Building the IT Consulting Practice [Paperback]

Rick Freedman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2002

Building the IT Practice is a clear and practical guide organized to help design, build, and manage lucrative consulting practices. Building on the advisory methodologies described in the author's previous book, The IT Consultant, this book goes beond the personal practices and behaviors presented in that work to offer a roadmap to the creation of an IT Professional Services business. This book focuses on the basics of building a consulting business, dicussing such core issues as the creation of a unique marketing message, the design of a firm-wide delivery methodology, and the recruitment and retention of world-class sales and talent.

Editorial Reviews

Review

the essential first step in the path towards success as an IT services firm entrepreneur, manager, or consultant& -- mcsemag.eu.org March 20, 2003

"…he intelligently observes his field and takes sound positions on almost everything." (Consulting to Management, Vol 15, no. 2; 6/1/2004) 

“…the essential first step in the path towards success as an IT services firm entrepreneur, manager, or consultant…” (mcsemag.eu.org  March 20, 2003)

"&he intelligently observes his field and takes sound positions on almost everything." -- Consulting to Management, Vol 15, no. 2; 6/1/2004

"A must-read for any consulting professional. Masterful use of case studies, interviews, and best practice techniques. A great reference. -- Scott Monaghan, U.S. Manager of Service Development, Veritas Corp.

"There's something here for every consultant. Executing on the imperatives in this book will increase quality and drive project success." -- Jeff Vilimek, principal consultant, Microsoft Consulting Services

"a comprehensive roadmap...his focus on the human, technical, and business elements provides a framework for managing or building services." -- Rick Echeverria, general manager, Intel Solution Services

"a thoughtful and encyclopedic profile of the prototypical IT consulting firm...full of sensible advice for any human-capital-intensive organization." -- Tom DeMarco, author,

"an invaluable roadmap for building a thriving practice that acquires clients with ease and keeps them for life." -- Andrew Sobel, author,

"should be on every consultant's bookshelf...exactly the practical wisdom you need to make your IT consulting business thrive." -- C.J. Hayden, author,

Review

"Rick Freedman's soup-to-nuts guide to building an IT business should be on every consultant's bookshelf. Whether you are a solo practitioner or running a corporation, you'l'l find exactly the practical wisdom you need to make your IT consulting business thrive."
— C. J. Hayden, author, Get Clients Now!

"Rick delivers a comprehensive roadmap for successfully structuring, managing, and measuring the IT services organization. His focus on the human, technical, and business elements provides a framework for anyone managing or building a services."
— Rich Echevarria, general manager, Intel Solution Services, Worldwide

"There is something here for every IT consultant. Too many IT consulting firms focus solely on the technology. This book describes the operational factors that are critical to increasing consulting professionalism. Understanding and executing on the imperatives in this book will help to increase quality and efficiency, and drive greater project success. Consultants and their customers alike can use these best practices to increase project value."
— Jeff Vilimek, principal consultant, Microsoft Consulting Services

"Building the IT Consulting Practice is a must-read for any consulting professional responsible for the management, development, and delivery of IT consulting services. The author's masterful use of case studies, interviews, and 'best practice' techniques reinforces the topics with great clarity. With a span of coverage from marketing to methodology, this book serves as a great reference for IT consultancies at any stage of their development."
— Scott Monaghan, U.S. Manager of Service Development, VERITAS Software Corporation

"Rick Freedman has compiled a thoughtful and encyclopedic profile of the prototypical IT consulting firm. The book is full of sensible advice for any human-capital-intensive organization."
— Tom DeMarco, author, Slack: Getting Past Burnout, Busywork, and the Myth of Total Efficiency and Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams

"Success with clients is based on adding value along a number of dimensions, not just providing technical expertise. Rick Freedman understands this better than any IT consultant I have ever met, and he has set out an invaluable roadmap for building a thriving practice that acquires clients with ease and keeps them for life."
— Andrew Sobel, author, Clients for Life and Making Rain

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 233 pages
• Publisher: Pfeiffer; 1 edition (September 20, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787955159
• ISBN-13: 978-0787955151
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #861,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

RICK FREEDMAN is founder and principal consultant at Consulting Strategies Inc. He manages, mentors, and coaches consultants and project managers in consulting behaviors, strategic selling, agile project management and business consulting skills. Mr. Freedman has 25 years of experience as a strategic consultant, both as an employee of large corporate organizations like Citicorp and Dun & Bradstreet, and as a Principle Consultant for Cap Gemini America and ENTEX. Rick's clients include Microsoft, HP, Motorola, NASA, BP, Marriott, Verizon, H&R Block, Blue Cross Blue Shield, The US Dept of the Treasury, The US Army, Sega, Bank of NY, and The People's Republic of China. He lives in Lenexa, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book for starting Out, August 16, 2004

By 

Michael Cizmar (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Building the IT Consulting Practice (Paperback)

Rick writes a column for Microsoft and this book is good for someone starting with their own practice or for a review of best practices.