Running a startup isn’t a job; it’s ten jobs – or more. The typical startup founder is his/her own manager, marketer, salesperson,  developer, fundraiser, researcher, human resources department, receptionist, secretary, and PR specialist. Some founders even work as their own accountants. And all of these roles are in addition to what the startup actually got into business to do in the first place. The whole luxury of hiring someone will be postponed in the startup space until the startup receives a big fat check from the investor. This is where the consultancy for business startups come handy.

In addition to securing customers, attracting investors is a crucial problem for most startups, successful positioning of an early stage startup for investment is an essential requirement for startup success.

Finding the right consultants

Unfortunately, consultancy for business startups is highly specialized and while many small business owners excel in providing products and/or services to their customers they are often less proficient with positioning their startup as an attractive investment and cannot afford full-time Product Manager or Design Thinking consultant, making outsourcing a viable option.

To find the right startup consultant, word of mouth referral is one of the most common ways to find good consulting help. If you’ve lived in an area for a number of years, it should be easy to get some recommendations for consultants from friends or family.

If you are new to the area and don’t have many local contacts who can provide referrals consider joining local startup groups such as TIE, Startup Grind, or Founders Institute. Aside from being good for business, networking with other startup founders can be useful for finding the right help.

Get in touch with Consultants to discuss their services

Once you’ve found potential consultants, prepare a short list of questions based on your requirements and their services and qualifications, such as:

• Are they familiar with your business?
• Are they available when needed?
• What are their rates and how do they bill for short responses vs long term engagement?

Get a contract for Consulting Services

Once you’ve selected a consultancy for business startups, get a contract for their services. The contract should contain:

• rates
• terms (time frame, description of services to be provided, etc.)
• conditions of termination of the agreement
• confidentiality clauses
• non-disclosure clauses

Don’t forget the Barter Option

If you are just starting out in business and/or cash flow is tight but you need a consultant why not consider bartering your services in exchange for consulting help? For example, if your business is in Web Development you may be able to barter your Web Development services in exchange for some legal assistance or business consulting services.