Finding the Perfect Small Business Consultant

Hands-on experience

When searching for a consultant, you want to keep an eye out for someone who has been a small business owner. A major red flag is when you come across consultants who claim years of experience helping others but who have never actually been in the shoes of the people they consult for.

Availability

It's bad news when you have to schedule an appointment with a consultant three weeks out. That might be an indicator that they have too many clients and are spreading themselves thin. Make sure to find out what hours they are readily available to work with you on any given week and try to gauge what their current workload looks like, too.

Portfolio

If your consultant has expert status (like he or she should, if in consulting), seek out the materials they are producing. Maybe it's a podcast, regular blog posts, books, or a history of public speaking--find those examples and get a taste of what your expert shares with other audiences.

Niche

Most consultants have a well-defined target audience. They work with small business with less than 50 employees, write about the financial industry, etc. Make sure you find a consultant that aligns with your business so you're both on the same page. Any consultant who claims to be an expert for anything and anyone might be a little over confident.

Cost

Consulting fees come in a variety of forms: Hourly, project-based, or retainer. Before hiring a consultant, make sure you clearly understand how you will be charged and the rate for the work being completed. Then, check those costs against what other consultants are charging for similar work to see if it's a fair price.

Contract

It's important that the consultant you choose is willing to sign a contract that clarifies goals, time frame, expectations, and deliverables. Everything needs to be in writing so the two of you have common ground on where the job begins and ends. Be leery of a small business consultant who isn't willing to put things in writing.