Critical to Success
Starting and Building a Thriving
Consulting Business
Proven Step-by-Step Strategies, Systems and Tools
to Start and Build a Thriving Consulting Business
Are You Held Back by
the Hidden Traps in
Building a Consulting Business?
Every consultant has stories of how they wasted time and money trying to build their business.
Learn the strategies, systems and tools that will help you build a thriving consulting business. Don't be held back by these common traps,
Critical to Success is built on 30+ years of consulting experience, two years of research, and hundreds of hours of interviews to learn just exactly what it takes to build highly successful solo and boutique consulting businesses.
Transform your Consulting Business
Transform Your Life
Don’t waste years and miss opportunities by trying to learn on your own how to build your consulting business.
Critical to Success teaches you proven consulting business practices, strategies, skills and tools that will help you start and build a thriving consulting business and add more time to your life.
The courses, tools, and community in Critical to Success will help you,
Ron’s Critical to Success class has totally changed my life. I'm not kidding!
I operate a one-person consulting business, and Ron’s Critical to Success class has totally changed my life. I’m not kidding! . . . I’m a very enthusiastic fan of Critical to Success. If you decide to sign up, be prepared for big changes and lots of work. But I promise you, you’ll greatly appreciate it!
John Lamy // Management Consultant, Southern Oregon
Lamy Consulting
Ron Person has brought a lifetime of successful consulting to his Critical to Success course.
Ron Person has brought a lifetime of successful consulting to his Critical to Success course. I’ve learned so much from him! He knows it how to make it work and he knows it well. He helped me find my niche, focus my brand, and then work with LinkedIn in a way that’s natural to my own easygoing communications style. I can’t say enough good things about him and his work.
Leslie Lawton // Copywriter, Content Marketing Strategist
Where Do You Want to be
on the Earnings Curve?
Join the Ranks of High Earning Solo-Professionals
Often, it’s just a few things that separate being average from being great.
In 2015, the average self-employed person in the US earned $47,200. In that same year,
Imagine earning high six- and seven-figure incomes!
What difference would it make in your life,
your family’s life, and your children’s future?
What was the difference between average earners and high income solo-professionals?
What where the factors Critical to Success?
In Elaine Pofeldt’s ground-breaking research on high-earning self-employed people she discovered the Critical to Success factors,
Pofeldt, E. (2018). “The Million-Dollar, One-Person Business”, Lorena Jones Books.
After 30+ years as a six- and seven-figure independent consultant and two years researching success factors, I’ve distilled what is Critical to Success into step-by-step guides, videos, and checklists.
Now it is quick, easy, and straightforward to apply the systems, strategies, and skills used by highly successful solo-consultants and professionals.
Thriving Consultants Enjoy a
Satisfied, Healthy and
Independent Lifestyle
Satisfied, Healthy and Independent
You might think that the “hard work” it takes to make high six- and seven-figure incomes would add serious stress to your life. In fact, the opposite is true. Being unsuccessful creates more stress.
74% of full-time self-employed independents in 2017 reported they were very satisfied, the highest level reported in seven years by
In this same survey 65% said they chose to be self-employed. They were in control of their life and work.
70% of full-time self-employed said that working independently was better for their health.
MBO Partners, "State of Independents Report", 2017
Consulting is in Demand
Consulting Growth
Worldwide business and technical consulting is growing faster than the rate of business growth. That means pent up demand and a demand for consultants.
Research by Consulting Magazine, Kennedy/ALM, MBO Partners, and Consulting.UK (multi-country) forecast consulting growth of 4% to 10% through 2019 and the foreseeable future. This is higher than the forecasts for general business growth rates.
I recommend Ron Person's course highly to anyone who wants to grow their consulting business
When I gave a presentation at a meeting or a conference in the past, people would seem excited, and then I rarely heard anything from them. Then Ron taught a class on how to get leads from presentations. We got half a dozen serious leads from our next two presentations, and are having conversations with those people now. And we know how to do this in the future as well.
I recommend Ron Person's course highly to anyone who wants to grow their consulting business. In addition to giving comprehensive information about every aspect of marketing and sales for consultants, he is generous in answering our questions and critiquing our materials. In the classes he creates a community among the students, and we are also able to help each other.
I wish I had had this course earlier.
Sheella Mierson, Ph.D. // Creative Collaboration, Team Dynamics
Founding Member, The Sociocracy Consulting Group
Partner and Certified Facilitator, Blueprint of We California
The Best Time to Build a
Thriving Consulting Business is Now!
Now is the time to start and grow a thriving consulting business.
Click below to get your free Consulting Business Building toolkit,
Start Building Your Consulting Business
In Your Own Time
With Critical to Success you can impact your consulting business in minimal time. Follow a proven fast track to build the foundations, then accelerate your business with lessons and tools to that go from Finding a Niche to Building Recurring Revenue.
You help your client's improve their business
Now it's time to improve your business
There's just enough concept so you know how and why strategies, systems and tools work. Then you dig in and use the short, easily accessible videos, step-by-step guides, checklists, and tool kits to build your consulting business.
Business Impact
Critical to Success modules and tool kits have one objective – make an impact on the success of your consulting business.
Just Enough, Just in Time
Bypass the long lectures in other courses. We chunk content and tool kits into small segments so you can use just what you need, when you need it. Find it quickly. Get the job done. Make your business grow.
Any Device
Need access to video, tips or scripts while you’re away from your computer?
No problem. Critical to Success is fully accessible from your Smartphone or tablet.
Flow Chart Guidance
Beginner or experienced, it doesn't matter. Flow charts will show you where to start and what modules will give you the greatest impact on your business.
Chunked Videos
5 to 15 minute “over the shoulder” and “step-by-step” videos mean no more long boring lectures. Get what you need quickly and make an impact.
Step-by-Step Guides
Work quickly and confidently on business and marketing projects with “over the shoulder” videos and step-by-step guides that take you through business, marketing, and technical projects.
Checklists and Cheat Sheets
Checklists and cheat sheets keep you on track at your client and finishing business and marketing projects.
Workbook and Tool Kits
Workbooks, tool kits, and spreadsheets help you layout your ideas, forecasts, and lists in an organized structure. Complex calculations are done for you.
Scripts and Swipe Files
Proven scripts and headline swipe files seriously improve success. Use these as templates for your own prospect calls, email sequences, and blog titles. Proven time-savers and success builders.
Live Office Hours
Once a week “all hands-on deck” Open Office Hours let you ask questions and present client situations. Office Hours are recorded and indexed for searching and watching later.
Topics in the Course
You have access to the strategies, skills, and tools in each of the seven stages. They guide you step-by-step in building a robust, thriving consulting business.
Courses have a Foundation and Mastery level. Foundation skills bring all members to the same level of knowledge for each of the seven stages. Once you have passed a simple quiz for each Foundation stage have access to the Mastery library containing videos, step-by-step guides, and tools. Once you are through the Foundation level you have the common language and skills to join our online communities.
If you have a thriving consulting business you can skip through each stage and get to the Mastery libraries by passing the simple quiz for each level.
Stage
01
Finding Your Niche
It's an old saying, but it's true. "The Riches are in the Niches." Creating a high-income, professionally satisfying business is easier and more profitable when you find a niche where your are highly valued.
Stage
02
Knowing Your Clients
You need to know who your clients are, how to identify them, their highest-value needs and problems, and how you can guide them on the journey from lead to client.
Stage
03
Building and Promoting Your Brand
Your professional brand must give your prospects the confidence that you can guide them to their goal. If you have been working on your logo, stop now. This stage will show you what your brand really is and how to make it unforgettable.
Stage
04
Filling Your Pipeline and Closing Clients
You need a proven process that identifies qualified leads, engages prospects and develops their trust so they ask you, "When can you start?" The lead generation systems in this stage cost $800 to $3,000 a month if you hired an agency to do it for you. The sales methods you'll learn come naturally to consultants - you aren't selling to a prospect, you are consulting and helping them find the best solution, YOU!
Stage
05
SOWs, LOAs, and Proposals
When you correctly close a new client you already have the Statement of Work and Letter of Agreement almost finished. When you do them right they prevent scope creep and disagreement. Do it right and they set you up for added value and additional work.
Stage
06
Automating Your Marketing Machine
Eliminate the feast-or-famine cycle. Create an automated marketing machine that attracts and qualifies leads, and engages prospects while building trust and authority. Do it right and you no longer have to spend 30% of your time looking for new clients.
Stage
07
Building Recurring Revenue
The business models of successful consultants are changing. You don't have to be at the client to deliver value. Learn how to create a workflow that turns one consulting offer and value into multiple assets that can be delivered through multiple channels. Stop working longer and harder hours and learn how to leverage your expertise and value.
The Best Time to Build a
Thriving Consulting Business is Now!
Now is the time to start and grow a thriving consulting business.
Click below to get your free Consulting Business Building toolkit,
I cannot rave loudly enough about Ron and his precise and wise advice!
I cannot rave loudly enough about Ron and his precise and wise advice! For decades I have had a wide approach: consulting to everyone thinking that all companies could benefit from our work. His quote rings constantly in my ears: “marketing to everyone is like marketing to no one.” We now focus on three markets and specific client profiles. It makes finding leads easier, we know their challenges and how to talk to them, and we have put together sets of solutions more specific to our client’s needs.
Rachel Eryn Kalish, M.C. // Creative Collaboration, Team Dynamics
Certified Facilitator, Blueprint of We California
Lead author "Challenging Communications" training, Blanchard Companies
What Clients and Students Say
I've had the opportunity to work with many consultants. Ron Person goes right to the top of my list of the most effective.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with many consultants and facilitators in my career, and Ron Person goes right to the top of my list of the most effective. In fact, it’s not fair to Ron to refer to him as a facilitator, as he’s really more of a learned guide, humble educator, process cop and teammate. Most importantly, he added true value to our project. It’s an understatement to say that we never would have attained the results we did had it not been for Ron. I’ve referred him to colleagues at other companies and look forward to working with him again.
Peter Cohen // VP Marketing and Retail Strategy
We have a clear vision of what we will become and we know exactly what we must do to get there.
Your guidance helped us through the sometimes difficult process of developing a strategic plan. Not only did we capture the widely diverse needs of our stakeholders, but we produced an executable plan in record time. We have a clear vision of what we will become and we know exactly what we must do to get there.
Some strategic planning processes are little more than pointless exercises that end up on a shelf. This plan is one we know how to execute.
General Manager // One of California's Leading Performing Arts Centers
I must tell you that your book is an excellent read...
I must tell you that your book is an excellent read. In fact, it's like a checklist which one should carry while implementing a Balanced Scorecard in any company.
Nitin Singh Bhadauria //
Your book was a great guideline for us in improving our strategic planning.
I just wanted to drop you a quick e-mail to congratulate you on your great book. It was a great guideline for us in improving our strategic planning.
Alex Robbio // Vice-President, Business Development
It Took Me Years to Build a
Thriving Six- and Seven-Figure
Solo-Consulting Business
You Can Get there Quickly with These
Proven Strategies, Systems and Tools!
I want to pass on to you the strategies, systems and tools I've
learned and collected from,
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I've always been fascinated by business and science. At 12, I started my first business washing retail store windows in our small town. At 16, I picked tomatoes in hot dusty fields. After flying as an Air Force pilot I thought it was finally my chance to learn about real business.
My Corporate Job was Boring and Unsatisfying
After joining a large high-tech company I went crazy. I was trapped in a cubicle. I kept waiting to see a world of customer-oriented products, innovation and mission-driven decisions. I never saw it. I quit to become a solo-consultant. Two years later that "safe", very large, high-tech company went bankrupt.
With No Mentor or Community
It was Hard to Build My Consulting Business
The first few years of solo-consulting was not easy. In fact, it was hard. I barely made enough to stay independent. I sold my house and downsized.
Without a mentor I went through years of "learning opportunities" on my own. I started looking for the specific systems and tools that separated average from high performance consultants. It took me years of work, starting at the local level and working up to international clients. But, I put together strategies, systems and tools that consistently earned high-six figures and multiple years of a million dollars. And, I was still a solo-consultant.
I want You to Learn these
Proven Strategies, Systems and Tools
Don't get me wrong. In the beginning it was hard. I love the life of a consultant, helping people and solving challenges. But, it takes a long time to learn what it takes to be successful. It also gets lonely not having a community of peers to share with.
That is why I put 30+ years of proven strategies, systems and tools into a learning community for solo and boutique consultants.
The Best Time to Build a
Thriving Consulting Business is Now!
Now is the time to start and grow a thriving consulting business.
Click below to get your free Consulting Business Building toolkit,
I Want You to Thrive
I personally want you to learn how to,
Quickly build your own thriving consulting business. All videos, guides and tools are concise so you can quickly impact your business. There are no hour-long droning sessions about irrelevant business philosophy. Follow a workflow map, take action and improve your business. It's action oriented.
Learn and use real world lessons that work, not misleading promises from people who haven’t been there. Critical to Success distills the practices from 30+ years of successful solo-consulting as well as proven best-practices from Silicon Valley startups.
Use your skills to become a change agent in the business world. The world faces immense challenges and we can help businesses do well by doing good.
Copyright 2019, Critical to Success