PICA Member Spotlights

Q&A with independent consultants who successfully “made the leap” and created the consulting career of their dreams

 

Q: Why did you go independent?

A:  Research shows that 95% of tech companies either get sold or they go bust within five years. I had spent my corporate career dealing with those two scenarios, where I would dedicate several years to a company and then they'd be gone in a flash. And I thought, "You know what? Wouldn't it be nice if I didn't have all my eggs in one basket?" I just re-evaluated my whole life and determined that I didn't like commuting two hours a day in Los Angeles, but I wanted to live here. That it would be great to work from home doing the things that I really love to do for a variety of clients.

Q: But isn’t being self-employed also putting “all of your eggs in one basket”?

A: Well, sure, but it's different. I took a seminar through IABC, the International Association of Business Communicators, and the facilitator said, "Are you an indoor cat or are you an outdoor cat?" She literally had pictures of cats on her PowerPoint slide and I was very confused. She explained, "An indoor cat likes to make sure they get fed every day at a certain time. They love to look out of the window from a safe place. And the alley cat or the outdoor cat doesn't know when its next meal is coming, does exactly what he or she wants to do when he or she wants to do it. It's a little more risky, but also more adventurous." That really stuck in my head. I'm an outdoor cat.

I know that's not for everybody. I know it is appealing to have job security, health insurance benefits and all of those things. But I was a bit frustrated with somebody telling me I could have 7 days of vacation and next year that will grow to 8.5. Why? Maybe one year I want four, but maybe the next time I want to go to Japan for a couple of weeks. So, although all my eggs are still in one basket, at least it’s my own and I’m calling the shots. If I succeed, it's because of my efforts, but if I fail, it's because of my inability to go out there and kill some mice.

Q: How did you actually make the leap? How did you do the transition?

A: My father taught me to list the pros and cons before making a big decision. After the last company I worked for was sold off, I took a few months off to evaluate. I tossed around building a boutique agency or becoming a consultant. I chose the latter so I could focus solely on the parts of this profession that I was the best at and that excited me. I had been the vice president of marketing communications for two software companies. In those roles, my heart was always in the more creative communications side rather than traditional marketing initiatives. I really loved brand messaging and public relations activities and didn't really like managing the logistics of drip email campaigns.

When I notified my network that I was going on my own and asked them to let me know if they knew anybody I should talk with, the response was pleasantly surprising. I immediately got hired by a colleague from several years earlier who was at a company that was getting ready to introduce a new technology. She told her CEO, "This guy loves product launches. You should hire him as a consultant and give him a shot." Also, my former boss said, "Well, I'm on the board of this other company. You should check them out." In the beginning I learned on the job what a consultant was as I was going into these places. These two were my first clients and I ended up working with each of them for more than four years.

I have been lucky. 75% of my business in the last seven years has come from what I call my “power five” – five people who are really good at networking who continue to introduce me to new opportunities. I am really grateful for them.

Q: How has your business evolved in the last eight years? What have you done differently?

A: In the beginning, especially with people who were familiar with me, I was saying, "I can do everything that I did for you before, but I’m just doing it now on a part-time basis." That approach did get me in the door to several places. But what I discovered is the more focused I got, the more my business grew. I started promoting just two areas: public relations and content creation.

Now, I detail my differentiators and try to clearly articulate what I can provide for clients. I offer public relations services so instead of hiring a big agency that will come in with their executives then hand all the work down to junior staff, I’m going to become embedded in your company, be your trusted partner, and I’m going to do the work myself. Or, I am a corporate story teller so let’s create some compelling content like white papers, thought leadership articles, customer success stories, and video case studies that communicate your value proposition and can elevate your position in the market. Some clients hire me for PR, some for content, and a few for both. Then, I even narrowed my focus within the technology sector to specialize in the Internet of Things (IoT). The more specific I got as far as my specialty and the more specific in my vertical market, the more people saw value and hired me. 

Q: What's one piece of advice you have for somebody who has been independent maybe three or five years? So they know they can do it, they know they like it. What's the one thing you would recommend?

A: I would say if you know this is something you’re comfortable with and enjoy, then you should take your practice to the next level. I sometimes felt that was a problem for me because I wasn't taking the time to build my business in a methodical way. I was so busy trying to exceed the expectations of my clients that I forgot to look at my LinkedIn profile and realize how pathetic it was. So, basically – take some time to re-evaluate and make sure you are communicating your services and value clearly.

I learned this lesson the hard way, it really was because of one client that I had worked with on an ancillary basis that wanted to hire me for a big project. The MarCom team had worked with me and loved my work, but they needed to present my capabilities to the board of this large tech company. Yet, they kept coming back to me saying, "We need to see writing samples and we need to see other campaign metrics. We have to be able to show your work and not just what you've done for us." Of course I should have had all of that packaged up nicely and ready to go. The fact that I didn't was why I lost this exciting opportunity. So, take a step back if you haven’t done so already, and develop a portfolio that shows great samples of the work you have accomplished so prospects can quickly understand your value and experience.

Q: So what's next for your business?

A: To move beyond my “power five”. I've got more business to do. I need to up my own game, just like I advise my clients to do. For example, PICA taught me that operating from a Gmail address was not the most professional thing to do and that I needed a business address and provided sessions on so many of the topics that I’ve been working on. With COVID some of my clients pressed pause and it allowed me to do many of those things forever on my to-do list, such as setting up an LLC, establishing business bank accounts, getting new headshots taken, and starting to build my website. So, the next phase of my business will be marketing myself in a way that attracts clients and people that I don't already know.

Q: How can people find out more about you or your business?

A: Presently, the best way is to check out my updated LinkedIn profile www.linkedin.com/in/bjakewhite or reach out to me directly at jake@zaptin.com.

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