How to become a small business consultant?

Small business is a solution for small and medium enterprises, covering all the necessary aspects for effective company management. Being a small business consultant implements relevant tools for operational accounting, control, analysis, and planning of enterprises in the field of trade, service, provision of services, and products. That is why it is very important to know how to become one like this.

Who is a small business consultant?

Bookshelves are littered with business literature that offers easy solutions to become successful. Wake up earlier than others, work harder, and think more creatively. But, as the example of already realized entrepreneurs shows, the way to success is to properly develop not only yourself but also your business. How it is organized and what it is based on will determine whether your company will grow and compete, because almost half of the projects close in the first year of operation.

It is a misconception that a small business consultant can start a business and only then deal with problems – after their appearance. Almost every ambitious entrepreneur steps on this rake. The first and most important rule is to study the battlefield and learn as much as possible about your field.

You can understand these issues on your own – there is a lot of information on the Internet that may be useful. However, lack of experience, as well as differences of opinion on a particular issue can be a hindrance, and future competitors are unlikely to share valuable information with you. Therefore, we advise you to contact specialists who will conduct market analysis or marketing research qualitatively and reliably.

The business consultant is the one responsible for:

  • accounting for income and expenses – in terms of activities, orders, departments, items of income, and expenses;
  • accounting for overhead and commercial costs in terms of cost items, orders, activities, and units;
  • calculation of the actual cost of goods sold, works, distribution of indirect costs;
  • profit and loss statement (financial result);
  • analysis of the financial result in terms of areas of activity, departments, customer orders.

What does a small business consultant do?

Small business consultants provide consulting services to various types of firms and entrepreneurs on a variety of issues. Most often, they work within a narrow specialization: drawing up a business plan, conducting an audit, personnel certification, market research, registering a company, etc. The task of business consultants is to recognize the problem and propose a specific solution. They help the head of the enterprise to study the state of affairs, conduct the necessary analysis of the situation, understand the nuances of the problem that has arisen and make the right decisions.

The main task of a specialist has three steps: to study the situation – to find problems – to offer specific solutions to these problems. In the future, the consultant can accompany the project until its successful completion.

No educational institution has a program called “business consultant”. To become a business consultant, you must graduate from the law or economics faculty of a university and gain extensive practical experience in the relevant field of activity.