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Circa 2010

In 2010 Bruce Katcher, Ph.D. an industrial/organizational psychologist, consultant, author, and speaker, founded the Center for Independent Consulting. This was it's website.
Content's from the site's 2010 archived pages.

The new owner of this domain has chosen to keep much Dr. Katcher's original content and to point visitors who have inadvertantly ended up here to Dr. Katcher's Discovery Surveys website for more information: http://www.discoverysurveys.com/ .
Discovery Surveys, Inc. provides strategic consulting based on high quality, customized research using paper, telephone, web, and focus group methods.

 

Dr. Bruce Katcher
Dr. Bruce Katcher,
Executive Director

Bruce Katcher, Ph.D. is an industrial/organizational psychologist, consultant, author, and speaker.  He founded Discovery Surveys in 1993 and specializes in helping organizations improve the morale, motivation, and productivity of their employees.  Bruce received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 1983 and has more than 25 years experience advising senior management.  He has consulted to more than 100 clients including Alcoa, Bankers Trust, Dunkin' Donuts, Fidelity Investments, Johnson & Johnson, Revlon, Sodexho USA, Timberland, the Tata Group, Tufts University, and W.R. Grace.

Bruce is the author of An Insider's Guide to Building a Successful Consulting Practice (AMACOM, 2010).  He recently founded the Center for Independent Consulting. The Center helps consultants to start and grow their consulting businesses. He served as president of The Society of Professional Consultants for four years and on the board of the New England Society of Applied Psychology for four years.

The Center For Independent Consulting
Sharon, Massachusetts
(781) 784-4367

 



 

Circa 2010

A Message from Our Executive Director

Welcome to The Center for Independent Consulting.

We are an international membership association for professionals aspiring to become successful independent consultants.

  • Are you a restless employee yearning to start your own business?

  • Are you an unemployed professional tired of job searches and layoffs?

  • Are you just sick of working for someone else?

  • Do you want the potential to make significantly more money?

  • Do you want more control of your life and your career?

  • Are a consultant who wants to jump-start your business?

If so, the Center may be right for you.

We can help you learn how to:

  • Firmly establish your consulting business;

  • Select the right business model to maximize your profits;

  • Focus your business;

  • Effectively market your services;

  • Succeed at selling;

  • Charge and receive higher professional fees;

  • Negotiate contracts;

  • Build a business that will thrive even during challenging economic times.

All members receive a combination of individual and group experiences tailored to their specific needs.

 



ARE YOU INTERESTED IN CONSULTING?

The Consulting Mentoring Program may be right for you if you are trying to answer the following questions:

  • Employee, contractor, or consultant: Which is right for me?

  • How do I get started?

  • How do I land my first client?

  • How much should I charge for my consulting services?

  • How can I stand out from the competition?

  • How do I establish my credibility in the marketplace?

  • Should I charge by the hour, by the project, by retainer, or for the value I provide?

  • How should I market my consulting services (without having to spend a lot of money)?

  • How do I write a winning proposal?

  • How do I successfully close sales?

  • How can I make more money than I made as an employee?

Bruce will work with you in-person, via phone, or via teleconference on an on-going basis. He will provide you with solid advice, challenging homework assignments, motivation, and inspiration.

If you are interested and willing to make a serious commitment to jump-start your consulting business, contact Bruce today at 781-784-4367 or BKatcher@centerforindependentconsulting.com. (Serious inquiries only.)

 



 

AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CONSULTING PRACTICE

Do You Have What It Takes to Make It as an Independent Consultant?

AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CONSULTING PRACTICE

Bruce L. Katcher, Ph.D.
with Adam Snyder

Becoming your own boss… It's a dream shared by many recent casualties of corporate layoffs as well as restless employees who are tired of the shackles of the corporate world. Launching a solo venture, however, can lead to a nightmare of demoralizing failure and financial disaster for those who lack a clear business plan and realistic sense of the hard work ahead. After recovering from the shock of getting laid off more than seventeen years ago, Bruce Katcher vowed to take total control of his financial fate by going into business for himself. Through trial and error, continuous learning from his fellow consulting colleagues, and perspiration, he eventually made himself into a respected, valued, and financially comfortable consultant. And he has never looked back. For anyone drawn to the dream of becoming his or her own boss, Katcher now offers the benefit of his experience-and the experiences of other consultants in diverse industries with an original survey of 200 successful independent consultants-in AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CONSULTING PRACTICE (AMACOM; March 16, 2010; $19.95 Paperback).

"It's not rocket science," Katcher assures everyone who longs for financial independence and more control over how, where, and when they work. "All you need is the willingness to get out of your comfort zone, learn, and work hard, as well as the ability to meet the needs of clients…and a method for finding more clients."

To make sure that every aspiring consultant is truly on the best course, Katcher begins by clarifying the critical differences between an employee, a contractor, and a consultant. Then, he gets down to the business of making the dream of becoming your own boss a reality. All self-contained, each chapter focuses on a particular challenge faced by independent consultants and presents several different solutions. To keep the lessons interesting, relevant, and useful, each chapter opens with a story that demonstrates how that challenge was faced by a real, live successful consultant.

An invaluable resource for established as well as fledgling consultants, AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CONSULTING PRACTICE offers specialists in all fields proven, simple, and highly effective ways to:

  • Establish credibility through writing articles, delivering speeches, and other approaches.

  • Market their consulting services, with an emphasis on providing value to potential clients.

  • Nurture strategic relationships and leverage networking opportunities.

  • Sell their consulting services and set fees that are fair but reinforce the value of their service.

  • Deliver tangible results and make certain their recommendations are implemented.

  • Manage their time, maintain their motivation, avoid loneliness, and handle the other perils of working on your own.

To offer more valuable insights, Katcher shares the results of his original survey of 200 successful independent consultants. Among the sample's characteristics, 63 percent had never worked for a consulting firm before starting their own consulting business and 41 percent earn more than $100,000 a year from their consulting work. Practical and realistic, AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CONSULTING PRACTICE leads the way to living the dream and prospering from doing the work you love.

 

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AMAZON REVIEWS

***** Eric Bloom
I found many of the book's concepts of great interest and others that will truly transform my business.
January 6, 2018
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This book contains a wide array of valuable topics for both new and experienced consultants and entrepreneurs in general. I found many of the book's concepts of great interest and others that will truly transform my business. I highly suggest this book to those who are new to consulting as well as for those with significant experience.

+++
*****  eackbarali
Really really good book.
January 3, 2013
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
I have not even completed reading this book and I can give it 5 stars. The author is ultra practical in his approach which I really appreciate. Too many books talk too much on concepts. He really gives it to you in plain English. As a consultant for about 10 years, I can say that he hits the nail on the head almost every time (thus far) which respect to screw ups that can be made. Heaven knows I have made more than a few. I wish I had this book 10 years ago.

Once of the most important points coming out from the book is the ability of any consultant to find a proper niche. Dangerous to be a jack-of-all-trades in this business. And this is something I had to correct just a few years ago. And it has made a big difference.

Two thumbs up on this work.
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**** Corn Cob
Great except for one thing.
February 25, 2013
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
This is a very good guide for those entering, or with a little experience in, consulting. The author describes alternatives, and their pros and cons, very well. It provides advice on important choices a consultant will have to make. It is also easy, and enjoyable, to read.
There is one reason I gave it four, rather than five, stars. In Chapter 3, the author states that consultants should focus on a narrow niche, rather than generalizing. He writes that consultants should not provide a wide variety of services. I have known other successful consultants who state that a specialist niche can be restrictive; and that being a generalist is good. The truth is; the trade-offs depend on the consultant and the consultant’s field. It is unfortunate that the author did not describe the various reasons a consultant might tend towards generalizing or specializing, as he did with other issues.

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***** Paula Usrey
I like practical, meaty books
January 24, 2016
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I like practical, meaty books. This book had lots of useful information and "how to" sections. Too many of these books rely just on personal experience and include a lot of fluff. I didn't find this to be the case with Katcher's book.

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***** Daniel Schrader
Aspiring independent consultants start here
February 27, 2018
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This might be the first book I've ever written a review for, but I couldn't resist. This book is incredible: clear, concise, and informative. It's hard imagine a better overview of the subject. Each chapter covers a concept that's vital to think through before getting started and by the time you get to the end of it, you will have a general idea about the direction of everything you never even knew you'd have to think through.

If you're thinking about becoming an independent consultant, this is where you should start.

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N. Putman
5 stars
Great and practical book for consultants!
June 2, 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This is a great book on consulting services. It serves equally well aspiring consultants as well as experienced professionals in the consulting business. The book offers practical advice with plenty of great tips that I have not found so abundantly in other best-selling consulting books. I have read Getting Started in Consulting by Alan Weiss and The Business of Consulting by Elaine Biech, and although these are good books, I found Successful Consulting Practice to be extremely useful and pragmatic.

I had considered starting a consulting business for several years before I took the leap. Initially hired to work for a specific e commerce site, I had worked as their webmaster for many years. Later when many online sites unexpectedly saw their ranks drop precipitously due to bewildering google penealties, I branched out as a freelance SEO Google penalty expert actually learning on the job, so to speak, since each penalty unwind was different. Clients whose google penalties I unwound successfully started to ask if I could become their primary webmaster. That was not quite the direction I wanted to move in. I wanted to continue as an independent consultant advising on a higher level of SEO than a webmaster. I really enjoyed the sleuthing involved in unwinding google penalties. When I first worked with an e commerce client that sold sports clothing and equipment they were pretty small. The the business started growing. I found myself actually perusing their site looking for a new North Face jacket as the ski season approached. Since I had done so much work for the business, the owner gave me  (and continues to give me) a very nice discount on any product I want. I admit North Face became the brand I most like. I must have bought at least four North Face jackets over the span of a year. A ski jacket, a rain jacket its with GoreTex technology, a wind breaker and a great hoodie. Well, that can sometimes be one of the perks in this business. However, as one client referred me to another client and then another, I stopped looking for new clients. People started asking me what I did and I would answer, I am a consultant. I realized at some point that I really need to educate myself about how I wanted to approach this consulting thing. It turns out I was already doing some of the things suggested in AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CONSULTING PRACTICE. However reading the book opened my eyes to

One observation I want to make is that if you read the book on a Kindle some of the chartd are hard to read. However, in general, this is a excellent purchase.

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***** Jean Ntayomba
Best book on consulting
September 11, 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Best book on consulting. This book walks you step by step through all stages of consulting practice from setting up business to management. A must read.

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***** Theresa
Practical advice
January 23, 2018
I enjoyed Dr. Katcher's writing style as well as his practical advice. I look forward to implementing my learnings and getting my consulting practice off the ground.

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***** Amazon Customer
The right book and reference for anyone want to start work in consulting
August 5, 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Valuable, comprehensive, clear and it is really the right book for anyone want to start work in consulting. Organized and easy to read I think because of the coauthor who is an editor. The book supported by survey results, summarize ideas and contains real stories relevant to each chapter topic then challenges, solutions and conclusion. It is really an excellent reference for anyone interested in consulting business.

 



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