Author
Ana Richardson
And why the best time to get help isn’t when you’re drowning, it’s before you even feel the water rising.
Running a business can feel like riding a rollercoaster—with no seatbelt, no map, and no guarantee of what’s around the next turn.
One week, everything clicks. Sales are up, your team is aligned, and you’re excited about what’s ahead.
The next? You’re spinning your wheels, trying to put out fires, and wondering if you’re the bottleneck in your own business.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
You’re also not failing.
You’re just reaching the point where doing it all on your own is no longer the smartest way forward.
The Myth: Consultants are only for “big businesses”
Let’s clear this up early.
You don’t need to be a Fortune 500 company with a massive budget to benefit from a consultant.
In fact, smaller businesses, solo founders, and fast-growing teams often benefit more because they move faster, apply change quicker, and feel the impact sooner. You don’t need to navigate layers of approval to choose better systems, clearer strategies, and expert support.
What matters most isn’t your size, it’s your willingness to adapt and grow.
The Real Role of a Consultant (Hint: It’s Not Just Advice)
People often imagine consultants as clipboard-wielding outsiders who walk in, give generic advice, and walk away.
That’s not what good consultants do.
- A strong business consultant acts more like a co-pilot.
- They help you steer.
- They give you a clearer view of the map.
- They call out the turbulence ahead.
They’re part advisor, part strategist, part accountability partner.
They don’t do the work for you, but they make sure you do the right work, at the right time, in the right way.
When Should You Bring One In?
Most people wait too long.
They wait until revenue drops.
Or until the team is frustrated.
Or until they’ve tried everything and nothing is sticking.
But by then, you’re in rescue mode.
The best time to contact a consultant?
➡️ When you’re stuck
➡️ When you’re growing
➡️ When you’re about to launch something new
➡️ When you know there’s potential, but you can’t seem to unlock it
In other words, before you’re in a mess.
Because the right consultant doesn’t just clean up problems. They help you avoid them entirely.
What You Might Be Feeling Instead of Asking for Help
Let’s be honest: reaching out for help is hard.
There’s ego involved. There’s pride. There’s a voice saying, “I should be able to figure this out myself.”
But let me ask you this:
Would you expect your accountant to also run your marketing?
Would you expect your top salesperson to manage HR?
Of course not.
So why expect yourself to lead, grow, sell, plan, fix, and decide everything alone?
A consultant is simply someone who brings experience, focus, and outside perspective. They help you go faster—not because you can’t do it yourself—but because you don’t have to.
What Does a Consultant Actually Do?
Every consultant works a bit differently, but most can help you:
✔ Clarify your strategy
✔ Set priorities and milestones
✔ Improve systems and workflows
✔ Build dashboards, processes, and frameworks
✔ Make smarter decisions using data
✔ Navigate transitions (like hiring, funding, or launching)
✔ Stay accountable to your goals
✔ Get your time—and headspace—back
In short? They bring order to chaos.
Still Not Sure? Look for These Signs
Here are a few signals it might be time:
- You have lots of ideas, but no clear plan
- You’re constantly reacting instead of planning ahead
- Your team is busy, but you’re not seeing results
- You’re spending money but not getting ROI
- You’re repeating the same problems
- You feel like you’ve outgrown your current setup, but don’t know what’s next
And maybe most of all:
- You know your business could be better… you’re just not sure how to make that happen
A True Story (Or: What One Founder Told Me)
A founder I worked with last year said something I’ll never forget:
“It wasn’t that my business was failing—it was that I couldn’t see it clearly anymore. I had so many plates spinning, I just needed someone to help me see what to drop, what to fix, and what to double down on.”
Within three months, they went from firefighting every day to building a scalable lead generation system, re-aligning their team, and finally taking a proper holiday.
Not because they worked more.
But because they started working smarter, with help.
Consulting Isn’t a Cost. It’s a Multiplier.
The biggest shift? Seeing consulting as an investment, not an expense.
It’s the difference between trying to guess your way forward—or having a roadmap built with you, for you.
Time is money. Stress is costly. And missed opportunities don’t show up in your P&L—but they impact your growth more than you think.
Final Thought: You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
Running a business will always have ups and downs.
But you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself.
Whether you’re growing, changing, stuck, or ready to go further than you’ve gone before—there’s help available. Real, practical, human help.
And maybe the smartest thing you’ll do for your business this year is ask for it.
