getting your money's worth: how to use consultants successfully
TRANSCRIPT
with Food & Crop Safety Expert Dr. Sarah Taber
HOW TO USE CONSULTANTS SUCCESSFULLY
Halle BrakeDirector of Upstart University & Community Building
upstartuniversity.net
Farm training from start to finish. @BrightAgrotech #UpstartWebinar #AutoGrow
Consultant’s-eye view on consulting• This is NOT the grower’s POV!
• You guys already have the grower’s POV-- you don’t need me to give it to you
• These opinions are mine alone and not Representative of Upstart University, Bright Agrotech, etc.
• Why am I giving this webinar?
What’s the deal with consulting?Consultants:nerds who work on a “gig” basis instead of 9-5 for one company
Gigs can be short- or long-term
People often use consultants to do tasks they can’t/don’t want to do, but they can also teach you and your employees to do new things
Do X for client Teach client how to do X
One-time engagement
Long-term engagement
Reasons farmers often hire consultants• Food safety & other regulatory compliance -Especially nutrient management
• Crop protection -Scouting, spraying
• Business/financial consultants
• Lawyers
• Lobbyists
Why hire a consultant?Usually it’s because you need experience/knowledge that you don’t have in house, and you don’t need (and probably can’t afford) to hire a full-time person to do it.
• One-time projects (food safety often falls here– making HACCP plans, etc)
• Consistent work but low hours (crop protection generally falls here)
• Legal, lobbying, & other consulting needs can go either way
Misconceptions about consulting
• Consultants are for big businesses with a lot of money (e.g. not me)
• Consultants are for doing stuff so you don’t have to worry about it anymore
• Consultants are a scam (this is only about 50% misconception-- the 50% that’s true we’ll discuss at length during this webinar)
When does consulting work?
• Consultant & client both understand what the other needs in the partnership
• Consultant & client are both willing & able to give each other what they need
• Personal styles: you don’t have to be an OKCupid match, but it really helps if you don’t clash
I don’t know what’s going on here but it’s safe to say these guys are nailing all 3
When does consulting not work?• The opposite of the last slide. Some examples:
• Consultant doesn’t understand client’s needs (sometimes bc client doesn’t know!) • One or both partners can’t/won’t dedicate the time to get value out of it• Consultant doesn’t have resources to do what client wants in timely manner• Client doesn’t have resources to follow through on recommendations• Consultant & client DO NOT get along• Client tries to use consultant for things they’re not good at• Consultant sells unnecessary services, and client doesn’t decline them• All this and more!
How to get value out of the consulting relationship?• Find a good consultant (more on that in a moment)
• Be a good client! -Know what you need -Communicate what you need-- use your words! -Have at least one conversation with consultant about where you are, where you want to get, how to get from Point A to Point B, and what each of you needs to contribute to get there -Focus-- and beware consultants who let you run up hours with chitchat -Be ready to dedicate time & resources to the project-- consultants can’t make your operation change without your help
• Don’t use consultants to do things you can do yourself!
How to get value out of the consulting relationship?
How to find a good consultant?
• Experience & peer recommendations: really bad at filtering out bad consultants!
• Experience: Some people have just been bad at it for a very long time.
• Peer recommendations: Some consultants get good reputations by being charming without actually doing much useful work for their clients.
• A lot of people wind up going for a consultant they feel like would be “a cool person to have a beer with.” This is the OPPOSITE of how to find a good consultant.
Consulting role models: Jen Barkley
(NOT a life role model)
(only consulting)
How to find a good consultant?
Whenever possible look for someone to “teach you how to drive,” not “chauffeur.”
Tell them upfront this is what you want. Good consultants know this is a good idea.
How to find a good consultant?• Good consultants are professionally trained and carry insurance. -If they aren’t covering their own butt, do you really wanna trust them with yours?
• What kind of insurance to look for? -Bare minimum: general liability insurance. This covers damages to YOU if they do something wrong. Ask for certificate. -Sorting the professionals from the wannabes: professional liability insurance.
How to find a good consultant?
• They’re a good fit for your work style.
• Tell them you want to pay for a hybrid of hours & results.
Do X for client Teach client how to do Xthemselves
One-time engagement
Long-term engagement
Red flags!
• High-pressure sales tactics
• High-pressure sales, agriculture edition: they spend a lot of time blaming everything on The Man
-This is a high-pressure sales tactic!
-That also provides a ready-made excuse when they don’t deliver
-Push back to see how they respond
-If they dig in-- RUN
How to get the consulting ball rollingSo you have a job that needs a consultant. Now what?
• Get all detail you can on what you need BEFORE shopping for consultants• Find a good one• Start on the right foot -Tell them your situation & what you want-- they can’t read your mind -Be aware of the risks consultants face in their business, as well as your own -Standard steps: proposal, then contract & deposit -With the consultant, divide the project up into manageable chunks -Figure out how you’re going to stay in touch during the project• Don’t be a client from hell
• Enjoy LEVELING UP YOUR BUSINESS through the power of solid consulting
• Be aware of the risks consultants face in their business (as well as your own) -Have written records of everything! It sounds like a pain in the butt (and it kind of is) but it’s also a beautiful thing
How to get the consulting ball rolling
How I felt about written records before consulting How I feel about written records now
How to get the consulting ball rollingSo you need a consultant. Now what?
• Get all detail you can on what you need BEFORE shopping for consultants• Find a good one• Start on the right foot -Tell them your situation & what you want-- they can’t read your mind -Be aware of the risks consultants face in their business, as well as your own -Standard steps: proposal, then contract & deposit -With the consultant, divide the project up into manageable chunks -Figure out how you’re going to stay in touch during the project• Don’t be a client from hell
• Enjoy LEVELING UP YOUR BUSINESS through the power of solid consulting
How to get the consulting ball rollingSo you need a consultant. Now what?
• Get all detail you can on what you need BEFORE shopping for consultants• Find a good one• Start on the right foot -Tell them your situation & what you want-- they can’t read your mind -Be aware of the risks consultants face in their business, as well as your own -Standard steps: proposal, then contract & deposit -With the consultant, divide the project up into manageable chunks -Figure out how you’re going to stay in touch during the project• Don’t be a client from hell
• Enjoy LEVELING UP YOUR BUSINESS through the power of solid consulting
Misc bag o’ tricks
• Lab sticker shock-- the price on the lab’s website is the spot price for one test at a time. If you need tests on a regular basis, most labs are happy to give a discount. • Never pay extra for documentation!
• When you buy something, you don’t just buy the thing-- you also buy the risk that the seller/service provider will do it wrong. Trust but verify.
• Never let fear of “being weird” or “mean” stop you from doing the right thing.
You can win!
Win 5 hours of flexible consultation with Dr. Taber!
Can cover organic certification, HACCP planning, GFSI Audit prep, or any other food/safety consulting.
Plus, 1 free month of Upstart University!
$610 Value Free!
How to win!An educated farmer with a clear goals and a plan is much more likely to do well in a consulting situation, and we have the resources to help you get there.
Sign up for a free 14-day Limited Trial to Upstart University.*
This trial will give you an inside look into some of the most popular courses on Upstart U. We hope you decide to stick with it for the long term!
One webinar attendee who signs up for Upstart University will be selected as the winner on Monday!
*Unlimited Member sign ups will be considered equally, but are not required and hold no better chance of winning. If you’re already an Upstart University member, and you attended this webinar, you are automatically entered to win.
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Farm training from start to finish. @BrightAgrotech #UpstartWebinar #AutoGrow