To date, there are so many different areas of activity in which you can achieve success by creating your own business. Each branch of commerce has purely individual characteristics and difficulties. This time we will focus on the consulting business. Many have heard this term, but not everyone understands the essence of this variety of entrepreneurial activity. Meanwhile, I mean a very profitable and popular business.
What is a consulting business?
No matter how well and productively any company works, from
time, she may still need the help of outside professionals. We are talking about the highly qualified help of real specialists in their field. A consulting company provides very specific services. Its employees help clients achieve the desired result in the process of carrying out their business activities.
So what does a consulting company do specifically? Help is not only competent and professional advice from the company, but also in practical assistance in the work of the client.
What is a consultant?
In fact, this is a specialist in a certain professional field. As a rule, the knowledge of an employee of such a company is rather narrow, but at the same time deep. Therefore, an experienced specialist of a consulting company will provide assistance in any issue related to the activities of a particular legal entity, as well as give the right recommendations and solve every problem a client has. Such an employee must necessarily have a higher education, as well as positive experience in the necessary field.
As a rule, we are talking about the knowledge of most of the intricacies of marketing, the organizational development of legal entities, and managerial work. In addition, a standing employee in this field is simply obliged to have a high degree of sociability, be able to find a common language with clients of all levels and areas of business, have lecturer skills, and also understand computers, securities and accounting.
Consulting as a business today. Where does this demand come from?
Why is this particular field of activity so rapidly gaining popularity? The fact is that in these times there is a real boom in the development of all areas of business. Technology is changing, markets are undergoing a process 
globalization, companies are absorbed and merged.
As a result, the need for competent consulting services has increased many times over. As a result, the cost of help of highly qualified specialists and the extension of the terms of its implementation are rising. Long-term and global projects, the cost of which is quite substantial for most customers, have come to the fore.
If, in the relatively recent past, consultants could be compared with guests who only visited the company for a short while, today specialists in this field have firmly fixed themselves on almost every company. Therefore, the considered type of commercial activity is one of the most dynamically developing and promising today.
What has a major impact on this area
Firstly, the general transition to outsourcing (this is exactly what the consulting company is doing for the most part). Today, an increasing number of services to firms are provided by outside organizations on the basis of an agreement concluded between them.Of course, all this activity will not be free and disinterested for the customer.
However, the creation of a special unit in the company is far from always paying off for the scale of production. Or, the process of compensation of money spent is delayed for a sufficiently long time, which becomes a real problem for many representatives of commerce. The selection of competent personnel, the formation of a department, the creation of jobs, offices - all this also requires serious time costs. Consultants are ready to begin their work immediately after signing the contract and take on even the most complex projects.
Secondly, now all spheres of production and any other commercial activity are actively developing. The latest technologies are being introduced, large-scale and widespread computerization is being carried out. If the head of the company does not want to lag behind the closest competitors and wants to maintain a leading position in the market, he needs to use consulting services. The help becomes especially valuable when the situation has already been formed in the most unfavorable way.
Consulting is a business aimed at saving other companies. The employees of such a company will not only give all the necessary information, but they will also suggest specific, very real directions for overcoming the crisis. In this case, all necessary marketing research, and costs for the client are minimized.
The main directions and trends
Consulting - the business is quite universal. This company can provide services in different directions. However, today we can distinguish several of the most stable and promising areas. First, credit 
consulting. This is a very popular area for external assistance.
If you try to name at least one company that has never used a loan during the entire period of its existence and activity, it turns out that such financial injections are sometimes necessary even for the largest and most economically stable legal entities.
If only because development and expansion require quite large amounts, which are completely unprofitable to withdraw from circulation. And the successful implementation of the project will allow not only to pay back the interest on the loan, but also to get a tangible income. That is why competent consulting services in the field of business lending are so in demand. And expert forecasts indicate a positive development trend.
Another, no less promising area is management consulting. Business needs competent leadership. That is what will allow him to successfully develop in the future and make a profit at all stages of his formation in the market. This kind of consulting allows you to simultaneously solve a wide range of diverse tasks. This is the prospect.
As a rule, the direction of management is conditionally divided into marketing, strategic, personnel consulting, as well as the development of the most effective scheme for managing the company (operational type). Usually, in this case, the specialists of the hired company are guided by two methods: social-engineering and advisory.
In the second case, the consultants provide the client with the opportunity to be guided in their work by professional detailed advice that was the result of the activities of experts in the field in question. The first direction is characterized by the use of a variety of social technologies. In this case, managers of the company are directly involved, as well as personnel.
Another area recognized as one of the most promising is consulting. 
small business. It is small companies with a limited budget and financial capabilities that need the help of competent external specialists.
Expanding staff is too expensive for them, and paying the work of even the most highly qualified and experienced consultants will quickly pay off in the form of increased profits (the main goal of any commercial structure). Therefore, it is this area that is becoming increasingly popular.
As a rule, we are talking about the following services:
- analysis of the company's resources, potential and level of competitiveness;
- organizational diagnostics;
- the search for areas of the company where various problems may arise in the near future, as well as ways to prevent the latter and minimize negative consequences for the client;
- creating the most successful type of legal entity management structure;
- identification in the event of a crisis of its influence on the further work of the company, development of a plan for further development in the current conditions;
- drawing up proposals for improving the motivation system, as well as increasing its productivity.
We enter the market. Start
Own business is a very successful and promising area. But do not think that everything will be so simple. In today's world, the market is saturated with supply. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to win the favor of consumers. There are also enough consulting firms to date. But this does not mean at all that opening such a kind of business is unprofitable. How to open a consulting company? If you organize everything correctly already at the initial stages of the project, success and profit will not be long in coming.
Be sure to determine what kind of consulting is now worth doing. Remember that the versatility of your company will require large-scale investments. Indeed, in this case, you will need a fairly wide staff of highly qualified employees with a grandiose set of knowledge and experience. And such shots can not do cheap. And a company that is in the process of becoming a market does not always seem true professionals a good place to work.
Creating a business is not an easy process. Try to start small. It is especially valuable. 
advice for a small start-up capital of the project. Choose one direction for your company. Special seminars, servicing small and medium-sized enterprises, management consulting - a business in this area can start quite successfully.
In addition, consider the level of your own knowledge in this area. The manager must certainly be aware of all the processes taking place in his company. But you should not rely solely on your own vision of the situation. Be sure to conduct a series of marketing research that will identify the least occupied niche in the market.
Counting the scale of investments
Of course, any business entails starting costs. And we need to calculate them, soberly assessing our own financial capabilities. It is necessary to take into account all the costs that lie ahead, without missing a single item. And there will be quite a lot of them. Get ready for the fact that the final figure will be impressive.
First of all, you have to rent a room. It is unlikely that there is a need to immediately acquire an office with the help of existing or credit funds. In the second case, the risk is not just to fail in business, but to end up in a debt hole increases significantly. It is much more convenient to rent the right room and pay a certain amount of money for it every month.
When choosing an office, be sure to consider its location in the city. Creating your own business has a lot of nuances. The room should ideally be on one of the main streets. Rent in this area is much more expensive. Therefore, if you are not ready to pay this amount every month or are not yet sure that the costs will immediately pay off, choose a more modest place.
Another important point is the location of the office in relation to public transport.A huge plus will be the presence of a nearby metro station, bus or trolleybus stop. In addition, you need to pay attention to large buildings nearby. For example, shopping centers, branches of commercial banks, popular shops. This will help orient future customers, as well as give them the opportunity to quickly get to the office.
We will not be complete pessimists and pay attention to the possibility of placing several cars next to the selected premises. After all, we plan to attract the attention of as much money customers as possible. And all business people mostly use cars. In the case of a city with a high degree of congestion with such vehicles, the main emphasis must still be made on the subway.
What else includes the creation of a consulting firm at the initial stage? Do some research. Count the number of passers-by, who pass on average in one working day near the future office of the company. This must be done at least 3 times a week. If the figure satisfies you, you can safely arrange a rental. Unless, of course, there are nearby competing organizations providing a similar set of services. Such a neighborhood is best avoided.
Take into account the utility costs - for electricity, water (employees must certainly have the opportunity to use sewer communications), as well as garbage collection and heating. The cost of the last item will increase significantly in the winter.
It is also necessary to take into account the costs of purchasing office equipment, PCs, furniture, and office supplies. Remember that the office is the face of the company. And the successful promotion of the business will very much depend on where 
You will meet with customers. Some inexperienced managers try to limit themselves to the minimum set of necessities or even completely refuse to rent premises, preferring to make appointments in cafes and restaurants. But not all clients can attract such a consulting agency.
Large companies looking for hired employees to solve serious financial problems or develop a successful development strategy will prefer to conclude an agreement with a company located in a well-equipped and solid office. Therefore, do not skimp on this issue. The room must also comply with all sanitary rules.
Especially carefully consider the next item - recruitment. There are different ways to promote a business based on the provision of advisory services in the field of finance and commerce. But the best of them is competent, active and qualified staff, well versed in your chosen direction. Positive experience with the first clients will allow the company to gain a good reputation in the field of consulting.
You can select frames yourself by placing ads in the media. This method involves additional costs that do not always pay off. Today, an increasing number of experienced and start-up companies are resorting to special agencies. As practice shows, their commissions are not so big, and the result is better. In addition, you save a lot of time.
As for the costs of consultants' salaries, focus on standard figures in this area. At the stage of business formation, it is not recommended to assign too high a salary to your employees. This may not allow you to attract a consulting guru, but it will not let you burn out immediately after opening a company. In the future, this item of expenses can, of course, be increased.
Do not forget about the motivation of your staff. As many experts recommend in this matter, the best option for a consultant is a small stable salary and a percentage of the work done by him.As a result, the employee definitely has financial support, which he can always count on, as well as the desire to work more actively in order to increase his income. Such motivation is very beneficial for the business owner and the company as a whole.
And finally, you need to consider advertising costs. Creating a business implies its popularization among potential customers. To do this, it’s not enough just to open an office and draw up an attractive sign. It is necessary to make it clear to people who are interested in competent business consulting that a new company has opened with attractive service conditions, competent specialists and a convenient office location in the city. But don't overdo it. Remember that upfront costs should not be too large. For example, place a small advertisement in economic magazines or pay a banner with an advertisement for your company.
Making a name for ourselves
We have approximately decided on the costs. Now let's decide what to call a consulting company. The name of the company should not mislead customers. Therefore, it is necessary to choose just such an option that would immediately give at least the slightest idea of the activities of this agency. You cannot use already registered names. Similar action 
shall be punished in accordance with Russian law.
Not sure how to open a big name consulting firm? Try to take a benchmark on an already promoted brand. Change the existing name slightly to get a completely unique option. As a result, you will receive the name of the consulting company associated with the firm that has earned a positive professional reputation.
Legal subtleties
In order to start a business, you will have to go through the registration process as a legal entity or as an individual entrepreneur. The second option is preferable. In this case, it will be somewhat easier to collect all the necessary documents. In addition, IP is much more convenient in terms of accounting.
If the choice fell on the creation of an LLC, then in this case, be prepared to develop a charter, collect all the papers regarding the founders of the legal entity, and also pay the state fee. In addition, you will need to open a bank account. If desired, they can be issued several. Just remember that for maintaining a current account, credit organizations charge fees in accordance with their own tariffs.
Another problem may be the correct choice of code in the all-Russian classifier of types of economic activity. Which of the available registered combinations of numbers can a consulting activity appropriate for itself? OKVED consists of 17 sections, each of which has a literal meaning. The choice depends on the specific activities of a particular company. For example, consulting in the field of IT-technologies can well be attributed to class 72. But what if this is not your direction? In this case, section J and class number 74 are recognized as a more universal option.
The company’s bookkeeping can be carried out both by a full-time employee and by external ones. The second option is more relevant for projects with a limited budget at the development stage. However, if you have a truly highly qualified staff, then one of the consultants may well be entrusted with such an additional monetary reward.
Summarizing and gaining patience
Promotion of a business is not an easy and multifaceted business. It is necessary to be able to competently organize the work of all project participants, track their activities, calculate every step and control costs. Remember that any business has a payback period, at the end of which it will reimburse you the initial investment and begin to make a first profit. Do not wait for the golden mountains right away. Invest in your business not only money, but also time, knowledge and even soul. Do what you yourself know.Only in this case will success be with you.
