Ask the consultant: Should we hire a consultant to map path for growth?

question

I own flourgirls, a cupcake shop with nine employees including my wife and myself.

The business has existed for seven years with steady year-over-year growth and has been profitable over the last two years. The question we keep asking is whether it makes sense to hire an outside business consultant to look at our operations for efficiencies and to help us map a path for market growth? They can be quite costly.

MANNY PARDO

OWNER

WWW.FLOURGIRLS.COM

Congratulations. And what you are experiencing is normal for successful entrepreneurs.

Start with some self-reflection. Set your goals for the next three to five years. Identify the resources needed to achieve those goals.

Next, make a list of the company's growing pains. Where do you think you could be better? Better staffing decisions in hiring and training? Better planning? Are you spending too much time putting out fires?

Do you need more efficient operations? Improved sourcing and production? Better marketing to get new customers and increase sales with existing customers?

When you have answers to these questions, you can set priorities, and know if, and what type of outside help you need, and the type of consultant to hire. Then the cost of the consultant will be repaid with increased sales, lower costs and higher profits. Meanwhile, I recommend reading "Growing Pains," by Eric Flamholtz & Yvonne Randle.