Impressions - August 2016 - 39

Industry
consultants have
knowledge of
how to solve
your particular
problem because
they've tackled
the same
issue before.

If you are having a challenge
with, say, workflow, a
consultant can help resolve it
so you can get back on track.

Trying to solve problems on your own often doesn't save money.
It's quite the opposite, as there is a real cost to your time, materials and effort as you ping-pong your way to the correct solution
to the challenge.
Think about the biggest problem facing your shop today. What
would you pay to solve it right now?

2. PERFECT TIMING WITH EXPERTISE

Your biggest client just handed you an enormous opportunity. After
hanging up the phone, you went around the office "high-fiving"
everyone within 10 feet of you.
Then someone asks, "How are we going to do that?" All the
hairs on the back of your neck stand up, as you realize you may
not pull it off.
Someone who has navigated a similar challenge can be a crucial
ally ensuring you don't misstep. The great thing about consultants
is that you can rely on them to help, but they aren't permanently
on your payroll. Sure, you pay a fee for them to join your team,
but you're really paying for their wisdom. Otherwise, you may
find the challenges too daunting to surmount.

MANAGING CRISES

The meeting just broke up, and everyone stormed away frustrated and angry. Nobody seems to know how to solve the problem.
The order still has to ship at the end of the week and there are
no answers - only finger pointing.
You can figure out how to solve this crisis simply by picking up
the phone. Like calling in a superhero in a comic book, a consultant can resolve any problem so you can get back on track. Will
he have the answer you seek? Probably, but even if he doesn't, he
likely will have access to other resources that can provide those
answers. You may only know 10 people you can rely on in the
industry. Consultants know hundreds.
They also are connected to the brightest minds, even people who
may be better suited to address a certain subject. Consultants network
and surround themselves with the best people. You've probably seen
them at trade shows on a panel or clustered together at a booth.

They know everyone and have access to people with the correct
answers to a litany of problems.
Consultants help with crisis management every day. Got some
shop drama? It may be helpful to call in the big guns and deal with
it immediately. That way, your order will ship on time.

SCALING YOUR BUSINESS

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

Business is good; you've achieved a few years of steady, doubledigit growth. Customers and employees alike love you and, better
yet, your bottom line loves you.
What's the next step? Buy a building? Get more equipment?
Diversify into new markets? What will happen to production if
you expand your sales team or build that new website?
Here's where bringing in a business consultant can help. In the
most simple terms, decorated apparel businesses usually are either run by a business person who sees an opportunity and hires
a creative team to handle day-to-day operations, or a creative
person who handles operations and hires a team to help with
business matters.
Usually the business-minded types can handle the process of
scaling the company, but the creative-minded owners sometimes
experience challenges with this. Just as you would hire someone
to help with your taxes or legal affairs, bringing in a consultant
to think about your strategic plan for the next five or 10 years
may be wise.

You've probably heard or read the phrase, "You can't see the forest
through the trees." Sometimes business owners are so caught up in
day-to-day operations that they don't take a step back and notice
what actually is happening in their companies.
Periodically opening the doors to someone with a fresh outlook
who simply can ask, "Why are you doing it that way?" may be a
good idea. In this industry, everything is narrowly focused on the
next two to three weeks for production. Orders have to ship. That's
the only thing that usually matters.
The problem with that mode of operation is that when you catch
AUGUST 2016

P.39

Impressions - August 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - August 2016