Surviving Your First Year As A Consultant

Hispanic Times Magazine, Sept 22, 2001

It's not just a new career, it's a new approach to life. Elaine Biech says you must practice healthy habits to provide yourself with balance and structure.

Elaine Biech has a word of caution for new consultants (and consultant wannabes): this is a challenging life. Yes, it's rewarding, fast-paced and seldom boring, but it's not easy. And as she points out in her new book, The Consultant's Quick Start Guide: An Action Planfor Your First Year in Business (Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, June 2001, ISBN: 0-7879-5667-8, $19.95), if you don't adopt and adhere to some healthy habits, you will crash and burn-personally and professionally.

"Many people I meet think of consulting as an exciting, high-powered career," says Biech, a twenty-year veteran of the field. "But my friends know what, my life is really like: up at 4 a.m. to catch a flight for a noon meeting, spending six hours in the airport because of delayed flights, canceling dinner plans, and finally arriving home at midnight. It is also about eating poorly prepared restaurant food, writing proposals until the wee hours of the morning, and losing a contract due to a technicality. Most of all, it is about long hours."

Naturally, such a lifestyle is more difficult to manage than that of someone with a structured, 9-to-5 job. But it can be done. In her new book--which is a blend of useful worksheets, thought-provoking questions and advice gleaned from her twenty years of experience in the field--Biech helps newcomers create a "survival plan" for their first year. Here are a few of her recommendations:

Take care of your health.

Identify how you will continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle by asking yourself-and answering-questions in the following categories:

* Fitness. What was your exercise routine like before becoming a consultant? Or what is the ideal exercise routine you'd like to start? How will you ensure that you get regular exercise?

* Nutrition. What eating habits do you want to maintain? What eating habits do you want to start? How will you do so while traveling?

* Stress management. What kinds of things have caused stress for you in the past? What stress reducers have you used that work? What is your plan to prevent stress as a consultant?

Manage your time.

We all have exactly twenty-four hours in every day. And while we all talk about saving time, we really cannot. Time continues to march on. We can, however, save time. Here are a couple of time-saving tips for you:

* Think big. Work on several large projects rather than dozens of small projects. You use a great deal of time traveling from one client to another, remembering names, and getting up to speed on the project.

* Make invoicing easy. Keep an invoice format on your computer for clients who will incur repeat billings. When it's time to bill them, simply complete the date and the invoice amount and print it out.

* Keep a tickler file, labeled by month, in your desk drawer. Place items in them that need attention in each particular month. When you pull the file for each month, you will be reminded of what needs to be done.

* Keep a time management log. This will give you the data you need to identify where you could manage your time better. (Biech provides a sample document for your convenience.)

Establish good business habits up front.

* Create a good filing system. Develop one that works for you. You may start out with just one drawer and file everything alphabetically. Later you may wish to separate your drawers into categories such as past client folders, originals, proposals, and resources.

* Add copyrights to all original documents. If your integrity is ever questioned, a dated copyright on your material protects you and your work.

* Bill all completed work immediately. One of the best favors you can do for your cash flow is to send the invoice to your client within 24 hours of completing the project.

* Make follow up with clients your top priority. Seems logical, doesn't it? But you will be surprised at how many things can come between you and a simple return phone call.

* Date everything. Otherwise, someday you will look through a file, find just what you wanted, pat yourself on the back for a good filing system, only to find out that the survey was dated August--that's it. August what? Don't let it happen!

Balance your life.

* Make your own rules. Make up rules that help you maintain your balance and put your business in perspective. For instance, tell yourself, "If it's not done by 6:00 pm, it can wait until tomorrow." Or perhaps your number one rule is "to spend Saturday morning with my kids."

* Take time off. It's important to take a break from your business. Go on vacation. Go to a day spa. Spend an afternoon reading a book. Visit a state park.

* Identify other interests. Join an investment club. Learn golf. Try embroidery. Fly a kite. Visit an antique store. Write poetry. Refurbish a classic car. Plan a trip with your spouse, your children, your parents, or a friend.

* Take advantage of being your own boss. If you work at home, find time to get away from it all. Go for a walk, visit the gym a couple of days each week, eat lunch in your backyard. If you work out of an office, stay home a couple of days each month and work on your deck.