PICA Member Spotlights

Q&A with independent consultants who successfully “made the leap” and created the consulting career of their dreams

 

Q: Could you please introduce yourself and tell us your consulting specialty?

A: My name is Dan Brewer and I’m a technology consultant specializing in helping business leaders get the desired value out of their technology investments. My tagline is ‘Getting the sand out of your technology gears’, which is one way I pitch my business.  One common way I do that is guiding a business through the process of researching and selecting a new technology solution.  For example: helping a health insurance business pick a new CRM tool to manage their grievance and appeals inventory.

 

Q: How long have you been  independent and why did you decide to go independent?

A: I've been independent for five months now. I'm very excited about it and really enjoying the freedom of it. There were multiple reasons I decided to go independent. One was I've always wanted to have my own business and I’ve considered different things over the years. Consulting is attractive at this stage of my career and has very low startup costs compared to other businesses.  The other major factor in the decision was that after more than 30 years in a big company I was hungry for more independence in choosing what I work on.

 

Q: What’s been your biggest FUD to overcome so far? 

A: That's definitely finding clients and I’m still working on that process. It took 3 months to find my first client, which was a major milestone, but I’m still working to fill my pipeline of clients and projects.

 

Q: How did you find the work?

A: It was a business conference that I decided spur of the moment to attend because I heard that a friend was speaking. It was half day event with several speakers and exhibitors. I took my business cards and my business “fishing line” hoping to meet prospects. I was not focused on my friend as a potential client, but when I mentioned what I was doing, she had the perfect client reaction: “Well, I'm actually struggling with some of my technology right now.” That led to a more detailed conversation a few weeks later and then quickly to a project.  I had several reasons in this particular situation to offer my services free of charge, which certainly made it easier for her to accept my proposal.  But in lieu of my fee, I asked for her help promoting my business.

 

Q: This will be a really terrific way to publicize your first client.

A: Yes, we actually talked about that. When I offered to do the project at no charge, I told the client that I would like to be paid in referrals. Specifically, I asked her for a testimonial/recommendation on LinkedIn and for introductions to people in her network.  She was completely on board with my request and offered another promotion idea of her own.

She runs a dance studio as a nonprofit so that she can solicit donations to pay for at-risk kids to attend dance classes. These are kids who need healthy activities and influencers but would not be able to afford the classes on their own. For the corporate sponsors who make donations, she offers advertising space on a wall in the waiting room where parents wait for their kids.  So as additional compensation for my work, she offered me space on that wall to advertise my business. I’m hoping there’s a lot of business leaders bringing their kids to classes.

 

Q: Who is your target client?

A: Small and mid-sized business leaders who are struggling to get the desired results from the money they are spending on technology.  I believe I can help in all industries, but I have the most experience in healthcare.  I am also looking for opportunities to improve on the fragmented state of patient medical records in the U.S.

 

Q: Can you tell us how you’re approaching your networking and business development so far in terms of getting your name out there and expanding your network?

A: I’m primarily following the advice of some of the PICA workshops that advocate for networking to generate referrals. My LinkedIn profile is currently my website. I may build my own website at some point, but currently I just have my domain name redirecting to my LInkedIn profile and I think that’s adequate.

I also really like David A. Fields book, The Irresistible Consultant’s Guide to Winning Clients. I’m counting on having enough conversations with people, where I simply let them know what I’m doing, and that at some point some of them will say, “Yes, I have a need.” or they’re going to know someone who has a need and make that connection for me.

 

Q: Other than business development, which of course is a big one, what else have you had to learn these first few months? 

A: Lots of practical things about running a business, managing a business, the legal setup, the accounting, and those types of things. My wife started an LLC in 2020 and helping her get that set up was a good learning experience.

In the corporate world where I spent the last 30 years, all of these administrative services were provided by the corporation.  Now, as a business owner I have to figure out which services are worth paying someone else to do and then find good providers for those services.

It feels like there are a million administrative tasks that require attention but don’t directly generate income. I decided I needed a new CPA and that led to a whole series of interviews and research.  Getting Microsoft Office configured so that it can support client work. Picking out my laptop computer was another thing. I've always been a Windows guy because my employer dictated that. Now that I manage my own laptop, I believe Apple is more durable and easier to manage and secure, even though I have a learning curve going from Windows to Mac.  While I have switched to Mac hardware, I’m sticking with Microsoft software for email, Word, Excel, and Power BI.

These administrative details have consumed a lot of my time.

 

Q: What advice would you give to someone who is interested in making the leap to independent but who is still on the fence?

A: Since I have not completed the transition to a successful independent, I’m not sure I’m the best person to give advice on this, but my heart says tell them to stop waiting and just go for it.

I spent nearly two years sitting on the fence between starting my own independent consulting business or staying in my comfortable corporate job. Even after I worked out funding to support myself during my business launch it was difficult to walk away from that steady corporate paycheck. I did not want to work two jobs to build up my business before leaving my corporate job, but I knew it would take some time to find clients.  So, I set a goal of landing my first client before quitting my job and eventually I went part-time to free up more time to do business development. After 3 months of part-time employment, I didn’t feel much closer to landing a client, but I had built up enough confidence that I made the leap and quit my job.  I really think that until you've cut the cord to your old income source, you're not fully committed to the new business.

A big part of what made this possible for me was penalty free access to my 401k which had enough money in it that I could live off it for a year or two without risking my retirement funds. If you are over 59 and a half years old, you have full access to your 401k and IRA. If you are over 55 years old and have a large 401k, many 401k plans have an exception to the 10% penalty on early withdrawals, when you separate from your employer . If you are not 55 years old and have a large 401k, you may be able to tap 401k funds through the ROBS process: RollOvers as Business Startups. 

You really need a good financial advisor and CPA as you consider these options.

 

Q: The important thing is that you built a safety net to carry you while you get your name out there, be perceived as an expert in your field, and have people know you’re available. You have the confidence that this is what you want to do and that you’re smart enough to figure out the things you don’t know.

A: Yeah, but like many big things in life it can be a real roller coaster of emotions. At the moment, I'm feeling very confident. Landing my first client was a big boost to my confidence. But there are still days where I'm very doubtful about my ability to pull this off. I cycle in and out of feeling like I am failing versus being confident and optimistic. On the down days, I rely on my faith and my friends who believe in me.  Plus I've been in business long enough that I know I can figure things out. While there's a lot that I don't know about running my own business, especially the marketing and networking sides of it, I'm confident I can figure those things out.

PICA has been a tremendous resource.

 

Q:  It’s not necessarily about selling your services, it’s more about being of service to the people that you meet.

A: Yes, but you’ve got meet people and be able to articulate your value proposition. Finding people that want to have a conversation, that’s the networking piece that’s hard for me. I wish I could sit at home all day blogging and sending emails to land clients. I have to force myself to go out and talk about my business. It's not always in person, but it's in a live conversation on the phone or in person.

 

Q: You already mentioned a conference that you went to, talked to one of the speakers, and followed up, which led to more conversations. Are you doing a lot of those types of things or are you expanding your network in other ways? 

A: I’m strategic about conferences because many of them have limited value in terms of landing new business.  I belong to PICA and the Institute of Management Consultants primarily because they support me in my profession, but they also offer some prospecting.  I attended the HIMSS conference this year because of my interest in medical records technology, which I hope will eventually lead to clients.  I’m considering joining the local Chamber of Commerce for networking with business leaders, but I haven’t quite made that investment yet. It would be nice to have some income before I spend more money. Conferences aren't going to be the primary channel for me. The primary channel is people I already know and connecting to them.

 

Q: Alumni networks from the college you attended is another strong networking source. Which school’s alumni should reach out to you to network? 

A: The University of Louisville, Ohio State University, and Jefferson Community College. 

 

Q: How can people learn more about you and connect with you?

A: www.danbrewerconsults.com will redirect you to my LinkedIn profile.  Invite me to a conversation: virtually or in-person if you are in the Louisville, Kentucky area.


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