Latest / Black Girls Consult TOO! / Episode 107: Consulting 101: How to Unlock Profitable Skills You Already Have

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Episode 107: Consulting 101: How to Unlock Profitable Skills You Already Have · Black Girls Consult TOO!

• 0:00
  Dr. Angelina Davis: If you have found yourself struggling to find a fit that feels good, that feels right, and you want to make a greater impact, but you haven't been able to land that business flight yet, then this episode is for you.
• 0:15
  Dr. Angelina Davis: They say the odds are stacked against us as women, especially women of color, trying to thrive in the consulting world.
• 0:26
  Dr. Angelina Davis: But rather than wait for a seat at the table that may never come, what if we build our own tables?
• 0:31
  Dr. Angelina Davis: What if we channel our talents into guiding each other towards the success we deserve?
• 0:36
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Welcome to the Black Girls Consulting Podcast.
• 0:39
  Dr. Angelina Davis: I'm your host, dr Andrea Nadevis, and I've walked the path from healthcare consultant to a mentor for women like you, ambitious, unstoppable and ready to make waves in the consulting world.
• 0:50
  Dr. Angelina Davis: This podcast is your go-to spot for all things entrepreneurial consulting.
• 0:55
  Dr. Angelina Davis: For us as women, especially women of color, think of it as your weekly coffee date with a friend who's here to dish out real talk on building a solid business, elevating your thought leadership and mastering that all important mindset.
• 1:09
  Dr. Angelina Davis: And let's not forget we're doing all of this while balancing day jobs, family life and running teams.
• 1:15
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Yes, we can do it all.
• 1:17
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So if you're ready to dive into how you can grow a thriving consultancy, or get strategies and insights that actually fit your busy lifestyle, then you're in the right place.
• 1:27
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Grab your coffee, tea or, hey, even a glass of wine, I won't judge and let's get started.
• 1:33
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Hi, my name is Dr Angelina Nadevis and I'm the host of the Black Girls Consult to Podcast.
• 1:45
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Welcome to this episode where we are going to be talking about how you can find your best fit in your industry using the expertise you already have.
• 1:56
  Dr. Angelina Davis: One of the biggest challenges that we often have starting out is that we look to find clients from referrals.
• 2:03
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Now, this is a great process to use.
• 2:06
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Of course, it gets you in the door when you are first trying to get your name out there, show that you can do the work and build your reputation, gain testimonials and all of those things.
• 2:16
  Dr. Angelina Davis: But this can often lead us into what I like to call the consulting trap.
• 2:23
  Dr. Angelina Davis: The consulting trap is where you are gaining business, where you are building a consulting business that is generating revenue some even very, very successful but doesn't align with your goals, your dreams or your aspirations.
• 2:39
  Dr. Angelina Davis: And one of the reasons why this occurs is because you start out in the common and traditional way of finding business, which is to land referrals.
• 2:49
  Dr. Angelina Davis: When we are looking for referrals, starting out, the easiest place to look are friends, family, past businesses, other organizations and other relationships that we have created within our industry, and we seek out individuals that we can help and problems that we can solve.
• 3:06
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Now this is a great way to get your business off the ground, but where it goes wrong is when we don't ever stop, adjust and make a pivot if necessary.
• 3:16
  Dr. Angelina Davis: What tends to occur is that you begin to have people refer to you from others and you find yourself doing a lot of odd jobs.
• 3:26
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Many times, these jobs and this work that you're getting is not in full alignment one with what you want to do, but then also it's not even in alignment with one another.
• 3:37
  Dr. Angelina Davis: You are doing a lot of different things and wearing a lot of different hats, and because of that you can't seem to carve out a unique space for yourself in the market.
• 3:46
  Dr. Angelina Davis: But this brings in money and it pays the bills, and so what often happens is that we lean into that, because, of course, we need our business to survive.
• 3:58
  Dr. Angelina Davis: As we leave further and further in, we become locked into the work that we're doing, because now we have clients that we need to serve, we have money that we're generating and it's hard to think about going backwards and not being able to do all of those things.
• 4:14
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So this leads us to continue down this path, to gain more and more clients that want different things, that are coming from sometimes different industries, different backgrounds, with different needs, and we begin to build something that resembles our nine to five, because we're not in love with the work that we do, we're not finding joy in it anymore, and when this occurs, we often build some level of resentment toward the clients that we are working with and it's not their fault.
• 4:47
  Dr. Angelina Davis: They're there to have their needs met and to find solutions to their problems and we've agreed to do so.
• 4:53
  Dr. Angelina Davis: But because it's not in alignment and because we don't find joy or fulfillment in doing it, then it makes it difficult to do the work.
• 5:01
  Dr. Angelina Davis: And if it makes it difficult to do the work, it's gonna be harder for you to get things done.
• 5:06
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So this is where procrastination creeps in, or where you begin to look for other ways to shift, adjust or pivot, and what I want us to consider is that if we were able to create a business around our strengths and the things that we find passion and joy and doing, then it can completely change our perspective on what it means to build our business over the long term.
• 5:34
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So if you enjoyed this episode and want help building your consulting business, just click the link in the description and download my free email course Consulting Mastery Blueprint.
• 5:46
  Dr. Angelina Davis: It will give you all you need in order to get your business off the ground.
• 5:49
  Dr. Angelina Davis: And if you have already been in practice for a number of years, visit wwwexceliaconsultingcom for more information.
• 6:02
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So one of the first things that I have found helpful myself, and what I often have many of the clients that I work with do when they are working either with me one-on-one or in one of my programs, is to stop and do a personal audit.
• 6:16
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Yes, you need to start writing down all the things that you've done and what you've been able to accomplish, and one of the reasons why you need to do this is because you are likely taking a lot of things for granted.
• 6:28
  Dr. Angelina Davis: There is so much that you can do and so much that you've achieved over time that I will bet that you have forgotten much of what has stood out to others.
• 6:38
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So when we take the opportunity to sit down, pull out a pencil and paper and actually write down all of these things, we can begin to connect the dots and see how we can leverage some of that experience and those past accomplishments into our business.
• 6:57
  Dr. Angelina Davis: One of the places I want you to start is with the degrees and certifications that you've earned.
• 7:02
  Dr. Angelina Davis: This is a lot of the knowledge that you have worked diligently for over the years.
• 7:09
  Dr. Angelina Davis: You have invested so much money and being able to achieve the education, the high-level education, that you have, as well as the certifications that represent real-life experience.
• 7:20
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So don't discredit or discount that.
• 7:23
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Think about all of the classes that you've taken in the past.
• 7:26
  Dr. Angelina Davis: How do those impact your work now and what you find you are best at?
• 7:33
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Another place that I want you to look is with your talents and your skills Now.
• 7:38
  Dr. Angelina Davis: This moves beyond just the classroom and allows you to think about those things that you truly do well, the things that you just inherently are good at.
• 7:48
  Dr. Angelina Davis: It could be your ability to connect with people.
• 7:51
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Maybe you have the gift of gap, maybe you are an amazing writer.
• 7:56
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Whatever it may be, those skills cannot be discounted or discredited, and so you want to also include all of those things.
• 8:05
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Another place that you can look are in hobbies and other passion projects.
• 8:09
  Dr. Angelina Davis: This is an amazing place because it taps into the things that you enjoy doing in your off time.
• 8:16
  Dr. Angelina Davis: I always like to use the example of someone who is very good at public speaking.
• 8:22
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Maybe they become good at public speaking because they've taken a lot of improv classes in the past.
• 8:27
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Maybe they were a big theater kid and they became good at showing up on stage.
• 8:33
  Dr. Angelina Davis: If that's the case, then how can you utilize that to provide a service to others?
• 8:39
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Maybe you're able to help others with their speaking skills or improve their presentation skills so they're able to land the major contracts that they need to land, or be able to pitch effortlessly when they are trying to get a particular project or initiative funded.
• 8:57
  Dr. Angelina Davis: That is a key place that you can show off that skill.
• 9:00
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So, although that is something that's seen as more of a hobby or just something you did in your past time, it can be integral in the work that you are now doing.
• 9:10
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So, just to recap once again, I want you to think about your degrees, your certifications, your skills and talents and the things that you enjoy as hobbies and passion projects, and allow that to be a guide for some of the expertise that you can offer in your industry.
• 9:30
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Now the next piece of this puzzle is for you to find an area of focus.
• 9:35
  Dr. Angelina Davis: This is actually where you want to work.
• 9:37
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Many people may consider this as your niche or your zone of expertise or your zone of genius, but this is an area of your industry, or your market, where you are able to best serve.
• 9:50
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Serve both, not by the ability to carry out the task, but also with the passion and joy of doing the work.
• 9:59
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So when you think about this, I want you to consider who is the person that you would love to work with.
• 10:06
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Who's that dream client that you think about when you think about your business?
• 10:12
  Dr. Angelina Davis: The next thing is to consider where you want to make an impact.
• 10:16
  Dr. Angelina Davis: What are some of the things that you see happening in your industry or in your day-to-day practice that you wish you could change?
• 10:23
  Dr. Angelina Davis: What are those things that you're always bringing up at a meeting that need to be adjusted, or ways that you have been asked to help and make a difference in the work that you are currently doing?
• 10:36
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Those are all indicators of an area of focus that you can have within your industry, and when you're deciding upon this niche, I want you to also consider whether or not.
• 10:50
  Dr. Angelina Davis: They are in need of your help, so it has to be a two-way street.
• 10:54
  Dr. Angelina Davis: It's not solely about what you can offer and what you want to do, but then also, is this an area that people are searching for help in?
• 11:04
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Is it something that they desire to invest in?
• 11:08
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Is this an area of focus?
• 11:10
  Dr. Angelina Davis: And when you're able to match it to being your area of passion and drive and their area of need, you're going to stumble upon a good fit for you in the market, at least starting out Now.
• 11:23
  Dr. Angelina Davis: This will continue to improve over time as you land clients and you begin to make adjustments based upon what you're learning as you practice, but a good starting place is always going to be an area where you can actually utilize your strengths as well as find joy in doing the work and meet the need of others.
• 11:45
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Now, as we move into this last part of finding your fit and figuring out how you can monetize your expertise in your industry, you have to determine what is the right problem to solve.
• 12:01
  Dr. Angelina Davis: This is one of the hardest things for most people to do, and one of the reasons why this can be difficult is because, flat out, you are great at a lot of different things, and when you are good at a lot of different things, it can be easy to have a laundry list of services that you can provide, but I'll tell you that's going to be one of the hardest ways for you to stand out.
• 12:23
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Instead, you want to focus in on one area so that you can solve one problem for one person in one industry, and if you're able to do so, this is going to be your key to success.
• 12:37
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So what type of problem should you look for?
• 12:39
  Dr. Angelina Davis: You want a problem that number one is big enough for the client to want to make the investment.
• 12:46
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So what this means is that the problem has to be something that they are eagerly wanting to solve and that they are willing to invest money, time and other resources in acquiring.
• 13:00
  Dr. Angelina Davis: If you are able to identify this, it's going to be a good fit for you, because you will be able to provide a solution that you can then charge for and not just have anyone consider you to be a commodity and pay whatever rate, but you can create a specialized solution that they are going to find highly valuable.
• 13:21
  Dr. Angelina Davis: The key to being able to charge more is to provide greater value, so this is why I have clients focus in on how you can provide value from the client's perspective.
• 13:34
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Remember, value is not determined by us.
• 13:37
  Dr. Angelina Davis: We don't determine the value that we offer.
• 13:40
  Dr. Angelina Davis: It is the perception of value that the client is getting or receiving that actually dictates how much we are able to charge, at least unnervely, for that particular service.
• 13:53
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So we want to remain client-centered and client-focused when we are thinking about what we want to do.
• 14:00
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Once we identify the problem that exists, then we want to begin to consider how all of the things that we previously wrote down in our personal audit your degrees, your expertise, your experience, your passion, your talents, your gifts how can you utilize all of those things to come up with a solution?
• 14:23
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Now, it doesn't mean that you have to use everything, but you want to pull from a number of the things that you have identified as strengths for you.
• 14:34
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So, if you are good at speaking and if you are good at strategizing, if you have worked in the past in the healthcare space, how can you piece all those things together to find the perfect niche for you where you are able to help those who need to utilize all of those key skills and talents that you've identified to their advantage?
• 14:58
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Remember, you are filling a gap for the clients that you serve.
• 15:03
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So the problem that you are solving is going to be a problem that can benefit from what you have and what you are able to bring to the table.
• 15:12
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Now.
• 15:12
  Dr. Angelina Davis: One thing I want to stress is that the service you choose to offer does not have to be what you may have done in your previous career.
• 15:21
  Dr. Angelina Davis: It can be vastly different.
• 15:24
  Dr. Angelina Davis: I want to use myself as an example.
• 15:26
  Dr. Angelina Davis: When I first started, the no-brainer idea I had was to go into some aspects of healthcare consulting, because that's what I had been doing for a decade.
• 15:36
  Dr. Angelina Davis: However, that's not actually where I found the greatest fulfillment in terms of my entrepreneurial efforts.
• 15:43
  Dr. Angelina Davis: I wanted to do something different.
• 15:45
  Dr. Angelina Davis: I wanted to have an impact outside of what I had done in my nine to five, and one of the reasons why I became so passionate about the work that I do is because I spent so many years walking into board rooms and other meetings and being faced with others that don't look like me.
• 16:05
  Dr. Angelina Davis: They were not oftentimes women, and certainly very few, if anywhere, women of color.
• 16:10
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So I became very passionate about helping others achieve the goal of building successful consulting businesses as a woman, especially a woman of color.
• 16:20
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Because I had that passion and because I had the skill set.
• 16:24
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Then I knew that I had the strength and the capabilities and the expertise to lean more fully into this area of work as a coach.
• 16:33
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Now you can actually do the same thing.
• 16:35
  Dr. Angelina Davis: It doesn't mean that you cannot help those who you truly want to serve.
• 16:41
  Dr. Angelina Davis: If there's a level of passion or purpose that goes hand in hand with the work that you desire to do, then build that into the services that you offer.
• 16:52
  Dr. Angelina Davis: All of these things can be a part of the business that you are creating.
• 16:58
  Dr. Angelina Davis: You have total control as to what your business will look like.
• 17:03
  Dr. Angelina Davis: This is no longer a situation where you have to follow everything that someone else has outlined.
• 17:10
  Dr. Angelina Davis: You don't have to stick to doing it a certain way.
• 17:13
  Dr. Angelina Davis: You don't have to lock yourself into a box.
• 17:15
  Dr. Angelina Davis: You can be as creative and as innovative as you would like.
• 17:20
  Dr. Angelina Davis: The key, though, is to make sure that, as you are building your business and as you're focusing on what you can offer, stay within your strengths.
• 17:29
  Dr. Angelina Davis: When you do this, when you lean into what you do best, it will make everything much easier, because then, instead of you also trying to fill gaps for yourself and knowledge you're able to simply focus on serving, and the more we can lean into this feeling of service and being able to provide additional help and insights and support to others.
• 17:53
  Dr. Angelina Davis: It is going to help our business shine because the customer or client experience improves, and as that improves, so will our revenue and our ability to become more profitable.
• 18:05
  Dr. Angelina Davis: So, just to recap, if you are trying to figure out how can you best monetize your expertise or how can you find a better fit for your knowledge in consulting, I want you to start off by auditing everything that you know, the degrees and certifications you have obtained, the gifts and talents that you have, to see what you are able to bring to the table.
• 18:30
  Dr. Angelina Davis: The next thing I want you to do is to focus in on an area of your industry or market where you can make an impact and also find fulfillment in your work.
• 18:42
  Dr. Angelina Davis: And then, last but not least, I want you to think about the problem that you're going to solve, making sure that the problem that you're solving is one that number one is needed in demand and also will be seen as valuable by the clients that you want to serve.
• 19:00
  Dr. Angelina Davis: If you do this, you will stumble upon a very great fit in the market and eventually, over time, as you adapt and modify and improve the services that you provide, the perfect fit for you to achieve the success that you desire.
• 19:20
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Thank you for tuning in to the Black Girls Console 2 Podcast.
• 19:23
  Dr. Angelina Davis: If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to leave your review on Apple Podcast, subscribe and share it with a friend.
• 19:31
  Dr. Angelina Davis: We're on a mission to increase the success and longevity of women in consulting, and you can help us do just that.
• 19:37
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Also, I'd love to hear from you, so let's connect at Dr Angelina Davis on Instagram or LinkedIn and don't forget to visit excelaconsultingcom for more information to support your consulting journey.
• 19:50
  Dr. Angelina Davis: Until next time, keep breaking glass silly, alright, take care.