Getting Started in Consulting (Alan Weiss)

I am so glad I pre-ordered this book. I am still studying, don't want to work for a boss and am already doing freelance work, so this book seemed to be a perfect start to learn about consulting before I really begin doing it full time. And guess what? This book is genius! There are so many great tips and experiences written in this book that almost every page is valuable. I give many books 5 stars, but this book has more than earned them. I went straight to chapter 8:"Establishing fees" because in the past I have under priced my work a lot, because I am just 19 years old and did not want to scare of prospective clients. How funny it may sound the first sentence is. "Those of you who have turned immediately to this chapter are welcome to my book." That was a warm welcome to this chapter which has given me a lot of great info. With his value based pricing I now dear to ask more, because I know that the added value far exceeds what I normally ask for it before I read this book. Any... Read more

I purchased "Getting Started In Consulting" over a year ago as I began to plan my transition from being an internal corporate consultant to starting my own consulting business. As I developed my business and marketing plans, the advice in the books was invaluable. It even helped me with the office essentials I would need. I have now departed the corporate world and started my own consulting business. This book is as on target now as it was the first time I read it and was instrumental in my being prepared to hit the ground running. I landed a $150k contract before I really had opened my doors for business. I heartily recommend it to anyone thinking about starting their own consulting business.

I first read Alan Weiss' book "Money Talks" and immediately started reading this book. I was not disappointed. Dr. Weiss is certainly considered one of the profession's "Godfathers", and I had high expectations for how this book would help me. I was not disappointed. Here are some of the key tips I took from this book. 1) Charge based on value, because charging by the hour turns your work into a commodity. Since we ultimately impart our knowledge and experience for a client, it makes sense to charge for it. Charging for value also strengthens your position in a price negotiation. Dr. Weiss also presents some clever ways to avoid being drawn into a price argument. 2) Start writing and speaking immediately. I was planning to consult first to build a knowledge base, but now I'm going to leverage my existing experience and write to get noticed now. Since consulting is a relationship business, this approach makes total sense. 3) Give back as soon as you can. I particul... Read more

In Getting Started In Consulting, Alan offers a lot of excellent advice for entering the industry. Some readers may suggest that many of Alan's insights are common sense, and I grant them that a well seasoned consultant no doubt gained from experience much of what Alan presents. That said, this is a book for getting started in consulting, and I for one appreciated hearing those observations from an experienced consultant entrepreneur. The only complaint about the book that I care to raise is that Alan may want to update its content in a couple of places, particularly as it pertains to advice concerning technology. Otherwise, a terrific effort on Alan's part.

I read the first 40 pages to verify my initial reaction toward this book: namely, the author is pompous and patronizing to his audience. He treats his readers as though they have few brain cells. Moreover, he frequently mentions the word "ego" as if this is the primary reason why people enter consulting (i.e., to feed theirs). It's certainly not mine. After reading to page 40, I jumped ahead to Chapter 8, Establishing Fees, which provided useful information. I plan to move on to other books that are outside the box re: consulting...and that don't insult my intelligence.