Business Management

consultant

How to Develop Learning Agility as an Independent Professional

By George Hallenbeck

Learning agility is an essential skill for independent professionals. Learn the core behaviors of this skill and how to apply it to your business.

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3 Billing Challenges Consultants Face and How to Overcome Them

By MBO Partners

Billing clients is an important part of your job as an independent professional. Without a good system in place to track your hours and bill your clients, the financial side of your business can quickly get messy and stressful. If you’re just starting out, you’ll want to ensure you are charging the right amount for…

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How to Give Yourself a Performance Review

By MBO Partners

If the words “performance review” spark dread or anxiety, you’re not alone. In the traditional world of work, performance reviews are often time-consuming sessions where employees feel scrutinized or criticized. So, why should you put yourself through this process as an independent professional?   The answer is simple: when done correctly, performance reviews can be a…

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5 Ways to Deal With Difficult Clients

By MBO Partners

Managing relationships with your clients can be one most difficult aspects of transitioning to the independent workforce. Even if you are a seasoned independent professional, you may find yourself in a frustrating situation: your client relationship is strained and you’re not sure how to handle it. When working closely with a client on a project…

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4 Ways to Get Buy-In for Creating a Contingent Labor Program

By MBO Partners

Setting up a contingent labor program according to best practices and policies requires buy-in from key decision makers. Forward-thinking companies understand that using independent talent as part of their workforce is a strategy can increase organizational agility and give them access to in-demand skills, there may be some resistance among decision makers to create a…

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4 Reasons to Hire Help for Your Small Business

By MBO Partners

When you set up shop as an independent consultant, you’re immediately faced with a number of questions. Will you be able to bring in enough clients to make a solid income? Will you be able to land the clients you want? If you land those clients, will you be able to manage the workload alone? While…

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WFH consultant

Create a Home Office with These 10 Tips

By MBO Partners

Successful independent professionals are passionate and dedicated to their work, which often means spending long hours in the office. Luckily, unlike a cubicle, a home office is yours to customize, so those long hours can be spent in a work environment that is tailored to your needs. With a few simple tips, you can create a home…

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How to Negotiate a Consulting Contract: 5 Steps

By MBO Partners

In any business agreement, it is highly recommended to use a well-written contract, and the terms of the contract are often the result of negotiation between the parties involved. Contracts provide clarity, establish a relationship, and offer protection to all parties involved. For these reasons, many independent professionals wisely insist on using written contracts for…

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Going Global: 6 Factors to Consider

By MBO Partners

For independent professionals, building an international clientele is a great way to expand your business and broaden your expertise. However, there are several basic things to consider before beginning work with an international client that will help prevent minor glitches from turning into major problems. 1. Time Zones Working across time zones can pose challenges when trying…

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consultants

How to Write a Consulting Contract: 6 Best Practices

By MBO Partners

Writing contracts is an important part of your business as an independent professional. A contract defines the work you agree to do for a client, and it also provides you with legal protection.  Contract negotiation can be an intimidating part of starting a new project but setting up this legal framework will help protect you…

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