As a business development consultant, I coach and consult entrepreneurs like you–small business owners and professional service providers- on creating and implementing actionable strategies to build a high-growth company amid changing circumstances.
I’m an independent third-party guide that provides management consulting and advisory assistance in all stages of your business lifecycle. I identify any loopholes within your various operational functions, uncover hidden challenges, and discuss any issues you face; I suggest mitigating risks and better-leveraging resources.
Through my coaching, consulting, mentoring, and training engagements, I share my vast experience, insights, and know-how as to why evolution, expansion, and reinvention are the hallmarks of any business with a long history of success.
Book a free discovery call today to learn how I can help your business.
Over the last 40 years, I have seen many market ups and downs. Along the way, I have helped my clients sort through the issues and challenges their businesses have faced due in part to the complexities and fallout of each financial upheaval by providing my clients with clear and accurate analyses, experience, and expertise.
This was true from the 1987 stock market crash through the limited partnership litigation in the early 1990s, the bond market crash in 1994, the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the Russian default in 1998, the bursting of the “technology bubble” at the turn of the century, the credit crisis that began in late 2007, and now the markets’ reaction to the post COVID-19 pandemic.
I stand ready to become your “Co-Pilot” and help you to navigate the issues
and challenges of your business lifecycle.
Hello, I’m Terry, a 20-year resident of Sarasota, Florida, via Connecticut, Toronto, and Michigan. Between us, my wife and I have three (3) children, three (3) grandchildren, two (2) grandcats, and two (2) granddogs. We spend our spare time traveling to Michigan, New Jersey, and New Mexico to visit our clan.
My wife and I have parallel careers. My wife is a retired elementary school teacher, and I’m an adult educator in the private-independently owned small business arena. As a Business Development Specialist, I work directly with entrepreneurs on their business life cycle stages, from ideation, startup, growth, expansion, maturity, succession, and exit strategy.
I’m the entrepreneur’s “Co-Pilot,” assisting them with charting their course, staying on course, forecasting possible issues and challenges, and adjusting the course of action to successfully navigate the various stages of their business life cycle journey. The process that I go through with every client is to educate, consult, train, coach, and mentor.
That’s a lot to absorb, but look, I have been working in business development for four (4) decades. You know what they say about overnight successes; I’m here to tell you that’s not true.
to learn more about my backstory and how my journey can help you
Despite its importance in behavior change, education is a broad term that is often misinterpreted. As your business development consultant, I advocate for your behavior change by increasing your personal awareness of why the change needs to be made and the training on how to make the change. I tailor your education in such a way as to be most effective at increasing your personal awareness and you skill set.
As a business development consultant, I identify the issues and challenges the enterprise is facing, analyze the problem(s) deeply, advise you on the areas of that need improvement, and propose the best possible solution(s). In addition, I develop an action plan to implement the solutions to the problem(s) and present it to you for your approval.
As your business development consultant, I initially perform a training needs analysis to determine any training shortfalls. If needed, I create and implement effective training programs to address your organization’s shortfall(s). Additionally, I optimizes the new training by assessing your existing training resources and develop new training material so that it addresses current skill gaps.
In the area of training, the goal is to provide one-on-one sessions that are tailored to the your specific personal and professional development needs. The sessions can entail a mix of coaching, training, advice, and guidance at various points in the relationship based on the your needs. The sessions are designed to enhance, develop, and support leadership skills. Whether you are transitioning to leadership, an established leader or an individual contributor, the fusion of services is meant to help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
A business mentor has a more long-term relationship with you. They focus on supporting your growth and development as an entrepreneur. Ideally, they have more experience than you in entrepreneurship and will provide encouragement and support by sharing wisdom and lessons learned from their own experiences that could be useful to you. The most successful people all agree that greatness can’t be accomplished in solitude and the value of a great mentor is priceless.
Highly structured process with distinct phases — Discovery > Define > Plan > Execution > Monitoring/Controlling > Closure.
The discovery phase is the opportunity to discuss and clarify the prospective client’s vision, goals, challenges, issues, competition, and the market. This data is imperative to determine the scope of the project. Knowing all this will be critically helpful in order to define the details of the project.
The define phase is the preparation of the consulting project documentation. The Business Consulting Agreement defines the scope of the engagement and outlines the agreed on project deliverables, timelines, resources, associated costs, and communication protocols. The other document preparation includes: Confidentiality, Non-Disclosure, Non-Compete agreements, and the Code of Ethics.
The planning phase begins once the Business Consulting agreement and companion agreements are signed by the parties. During this phase, diagnostic analysis is performed using client data, needs, and research of external data and industry trends.
This phase is where the detailed project plan is created which outline the tasks, resources, risks, and timeline associated for the consulting project. After a clear plan has been created, the project can move on to the next phase of execution.
The execution phase is when Terry implements the newly created project plan. During this phase, Terry meets with client stakeholders to discuss findings and agree on a course of action to help the organization achieve its objectives.
This phase also involves the training or coaching of the client staff on best business practices or how to effectively use the new business solutions.
This phase of the project focuses on monitoring performance, controlling risks, and making necessary adjustments/changes if required. Terry will evaluate progress against project plans, identify any issues or challenges, and adjust course if needed while providing feedback to the client regarding their business performance.
This phase also provides the opportunity for Terry to make any additional improvement recommendations and advice on business strategies and tactics.
At this stage, Terry will review client performance against the initial project goals and objectives to ensure the consulting project has been successful. Terry will also review any business solutions created or changes made during the consulting process to ensure they are still meeting the client’s needs.
Terry will provide a final report on the project and make recommendations for future business initiatives.
I’m very transparent and upfront about what you get when working with me.
You will know in advance and not after the engagement exactly what you’re going to pay. Whether it’s an hourly rate or retainer price, its all spelled out below!
As your Business Development Guru, I’m often a necessary tool for taking businesses of any size to the next level. The following are some of the reasons why!
Click on items below for details!
One of the primary benefits of contracting me as your business consultant is that you have instant access to my four decades of small business development experience across a spectrum of industries while working globally with a large diverse group of entrepreneurs. You can lean on me to supplement your experience, your time, and your energy.
Think of me as your, “Go-to-Expert”.
It’s so common to hear business owners refer to their businesses as their “babies.” Due to bias or simply being too close to the issues to see clearly, companies can easily become blind to problems that are often right in front of their noses. My unique and objective vantage point allows me to offer constructive feedback and criticism that would otherwise go unnoticed in your blind spots. Contracting me as your business consultant gives you a fresh pair of eyes to spot the true issues holding your company back.
Furthermore, family-held businesses often suffer from their relationship dynamics such that it can be difficult for the family members themselves to speak openly and honestly about problems dragging the company down. Maybe one family member’s poor performance is being detrimental, or maybe an inter-familial power struggle is causing the company to lack a unified strategy. As a neutral and objective business consultant, I’m able to speak openly about these problems without fear of reprisals.
Think of me as your, “Fresh Pair of Eyes”.
As a business owner, nobody knows your business more intimately than you. And while that’s fine, it can also be a detriment to your success. When you’re inside the fishbowl, it’s hard to know what it looks like. As your business consultant, I provide a wide-ranging view with a laser focus to uncover the issues and challenges that are uniquely yours.
Think of me as your, “Broad Vision”.
As your business consultant, you will know in advance and not after the engagement exactly what you’re going to pay. Whether it’s an hourly rate or retainer price, I’m very transparent and upfront about the cost of my services.
Initially, you may think my consulting services are quite expensive. However, business development consultants like myself are very highly specialized, which means we charge a lot more for our time than some general business “coach.”
In most cases, you’ll pay a minimum of $150 to $300 + per hour for a business development consultant. There are even a few consultants who charge as much as $16,000 per day.
My virtual-online consulting fee is $97 per hour with a minimum purchase of one (1) hour of service!
That’s a hell of a bang for your buck when you consider that my onsite consulting fee is $327 per hour plus expenses with a minimum purchase of three (3) hours of service.
Think of me as your “Asset not Your Expense”.
As your business consultant, I have a wealth of experience working in numerous industries which provides me with a clear line of sight strategy.
Line of sight refers to the alignment between what people are learning and critical business results and challenges. Line of sight is key to both the transfer of new skills, insights, and practices to your business that are required for your success.
I will share with you a solid perspective of what other companies are doing and what it will take for your company to outperform the others.
Think of me as your, “Line of Sight”.
Let’s face it, it can be hard for entrepreneurs – business owners to find the extra time needed to develop effective plans and execute strategies on top of their host of other duties. Taking this time can often feel like a luxury the company can’t afford, especially during the early stages of planning a project that might not even occur. Sadly, many potentially valuable projects and ideas never get traction merely for lack of time.
As your business consultant, I can devote all of my time towards weighing the different options and presenting research and data on the various cost and benefit options to position your business to tackle its goals, while you concentrate your time on what you do best – running your day-to-day operations.
Think of me as your, “Strategic Planner”.
Working with a consultant can be a great solution for companies needing temporary support. As your business consultant, I’m a third-party independent advisor. I’m not a permanent member of your team, and I do not take any equity in your business.
This means there are no strings attached to our relationship. When my consulting period is done, everyone says thanks, and we both go our separate directions.
Think of me as your, “No Strings Attached Consultant”.
Whether you’re literally just getting off the ground or you are already generating seven- or even eight-figure topline revenue, contracting me as your business consultant to accelerate your growth is a smart move.
My Consulting engagement, with you and your company, is one that is based on a policy of written agreements of confidentiality, non disclosure and non compete. These agreements establish the foundation of trust, openness, honesty, professionalism and commitment that is necessary for our relationship and the engagement to be successful. I believe this policy ensures your confidence and integrity in the process.
My Management Consulting Toolkit contains 100s and 100s of the most useful, versatile and value added tools like forms , templates, assessments, worksheets, workbooks, and guides that I have acquired and created over my decades of the client engagements, In general, the tools focus on business analysis, performance, and transformation that cover key consulting disciplines and includes a vast array of tools:
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