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Consulting for Businesses that are broke

Michaela

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Hi Friends,

It has been awhile since I posted. I have spent a lot of time action faking and wasting my time thinking instead of taking action. However, a few weeks ago things have finally started coming together. I have officially registered a business with the IRS and have taken real steps to make my goal a reality.
Without going into too much detail, I started a consulting business for emergency services. If you are at all familiar with this profession, you will know that many, many of these agencies are struggling financially and in other ways. This causes hardship for not only the business but also the communities that they serve. I have a large network of people who are in charge of these agencies and agree that there is a definite need for consulting in this field. Only problem is, how am I supposed to charge them for what I am worth when they don't have a dime to invest?
Is there anyone else out there who is facing this dilemma? What can I do to make my business affordable for those who desperately need it, without wasting my own time? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can structure payments? I definitely feel as if I need to implement a retainer fee, and then perhaps break down monthly payments after that, but honestly, I'm not sure if even that would work. The goal is for my company to help these departments increase their revenue overtime, so should I base my fees on how much I helped contributed to their increases in revenue? I am completely drawing a blank on what I need to do here.
 
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Manchild_Unbound

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Late Bloomer

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Hi Michaela.

I don't get why M.U. posted the link to Gerber.

Why is it so important to you, Michaela, to provide a service to people and institutions who can't afford it?
Just because there's a need, that's not funded properly by the government, the community, foundations, schools, churches, corporate donations, etc.... why would that mean it's your responsible to be impoverished, in order to fill that need?

Why not offer consulting services to clients that can easily pay lots and lots and lots of money for consulting? And then, if you like, donate 10% of your service time for free to worthy charity causes, that can't rub two dimes together?

You've read Fastlane, but you aren't using MJ's principles. Yes, it's not Easy to enter this field, and you'd be able to Control your own consulting. But, there's no Need, Time, or Scale on your side.

Remember that in business terms, Need doesn't mean something that would be nice to do, or that would by itself improve society. It means, a desire backed by money that flows to those who can fulfill that desire. Your question is a version of, how can I create a business need when there's no business need? How can I put in a lot of time with people who have no money to pay for my time, and get some of their money for all of my working time? How can I personally do a lot of work that doesn't scale, and get the rewards of scaling my work?

I don't see how this is the basis of a great business model. I encourage you to reconsider. Right now you've got a conflict: it's extremely important to get paid for your work, and it's extremely important to work for people who can't pay you. There's not advice others can provide, that will break that contradiction for you.
 

WJK

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Hi Friends,

It has been awhile since I posted. I have spent a lot of time action faking and wasting my time thinking instead of taking action. However, a few weeks ago things have finally started coming together. I have officially registered a business with the IRS and have taken real steps to make my goal a reality.
Without going into too much detail, I started a consulting business for emergency services. If you are at all familiar with this profession, you will know that many, many of these agencies are struggling financially and in other ways. This causes hardship for not only the business but also the communities that they serve. I have a large network of people who are in charge of these agencies and agree that there is a definite need for consulting in this field. Only problem is, how am I supposed to charge them for what I am worth when they don't have a dime to invest?
Is there anyone else out there who is facing this dilemma? What can I do to make my business affordable for those who desperately need it, without wasting my own time? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can structure payments? I definitely feel as if I need to implement a retainer fee, and then perhaps break down monthly payments after that, but honestly, I'm not sure if even that would work. The goal is for my company to help these departments increase their revenue overtime, so should I base my fees on how much I helped contributed to their increases in revenue? I am completely drawing a blank on what I need to do here.
Are you doing a non-profit -- like the Red Cross? Are you working for governmental agencies?-- local up to FEMA?
I have a friend who has a daughter that does emergency planning. They have national conventions for people in that business. There's a lot money going toward those kinds of services. A lot of it being updated and computerized. It not the same old thing anymore.
www.wjkbusinessbuzz.com
 
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Late Bloomer

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Are you doing a non-profit -- like the Red Cross? Are you working for governmental agencies?-- local up to FEMA?

She referred to organizations that can't complete their mission because they have a catastrophic lack of funding. That would rule out both the Red Cross and FEMA, wouldn't it?

Great suggestion about conventions, that's a great way to get known in any field!
 

WJK

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She referred to organizations that can't complete their mission because they have a catastrophic lack of funding. That would rule out both the Red Cross and FEMA, wouldn't it?

Great suggestion about conventions, that's a great way to get known in any field!
I was in Denver two winters ago for an oil/gas conference - which was next door at the convention center. My friend's daughter was a keynote speaker staying in the same hotel for one of her conventions. They whole hotel was full of people who did emergency planning. That kind of gathering would be a hell of place for her to start.
www.wjkbusinessbuzz.com
 

Michaela

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I was in Denver two winters ago for an oil/gas conference - which was next door at the convention center. My friend's daughter was a keynote speaker staying in the same hotel for one of her conventions. They whole hotel was full of people who did emergency planning. That kind of gathering would be a hell of place for her to start.
www.wjkbusinessbuzz.com

Thanks! Yes, I am friends with someone who organizes EMS conferences in my area, and he has actually agreed to let my business speak at the next one. That is one way I was planning on marketing my business. My business is not non-profit though, although some of the fire departments that we will be working with are. I've worked with FEMA before when it comes to receiving grants for agencies that I have worked for in the past, but not for my current endeavor.
@Late Bloomer I see what you are saying. Before I give it up though I am exploring the options that I have, even if it means traveling out of state to other agencies that would be able to afford it. My goal is ultimately to become an influencer in this field and offer my services in more of a web-based approach.
 
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Late Bloomer

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My business is not non-profit though

Why is this necessary? Unless you'll be funded by charitable donations and grants, why not simply charge enough to make a profit? Nonprofits are allowed to buy from for-profit vendors too, as long as they get good value for things that relate to their mission.
 
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