when there are conflicting priorities on the CEO’s to-do pile.   They can also informally provide a sounding board which can build confidence in decision making and C-suite resilience.

Critical success factor: building a network of experienced consultants that you know and trust can simplify the process.  Take advantage of the fact that most freelancers are very happy to get out of their home office and meet for a coffee and an informal chat.  

4            External Validation

This is probably the most tricky in terms of demonstrating value for money  as the team already has the answer.  But if you you’re engaging with new investors or other key stakeholders, having your business plan, market forecast or development roadmap validated by an external consultancy can reduce due diligence timelines and risk.

Critical success factor: Be honest and clear on why you need the consultant. Are there remaining uncertainties? How will you react if they tell you that your assumptions aren’t sound? Also, consider carefully the firm you choose to work with, and how their brand will reflect on you and the information you’re seeking to validate.

If you’d like to learn more and explore when and how to work with a consultancy firm, please get in touch. I’d be very happy to meet for that coffee!