FROM THE PUBLISHER
Connie Blumhardt
CONSULTANTS. Are they:
a) critical for my business
b) a necessary evil
c) just plain evil?
Over the past year, I have heard all of the above from people in
the industry. Why is there such a variety of opinion? On paper, every
consultant seems to have experience and credentials, but lately, I
have been hearing enough of the last response to make me wonder if
the “expert” bar is set too low in our business. Typical
complaints range from “All they did was agree with my ideas,” to “Every
answer was: ‘You need more consulting,’” to “Buy
these products, which—by the way—I happen to represent.”
I am not sure if our business is unique, but I have
noticed an increasing number of individuals and businesses that call
themselves “consultants.” Some are fantastic, with experience
at all levels of coffee; others, not so much. This leaves all of us
with similar questions: When do I need a consultant? What should I
be looking for in a consultant? How should I engage a consultant?
Perhaps the most critical stage of engaging a consultant
happens before you even start looking for one. To best employ a consultant,
you must define very clearly what you need help with and, perhaps
just as importantly, what you don’t need help with.
Once you have determined why you need a consultant,
how about some tips and things to consider when researching consultants?
I would like to hear about your experiences, but here is a list I
have compiled from speaking with industry friends:
• Has the consultant owned a coffee business? And is it aligned
to your business (roaster, retailer, importer)?
• How many years have they been involved in the coffee business?
• How do they make their living? Are they billing a fixed price
for a fixed set of deliverables? Are they retained on a time and materials
basis? Do they receive compensation for selling specific equipment or
materials?
• References, references, references.
• Can you work with them? This is a final, and perhaps the most
critical, point: Is the communication effective? A consultant can
only provide service and advice if they know and understand your business
needs.
No one is an expert at everything. If there is one thing I have learned
in my 13 years in coffee, it is that I learn from other people every
single day. Consulting, whether paid and expensive or advice for free,
is important to the success of every business. However, it is incumbent
upon you and me to be as critical and selective about our consultants
and about what purpose they serve as it is about our choice of roasting
machines, importers or green beans.
Warmest Wishes,
Connie
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