San Jose, CA – October 24, 2011—While the two-year worldwide recession has devastated many businesses, results from the 10th annual Best Practices and Compensation Survey by Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, offers proof that optimism about opportunities for the next 12 months is strong and following multiple best practices helps consultants earn much more.

“For the majority of those surveyed, business momentum continues and their optimism for the next 12 months grows unabated,” said WIC President Avery Horzewski. “Following best practices, like increasing the ways in which you network, outsourcing to other experts, and being price smart, is the surest way to grow a consulting business.”

Key findings show gross revenues climbed eight percent over last year. Median net revenues, after paying subcontractor fees, rose 16 percent. The past 12 months’ strong revenue growth is credited to more available work, a greater use of subcontractors, and an emphasis on using the full spectrum of best practices to attract and retain clients, survey respondents report.

“There’s a very strong uptick in requests for services across the board and the ability to pay for them. More cash is available and clients are less paralyzed by fear of the unknown and are quicker to decide,” said Emily Hall, president of Olive Grove Consulting of Belmont, CA, whose business more than doubled since last year.

Revenues Climb for Many

Survey responders nationwide reveal compensation increases:

• 57 percent of survey participants saw a revenue increase during the past 12 months
• Median gross revenue in 2011 was $130,000, up eight percent from $120,000 in 2010
• Median net revenue was $117,000, up 16 percent from $101,000 in 2010
• Median gross revenue among the top 20 percent of earners rose eight percent to $325,000 after holding stable for the past two years
• Median net revenue among the top 20 percent of earners jumped 10 percent to $270,000, up from $245,000 in 2010
• Hourly rates have rebounded, after dropping significantly in 2009, and are the highest in the history of the survey—topping at $150

“While the business climate is still tough for some, the majority are experiencing steady improvement with some even reporting explosive growth during the past year,” Horzewski said.

Consultants’ optimism that the economic turnaround is happening is clear, as 60 percent anticipate more revenues in the coming 12 months. This represents a significant shift from attitudes in 2009, when only 35 percent expected increased revenues. Optimism even reigns among surveyed consultants who experienced decreased revenues during the past 12 months, as 61 percent of them expect to earn more revenue next year.

“There is a lot more work this year. My telephone is ringing off the hook,” said Sue Raisty-Egami, president of Sure Product Consulting of Los Gatos, CA.

Best Practices Generate New Business

Use of social media continues to be pervasive with LinkedIn far ahead in usefulness for generating new business compared with other networking tools, followed by online communities. Facebook slipped in popularity slightly with 67 percent of respondents counting it among must-use networking and communication tools.

While networking and communicating have always been top ways to grow a consulting business, the combination of many best practices is how top earners are pulling in much more new business and retaining clients.

To grow a consultancy, survey respondents recommend following a variety of best practices, such as broadening networking beyond traditional in-person events and forming collaborations, partnerships, and joint ventures with consultants whose expertise complements your own.

Use of subcontractors is also recommended. Among those surveyed, 70 percent employ subcontractors—an increase of 10 percent over last year’s survey. Meanwhile, among the top 20 percent of earners, 90 percent of them report relying on subcontractors to grow their businesses.

A December 7th webinar detailing the survey results is complimentary for WIC members and $30 for nonmembers. To attend, register online at www.womeninconsulting.org. A free summary of the 2011 WIC Best Practices and Compensation Survey is available on the WIC website, and detailed findings are available online exclusively to WIC members.

About WIC

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large.

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

Upcoming Fourth Quarter Includes Highly Anticipated Webinar on WIC’s 9th Annual Compensation Survey Findings and End-of-Year Charity Event

San Jose, CA – October 4, 2010—Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced its fourth quarter 2010 programs, including workshops, a holiday charity event, and notably, WIC’s 9th Annual Compensation Review presented in a webinar by WIC’s president Avery Horzewski and vice president of operations Jennifer Berkley.

Events slated for the fourth quarter include:

• October 5, 8:00am – 12:00pm: “Positioning Your Consulting Business to Tap Into New Market Segments,” presented by Sherry Prescott-Willis, author of Market This and president of Prescott Marketing (Workshop, San Mateo Marriott, San Mateo)
• October 6, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “The New Rules of Publishing: How to Write, Publish, and Market Your Own Book,” presented by Laura Lowell (Webinar)
• October 6, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: “Creating Social Media Success for Consultants,” presented by Avery Horzewski (Marin/North Bay Networking Meeting, Unity Center, Novato)
• October 11, 11:30 – 1:00pm: “Content Is King—What Does that Mean to Me?,” presented by Massimo Paolini (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• October 13, 11:30 – 1:00pm: “Fall Networking” (East Bay Networking Meeting, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• October 21, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Best Practices from the Trenches: Learn How to Grow Your Business from Top-Earning Consultants,” a WIC Leaders Network panel discussion with Denise Brouillette, Jennifer LeBlanc, and Lorie Loe, moderated by Deb Siegle (Main Monthly Meeting, Quadrus Conference Center, Menlo Park)
• October 27, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: “San Francisco Networking Meeting” (King George Hotel, San Francisco)
• November 3, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “WIC 9th Annual Compensation Review: Gain Insights Into Consultant Compensation and Best Practices,” presented by Avery Horzewski and Jennifer Berkley of Women in Consulting (Webinar)
• November 3, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: “Leveraging LinkedIn for Your Consulting Business,” by Irene Koehler  (Marin/North Bay Networking Meeting, Unity Center, Novato)
• November 8, 11:30 – 1:00pm: “Prioritizing Prospects to Increase Sales Success,” presented by Cheryl Downing (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• November 10, 11:30 – 1:00pm: “The Easiest Way to Write Your Business Plan,” with Cynthia Riggs of Business Diva (East Bay Networking Meeting, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• November 18, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Marketing to Apes,” presented by Gavin Johnson, chief anthropologist of Two West (Main Monthly Meeting, Michael’s at Shoreline, Mountain View)
• December 1, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: “San Francisco Networking Meeting” (San Francisco)
• December 1, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “Cloud Computing and the SOHO (Small Office, Home Office): A Case Study Using Zoho,” presented by Mark Buechler (Webinar)
• December 1, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: “Holiday Social Evening” (Marin/North Bay Networking Meeting)
• December 9, 1:00pm – 6:00pm: “WIC Gives Back,” WIC members volunteering at Second Harvest in San Jose and San Carlos, and gathering at TGI Friday’s in Cupertino afterwards to celebrate the holidays—20 percent of WIC’s non-bar tab will go to Second Harvest
• December 13, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “WIC South Bay Holiday Luncheon Celebration, (South Bay Networking Luncheon, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• December 14, 12:00pm – 1:30pm: “Peninsula Luncheon Meeting,” (Divino’s Restaurant, Belmont)

Taking place during WIC’s fourth quarter events is the highly anticipated November webinar on WIC’s 9th Annual Compensation Report, “Committed to the Long Haul.” The webinar provides participants insight into the compensation trends and the best practices used by top-earning consultants for increasing revenues and clients. The webinar, presented by Avery Horzewski and Jennifer Berkley, will take place on November 3 at 11:00am PDT. Access to the webinar is complimentary for WIC members and $30 for nonmembers. To attend, register online at www.womeninconsulting.org.

“Member response to this year’s findings has been overwhelmingly positive,” commented Horzewski. “They were particularly excited by the best practices for growing revenue and clients, seeing them as either a confirmation of their existing approach or a guideline for steps to take in the coming months. We look forward to presenting the results to the community at large in November.”

For a complete list of upcoming WIC networking opportunities, meetings, workshops, webinars, and other events, visit www.womeninconsulting.org/calendar.

About WIC

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

As president of Women in Consulting (WIC), one of my responsibilities is to work with Jen Berkley of The Inside Advantage to prepare WIC’s annual best practices and compensation survey. This is my first year doing the survey, while Jen has done all nine!

As part of the process, I make myself available to bloggers and the press who want to discuss the survey. I had the pleasure of talking with Christine Oneto with GirlsinTech.net, who featured the survey in a recent blog post: “Ninth Annual WIC Compensation Survey Shows Increased Revenue, Optimism.”

Jen and I will be reviewing this year’s results in a WIC-sponsored webinar on November 3 at 11:00am: “WIC 9th Annual Compensation Review: Gain Insights into Consultant Compensation and Best Practices.”

I hope to “see” some of you there.

Traditional and Online Networking Among Top Advice for Business Success

San Jose, CA – September 20, 2010 – Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced the results of its ninth annual compensation survey. Key findings indicate that consultants are optimistic about their consulting practices. Almost half (49 percent) of the respondents reported their revenue increased last year, while 69 percent expect revenue to increase this coming year. Moreover, the vast majority (84 percent) are long-term consultants with no plans to stop consulting.

Responses from the nationwide sampling revealed:

• Average (mean) annual gross revenue was $205,000, up from $172,000 in 2009
• Median gross revenue was $120,000, up from $115,000 in 2009
• Net annual gross revenue after paying subcontractors/employees is down this year, suggesting that consultants are making more use of subcontractors to expand their service offerings and keep more business within their practice
• Median gross revenue for the top 20 percent of respondents is stable compared to 2009 ($300,000 vs. $299,000), while net annual gross for this group is higher ($392,000 vs. $336,000 in 2009)

“This year’s survey results clearly indicate a shift in mindset to one that is filled with optimism for the coming year,” said WIC President Avery Horzewski. “Consultants are energized, focused, and employing an array of marketing and business practices, including social media, to ensure they achieve their business goals. More importantly, they’re adopting a positive approach to building their businesses versus buying into the negativity that has surrounded the economic downturn the past two years.”

In addition to compensation trends, WIC’s annual compensation survey also tracks the best practices employed for long-term success. This year’s results show social media coming into its own, while nothing trumped in-person connections with existing and potential customers for building business.

• Social media usage is pervasive, with LinkedIn by far the most popular social networking tool—92 percent of respondents reported using LinkedIn while, the number using other top social media tools ranged from 53 percent (blogging) to 72 percent (online communities).
• Social media effectiveness is up across the board, except for Twitter. General consensus is that social media is best for building overall awareness versus generating specific business. Although many respondents stated that LinkedIn produced work. 
• Traditional networking is seen as the most effective way to proactively generate business, followed by establishing strategic relationships and asking clients for referrals.
• Increasing their confidence is the top reason respondents said they were able to charge more for their services, with value-based pricing, diversifying, and improving expertise, messaging, and marketing materials also ranking high.

“While my gross revenue was similar to last year, my profits grew 250 percent,” said Renee Daggett, president of AdminBooks. “I attribute this to a number of factors. Our increased social media efforts have garnered surprising results and fantastic feedback. We also revised our internal procedures, and updated our website, sales and welcome kits, and e-newsletters, and are pleased with the results.”

A free summary of the WIC compensation survey is available on the WIC website, and detailed findings are available online exclusively to WIC members.

The public is welcome to attend a webinar on Wednesday, November 3 at 11:00am. PDT that will summarize key findings. The webinar is free to WIC members and $30 for nonmembers.

About Women in Consulting

Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us  

###          

For more information, contact:

Renee Maler
Philosophy PR + Marketing
For Women in Consulting
925.968.9495
renee@philosophypr.com

I had the pleasure of speaking with Chip Camden, an IT consultant and blogger for the TechRepublic, who was writing a post on the lack of women in the IT consulting field. The timing was serendipitous, as Women in Consulting (WIC) was in the midst of compiling our (I’m WIC’s current president) annual compensation survey results.

The results of that interview and Chip’s additional research are presented in his post, “Where Are the Women in IT Consulting?”  

Read the full article.

San Mateo, CA – January 11, 2010—Women in Consulting (WIC), a collaborative community of professional consultants and small business owners, today announced its first quarter 2010 program line-up, including webinars and in-person events in Los Gatos, Marin, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, and other Bay Area locations. 

Events slated for the first quarter include:

• January 11, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “She Said – He Heard: How Differences in Communication Styles Can Sabotage Your Business,” with author Michael Johnson (South Bay Lunch Meeting, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• January 13, 11:30am – 1:30pm: “Accomplishing More with Less: Five Productivity Principles for the Digital Age,” presented by Pierre Khawand, Founder, People-OnTheGo (East Bay Lunch Meeting, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• January 14, 5:00pm – 7:00pm: “Musings from the Master: A Conversation with Million Dollar Consultant Alan Weiss” (WIC Special Event, Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco)
• January 18, 6:30pm – 8:45pm: “Thought Leadership: Your Platform to Build More Business,” presented by Kate Purmal (North Bay Meeting, Unity Center, Novato; Appetizers)
• January 21, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Making 2010 Your Best Year Ever—Without Breaking Your Neck,” presented by Kate Purmal (General Dinner Meeting, Michael’s at Shoreline, Mountain View)
• February 3, 11:00am – 12:00pm: “The Relevance Ultimatum: Strengthening Your Value to Your Client,” presented by Elaine Starling (Webinar)
• February 8, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “R-P-M: Three Steps to Extraordinary Achievement in 2010,” presented by Sandi Smith (South Bay Lunch Meeting, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• February 10, 11:30am – 1:30pm: “Five Strategies to Control the Financial Chaos in Your Office,” presented by Holly DeVito (East Bay Lunch Meeting, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• February 11, 6:00pm – 8:00pm: “Consulting Insights from a Corporate Perspective for 2010,” a panel of corporate executives sharing insights into hiring consultants in the new economy (Workshop Michael’s at Shoreline, Mt. View)
• February 18, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: “Transformation Consulting: Why the Experience Matters,” presented by Shareef Mahdavi (General Dinner Meeting, Quadrus Conference Center, Menlo Park)
• February 23, 6:30pm – 8:45pm: North Bay Networking Meeting (Unity Center, Novato; Appetizers)
• February 24, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: San Francisco Networking Meeting (San Francisco)
• March 2, 12:00pm – 1:30pm: Peninsula Quarterly Networking Meeting (Luncheon, Caprino’s, Belmont)
• March 8, 11:30am – 1:00pm: “Strong Women, Powerful Financial Strategies,” presented by Judy Cziprian of Ameriprise Financial Services (South Bay Lunch Meeting, Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos)
• March 10, 11:30am – 1:30pm: East Bay Networking Meeting (Luncheon, Pyramid Alehouse, Walnut Creek)
• March 18, 6:00pm – 8:30pm: General Dinner Meeting (Michael’s at Shoreline, Mt. View)
• March 24, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: San Francisco Networking Meeting (San Francisco)

WIC events are designed to be interactive so that attendees can engage with the speaker and learn practical, actionable advice they can employ immediately in their own practice. One example of these highly interactive programs is the upcoming January 14 event with renowned consultant, speaker, and author Alan Weiss, where he’ll share his thoughts on consulting in an informal, unscripted, unplugged context. Held from 5:00pm – 7:00pm at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco, the event will focus on:

• The direction of consulting and consulting practices in 2010
• What consultants can learn from the recent economic upheaval and changes
• Why value-based fees make even more sense today than ever before
• The meaning of an Accelerant Curve and how can it impact your business
• How technology has impacted consultants and the way they build their businesses
• Why it’s so important to reduce labor intensity

“As the premier networking organization for consultants in the Bay Area, WIC is dedicated to exposing members to the most cutting-edge business content through engaging in-person conferences and workshops and interactive online events,” said Avery Horzewski, WIC’s incoming president for 2010 – 2012. “This is going to be an exciting year for our supportive, collaborative community, as members aim to incorporate smart growth into their business plans and collectively increase revenue.”

For a complete list of upcoming WIC networking events, meetings, workshops, webinars, and other events, visit the WIC website. Join today to benefit from these events and take a proactive step toward greater control over your own future!

About WIC
Women in Consulting (WIC) is a vibrant, diverse, and powerful community of consultants and small business owners working to build strong businesses. Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998, WIC provides its 400+ members and affiliates a forum to connect and share with like-minded professionals. Established as a nonprofit, collaborative community to foster successful businesses for its members, WIC sponsors programs and activities to help members network, improve their skills, and thrive even in a tumultuous economic climate, and also provides consulting leadership and support to the community at large. 

For more information

• Visit our website
• Follow us on Twitter
• Chat with us on our blog
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Join our LinkedIn group
• Email us

###     

For more information, contact:

Renee Maler
Philosophy PR + Marketing
For Women in Consulting
925.968.9495
renee@philosophypr.com