Consulting is a completely new service for our country, but despite this, its demand in the market is already quite high. Opening a consulting agency is an opportunity to start with minimal costs and reach a good amount of profit in a short time. This is due to the fairly rapid development of this market sector and the favorable environment accompanying the start of this activity.

In order to open a consulting business, large investments are not needed, and this is the main advantage of this type of business.

Experience in this area, a respectable appearance, and the presence of psychological stability are important. Businessmen who are too young have a lower chance of success, as a rule, business consultants aged 30 and over are trusted by clients.

Before opening a consulting agency, you need to clearly define in what area you plan to provide services. This can be accounting, economics, finance, etc. The final choice depends on the level of competition, as well as on how high your knowledge in a particular area. Customers can have a variety of questions, and you should have an answer to any of them.

Fast start

The possibility of a quick start in consulting attracts many entrepreneurs to this business. And most of them believe that organizing a consulting firm is not a problem at all. This is a misconception and can be costly. At first glance, it really doesn't take much to open your own consulting business.

As the experience of creating a consulting company shows, for a successful start you need an office located as close to the city center as possible, establishing contacts with prestigious companies, as well as competent promotion of information about your own services. But the correct definition of the possible directions of development of the consulting company is of particular importance.

Competition in this market sector is quite high, and only the most persistent can stay afloat. As a rule, these include entrepreneurs who took as a basis for creating their company a professional example of a business plan of a consulting company with ready-made calculations. With this document, the opening of a consulting firm, a company from scratch is guaranteed to take place without serious difficulties. Thanks to the business plan, you will be able to fully understand all organizational issues, which will allow you to profitably present your services.

How to start a consulting firm from scratch, where to start and how much you can earn.

Key points of the interview:

• Type of activity: Consulting activity;
• Business location: Ukraine, Kiev
• Occupation before starting entrepreneurship: student;
• Business start date: 2010;
• Searching for the first clients: “I found the first clients through“ cold calls ”: I looked for ads, called, offered my services.
• The main thing in business: "The most important rule at all times is to do your job well."
• The formula for success: "you need to set goals correctly, and even in difficult times, look confidently into the future."

Vladislav, good afternoon. Tell us about your business? What does your company VTSConsulting do?

I have a consulting business.

We develop business plans, investment memoranda, feasibility studies, financial models and presentations.

How long have you been in this business? Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur in such a difficult area?

We opened in 2010.

It all started with the fact that I, like many students, had a need for additional income.

I am a physicist in the field of micro- and nanoelectronics, and did not expect to find a job in my specialty. So the choice fell on the field of business planning.

A few numbers:

Why consulting? Have you received special training in business planning somewhere?

Yes, I was connected with this topic since the 1st year of the university.

Then I took part in the competition of business ideas, and won first place. As a prize, the organizers provided a study trip to Sweden - there I got practical skills in business planning and learned the secrets of successful business projects, which, in fact, were aimed precisely at obtaining funding.

Returning to Ukraine, I began to take part in business planning competitions: city, all-Ukrainian, international. I really liked my new hobby, and it seemed to me very promising.

In addition to Sweden, I took a special course in Lithuania, where we adopted the experience of leading consulting and financial planners from the UK and the USA, and also improved my qualifications at courses in Moscow.

Tell me honestly, before opening your company, did you make some kind of business plan or did you act intuitively?

Idea # 209: What is Needed to Start a Consulting Firm?

How did you find your first clients without experience and connections?

At that time, I was in dire need of money, so there was no time to think.

I found my first clients through "cold calls": I looked for ads, called, offered my services. Then I created a website and registered on the remote work portal. This is how orders and good earnings appeared. It was then that I fully realized the need for financial planning for my own company, starting with goal setting and effective delegation.

How many people were on your team at the start and how many are now?

I started alone, and when I felt that I could not cope with the orders, I took an assistant.

Now our team consists of 6 people: an analyst for the CIS markets, an analyst for US and European projects, a presentation designer, a translator and a project manager.

What's more difficult - finding a client or finding a qualified employee?

Consulting, like any other service sector, has certain specifics and difficulties: all people are different, everyone needs to please and please. Here you need to be able to present the project as the person who makes the funding decision presents it.

Finding clients undoubtedly takes a long time, especially at the start. However, the most important rule at all times is to do your job well. Compliance with this point provides recommendations and reputation, and then clients begin to find you themselves.

As for the employees, it is quite difficult to find a high-level professional, and university graduates do not have sufficient practice. Accordingly, strict control, strength and patience are required when setting tasks: it is thanks to this that a professional business consultant or financial analyst can grow from a beginner.

Vladislav, tell us about the business model of your company: do you hire freelancers or are all the work performed by full-time employees? Does a consulting company need an office at all?

At the moment, the company has a couple of people working remotely, the main team works in the office.

In our work, an office is not a necessity: clients are located both in Europe and in the USA, not to mention the countries of the Near Abroad.

At the same time, I believe that an office is needed as the face of a company, where each employee is a part of a single whole. It is much easier to coordinate the work of a team when everyone comes together, there is an opportunity to discuss, adjust the stages of work on a project, and help each other.

How do customers know about you?

Your website says that you have provided services to over 500 customers, but do you remember your first client?

Yes I remember.

In my 3rd year, I underwent an internship in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and received my first order thanks to a fellow intern: one of his acquaintances was planning to attract investment for a travel company.

The work lasted 1 month, and the payment was 2,500 UAH. (then this amount was equivalent to US $ 300). For a student, such a fee was a very good addition to the scholarship.

What memorable and interesting projects did your team take part in?

There were many interesting projects (Portfolio of VTSConsulting ) .

The most voluminous are the Knyazhevo settlement (near Bor, Nizhny Novgorod region), a project of a cottage village in the Krasnodar Territory, attracting investments for the construction of the Malinovka ski resort, purchasing an additional livestock (over 4,000 heads) of livestock for an operating farm in the Smolensk Region , a project of a single application - the "CardKit" discount system.

Who are your clients? Are these companies belonging to large businesses or, on the contrary, is a small segment prevailing?

Anyone who needs investment or funding.

Grant projects, start-ups, small and medium-sized businesses, and even large consulting companies, of which we are partners.

The next question may seem dilettante to you, but why order a business plan at all? Why can't you write it yourself?

The business plan solves as many as 3 tasks at the same time: it clarifies the concept of the project, determines the extent to which the goals have been achieved and allows you to receive funding.

Why is self-writing not a good idea? What do you choose: cut your own hair or go to the hairdresser?

Developing an effective business plan requires experience and knowledge. Consideration of many factors, such as requirements of banks, grant committees, knowledge in the field of financial modeling and marketing. An extreme option is to buy a ready-made business plan, but not write it yourself.

According to the principles of our company, each client receives an individually written business plan, the financial component of which is calculated taking into account all the subtleties and nuances of the economy and legislation of the country where the project will be presented.

Can you reveal a big secret - how to look for an investor?

The search for an investor depends on the specifics of the project.

The first step can be a search for specialized web resources that provide an opportunity to present a project to investors after filling out an application on the corresponding website.

The state can act as an investor. For example, in Russia, the amount for the development of a promising business can be 300,000 - 1,000,000 rubles.

You can take part in competitions for innovative ideas. Topical portals containing information about venture funds can become a source of ideas and search for investors.

Another option is to create your own base of investment funds and direct mailing of project ideas or presentations.

Has the number of orders for the development of business plans changed due to the economic crisis?

Oddly enough, the number of orders increased.

More and more people want to start their own business, and a business plan is the best way to structure thoughts, to figure out whether it is worth investing in a particular enterprise at all.

Is it worth opening a business at all during a crisis?

Definitely worth it!

It is the crisis that allows you to leave your comfort zone and start doing something.

Realize your hidden talents, think about how to use your abilities to solve the problems of other people, because this is the only way to count on good earnings.

From an analyst's point of view, tell me what types of business are relevant now?

The crisis dictates new rules of the game. So, for example, today leasing and renting can become more popular than ever.

It makes no sense to buy a bicycle or a chainsaw, for example, if they are needed for 2-3 days. Collective shopping sites, coupon services, discount companies, and so on are also gaining popularity.

In your opinion, what does it take to become a successful entrepreneur?

It is very important to be able to motivate the team and do their job well. It is also necessary to set goals correctly, and even in difficult times look confidently into the future.

It is important to be able to take risks when managing money, and most importantly - not to stop there and never give up!

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