What Does It Mean to Be an Equitable Business Consultant?

First, let me say that the irony of "equitable business consultant" is not lost on me. This is why I find it important to talk about.

Equity in consulting is harder than it sounds. Because the traditional model incentivizes output over alignment, and often rewards speed over clarity. Whether we like it or not, we live and work in a system that is extractive by nature. And consulting is oftentimes at the top of that food chain. 

Here’s How I Approach The Practice of Consulting Differently:

I don't treat deliverables like trophies.

If a system or strategy doesn’t serve you, it doesn’t belong in your business. I build what’s needed, not just what’s expected. If we uncover something as we work, we will do everything possible to fit it into the current scope. Often traditional consulting has quite a bit of scope creep and over-phasing the work to stretch it out. I work very hard not to do that, and I check in with you as we work to ensure that what we’re building makes sense. I do what I can to make it easy for you to ask questions and ensure that you understand and agree with the work we’re doing. 

I scope based on capacity.

Budget matters, of course. But so does your time, energy, and ability to apply what we create.

If the work can’t be used, it’s not equitable. It creates noise, the opposite of why you are looking for consulting in the first place! So I scope our work based on what I know is needed and on what will fit into your reality. Together, we’ll collaborate to ensure the work works. 

I center collaboration, not control.

I don’t take things and run with them. Consulting with me is deeply collaborative. We build together, so the strategy fits your actual context, operations, and leadership.

I structure my offering with advising first for a few reasons:

1. I need to deeply understand your business and the factors at play before I can properly scope consulting work

2. You deserve to get support immediately that we know will be helpful (and so far, I have not had any advising clients who did not find significant value) 

3. I want you to get to know me and how I work because if I consult, you’re going to work very closely with me so you learn about the work as we go

I assess Fair Market Value from an ecosystem lens.

This means including your business phase, revenue, draw, and sustainability goals. This approach allows me to build a project scope that respects your reality and ensures that the work we do has actual impact.

Equitable consulting is about who I serve, what I charge, how I listen, how I build, and how I walk alongside you.

Do you have questions, feedback, or want to chat? Please feel free to reach out anytime!