Small business consulting and business plan writing is a very personal endeavor between the entrepreneur and the company they are working with. It can quickly prove frustrating for an entrepreneur perusing the internet looking for a reputable company that will make a good fit. Hundreds, if not thousands, of small business service providers promote their experience, reputation and methodologies to make working with them as enticing as possible.
How do you know the company you choose is the right one? How do you know the company is going to deliver on their promises? How do you, as a small business entrepreneur, find peace of mind? While anyone can create a fancy website, receive an “A” rating with the Better Business Bureau (at least for a few months) and put up a couple of testimonials only the BEST companies who consistently produce high quality deliverables, coupled with excellent customer service, survive and thrive long term. The “fly by night companies” quickly develop a bad reputation and exit the small business planning market segment.
We recommend checking out the prospective companies BBB record, how long have they been in business, are the testimonials on their site of “real” companies, and follow your instincts during the initial consultation. Does your first contact with a company get you an aggressive sales pitch or a consultant who listens to you, asks questions and addresses your specific needs? Does the person you’re speaking with have experience being in your shoes or working with entrepreneurs who have been in your situation? Or are they just trying to make a sale? Remember to follow your gut because you’ll be spending quite a bit of time with the employees of the company you choose. Make sure you do your research first and ask ALL your questions before committing.
Successfully working with a small business consultant and/or business planning company is an intimate process where expectations need to be addressed at the onset and the parties involved MUST be able to communicate effectively. Based upon our personal experience not every potential client is a good fit for us or vice versa. We have a corporate philosophy and process we adhere to. Potential clients must work within our process for the best possible outcome for us and them. We don’t attempt to put a round peg into a square hole. It just doesn’t work.
If a potential client isn’t a good fit for Ethos 360, we recommend other small business consulting and business planning service providers we know that have strong reputations within our industry and are well established along with having solid track records of delivering high quality services and products. We have nothing to gain from these referrals besides the peace of mind knowing that the entrepreneur will be in good hands as they continue their search for the company that’s the “right fit”. This ultimately saves the entrepreneur time and money along with avoiding the potentially business killing mistake of working with the wrong company.
Below is a list of companies we recommend to entrepreneurs who don’t fit into our wheelhouse. Some focus on one aspect, such as small business consulting or business planning, while others combine these services, along with additional complimentary ones like capital raising and investor relations. Some even offer investment banking and high level institutional investor introductions.
In no particular order:
Growthink- www.growthink.com
Butler Consultants LLC- www.financial-projections.com
Capital West Advisors- www.capitalwestadvisors.com
Cayenne Consulting- www.caycon.com
Venture Archetypes- www.venturearchetypes.com
The Best Business Plan Co.- www.thebestbusinessplan.com
International Business Partners- www.ibpconsultants.com
