Customer Reviews

An Insider's Guide to Building a Successful Consulting Practice

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I enjoyed reading Bruce's book the first time and keep returning to it for inspiration and advice on how to handle specific business situations. In a few pages he offers a practical framework for how to discover your best niche and how to write proposals, develop authentic client relationships, and handle sales calls that result in a productive engagement for you as well as the client. This is a great resource!

This book is an excellent resource for anyone who is thinking of starting a consulting practice or has had one for many years and wants to update. Dr. Kathcher has assembled a wealth of information and presented it an interesting and highly readable fashion. I've read it and referred to it many times and have recommended it to colleagues and clients.

Dr. Katcher provides smart yet practical advice for both aspiring and experienced consultants. I found the book so on-target, I purchased a copy for a client. Great examples, plain-spoken language...this book won't waste your time!

As a new consultant, I found this book addressed all my questions and more. Bruce focuses on exactly the issues I've been facing and gives concrete advice, suggestions and methods to solve each one. The examples he uses are very helpful, and his writing style is easy to read and understand, almost conversational. The book is must-reading for anyone considering becoming a consultant or someone who needs help getting their practice going.

While this book is great for those wishing to break out on their own and start their own business, it's also tough for young professional consultants to know how to get their foot in the door of big firms and then subsequently take the right steps in order to succeed. Thankfully, there is now a book to do that, Launch Your Consulting Career, which includes how to find the right firm for you, how to prepare an application package that will be read by the right people, how to prepare for interviews, and how to consider your offers. You will also get insight into the 5 key areas that you need in order to out-perform your peers as soon you get hired, including building a network, finding mentors, and proving your skills to your new team members and managers. A sample resume and cover letter are included as well as specific check-lists on how to prepare your resume for advanced readers and how to prepare for your first days on a new project site. Check out that book here: Launch Your Consulting Career

As I look back upon my career, I realize that I have a ton of knowledge and experience to share. I also have realized that I can't make full use of this experience with a single employer. So, as part of my overall 5-year plan, I want to look into starting an independent consulting firm. So, that's why I picked up "The Insider's Guide to Building a Successful Consulting Practice." I will say it is probably the most realistic and most useful book I've read around becoming an independent consultant. The author addresses the issues that are most important to becoming a consultant (including whether or not it is a good idea, sales and proposal writing). It is well researched (including opinions from real consultants) and provides excellent insights using real examples that present problems and solutions around running a consulting practice. You can read it cover to cover, but its real value is as a reference book to accompany you on your consulting journey. A great and valuable read.

I read this book as a 30 year veteran of big firm consulting, followed by my own sole consulting proprietorship. This is a terrific "how to" book. Katcher has presented a well-balanced blend of case studies, anecdotes, data, concepts and advice. I was overwhelmed by the detail. As I read it, I couldn't think of anything he'd left out. If I wanted to launch a consulting practice, his book would be a solid reference guide. A high percentage of boutique consultancies don't last more than a year. Follow Katcher's advice in this book, and you'll likely sustain your practice as long as you want.

I bought this book and read it from cover-to-cover in retirement only because I knew the author and because I had been one the practicing consultants Dr. Katcher surveyed during his research. I wish I had read this book at the beginning of my 18-year consulting career rather than as I was crossing the finish line!

I retired from the military and needed a second career to help make ends meet. I wanted to be my own boss. So I read some books on consulting, but learned little of immediate value; most were seemingly written by successful consultants for successful consultants. I was a beginner. So I started my consulting business by trial-and-error, not even knowing the difference between a consultant and a contractor! My simple ignorance probably cost me $250,000 in lost revenues over my first five years in business! Dr Katcher will help you cut through the administrivia of self employment and reveals what is really important at the outset of your consulting career: this book is a beginners essential guide! You can avoid the aimless wanderings that robbed me of energy, time, and at least $250,000 in lost income during my first five years in business for myself.

Wilder M. Snodgrass
El Paso, TX & Portsmouth, RI

An Insider's Guide to Building a Successful Consulting Practice

As a consultant with many years of experience, I wasn't sure that I needed to read a book like this. However, after seeing it on Amazon--and then briefly paging through it at Barnes and Noble, as well--a few things immediately caught my eye. Bruce presents a very comprehensive description of 22 different business models. He also puts forth 18 different ways to market consulting services, which are equally helpful. I was surprised to see that Bruce's book is only one of many other ways that he helps consultants launch and manage successful practices. The website for his practice, The Center for Independent Consulting, illustrates a multi-faceted approach and the full range of services that Bruce offers--in conjunction with a number of other experts in this area. This book is a must read--even for consultants who have been managing successful practices--because Bruce takes the process to a completely different level. I would also strongly recommend visiting his firm's website!

Save your time and energy learning the basics of consulting the hard way by purchasing this book. Had I been given this information when I started out 6 years ago in consulting, I would have accelerated my business results. Anyone considering this career path, or those who have already made the leap, should pick up a copy.