How Did We Get Here?

Since this is the inaugural blog posting of Westport Business Solutions' new website, I thought it appropriate to ask this time honored question, particularly as it relates to my colleagues in the consulting profession.

The world of management consulting has changed a great deal in the past two or three years. The size of the market itself is still huge - a recent Penn State University article estimated the market at $100 Billion of advisory services sold with IT, business strategy and enterprise advisory accounting for the majority of the business. However, while growth in the United States market has slowed, the number of smaller consulting practices is growing ever more rapidly. The reason for this is largely the effect of a slow economy and the displacement of an enormous number of management professionals who previously enjoyed corporate roles who are now trying to earn a living selling their experience and skills independently amidst a market dominated by established practices.

The complexities of the marketplace are exacerbated by the fact that most of these new independent practitioners have not had previous experience in a full time consulting role. Moreover, they are divided into what I have characterized as two distinct groups: the "administrators" who have spent a career processing management information and directing tasks to others, and the "skilled practitioners" who generally executed the required tasks.

The "administrators" as a rule are well versed in marketing themselves within the framework of a corporate culture and are experienced in networking to further their careers. The "skilled practitioners" have to date generally focused on the task in hand and are satisfied that their record of accomplishments represents a personal marketing statement in and of itself.

In the open consulting marketplace, "administrators" tend to establish a more dynamic presence and have deep networks that will open up a lot of doors to potential consulting opportunities. However, once opportunities have been identified, they simply do not have the practical skill sets that will allow them to effectively help their clients.

By contrast, "skilled practitioners" even though they have practical skill sets and experience to support the needs of clients and a track record to prove it, have historically had little exposure to actively marketing themselves as a compelling resource.

The consequent variety, volume and disparity of experience in terms of entrants has created a lot of "noise" in the market place, and, a bewildering set of choices for prospective clients who are in need of solutions.

So ......"How Did We Get Here?"....... Westport Business Solutions was founded on the premise that there were a large number of outstanding consulting professionals (the "skilled practitioners")  in the market place who were not getting in front of the clients that really needed them because they did not have a sufficient "voice" in the market place. Yes, they had a website, but in truth it was usually a largely static site generating little traffic and most of their work was coming by way of referral.

Clients on the other hand were faced by a dizzying array of choice, but found that a lot of their time was wasted sitting through slick presentations that were found to lack substance once a few practical, probing questions had been asked.

Westport Business Solutions provides a platform for highly skilled and experienced professionals to bring their niche value propositions to the clients who need them.  Clients benefit from a broader, but better refined choice and a confidence that they will be talking to practitioners who have the right skill sets to deliver the required solutions.

Here is a good place.

Nevil Ede   CEO - Westport Business Solutions, March 8th, 2010