The Consultancy industry in South Africa is worth in excess of R5 billion and is continuing to thrive. Start-ups are keen to enter this lucrative industry, reaching their full potential whilst adapting to trends.
If consulting is for you and you are inspired to start a consulting business here are a couple of pointers of how you, too, can jump on the consultancy gravy train:
Reputation is a no-brainer:
People will use you if they are offered good service and they trust you. A respected reputation in your specific consultancy is imperative.
Networking plays a vital role which should lead directly, once implemented correctly, to new clients.
Here are a couple of examples:
Mergers and procurement consultants where years of practice under your belt as a consultant at a large blue chip company will play a major role, or if you have years of experience as an accountant.
Individuals that have expertise as a head-hunter consultant at a recruitment agency.
How licenses, qualifications and experience will get you a foot in the right door:
Even if qualifications cut your 25wings to a certain degree, there are certain businesses in the world of consultancy that don’t require certain certificates or licenses – just good old-fashioned service.
Listed here are a couple of good examples for start-ups wanting to enter the world of consulting:
- Career and personal coach – this is where common sense, emotional intelligence and experience in the corporate environment will guide your client base in finding jobs in niche markets where they will find career satisfaction.
- Image consultants – if you have a fine eye for high fashion and are artistic this is the kind of career that will assist those individuals that need to look good if they have to appear on the red carpet on a regular basis, individuals that need to look professional for job interviews or simply require a practiced eye to assist in exuding the kind of confidence and competence that is so important for first impressions.
- Marketing consultants – should you have the right kind of smarts in the world of advertising as well as branding it will be the right kind of consultancy business to enter into if you have the knowledge.
These are only a couple of examples of the type of start-up consultancy businesses that are on the up and up.
Consultants that specialise in new trends often find great success. It is so important to remain on top of your game at all times and up to speed with new trends – but specialising in a trend and focusing on a singular idea could prove to be limiting – that is why always evolving and keeping current is so important for any consultancy business. Even though trending is a carrot that will lure customers and clients, experience still takes first prize every time.
Suffice to say there is much potential to opening up a start-up consulting business in the burgeoning world of consultancy, and if you are an expert in a specific area, have the passion as well as the necessary smarts to assist others with your talents, then a start-up consultancy is the perfect business.
