Experts are everywhere. They are regularly quoted to add credibility to many claims on various topics, from nutrition to business. It’s amazing how rare it is for someone to follow up and see how often expert claims and predictions are correct. A quick Google search asking, “How often are experts wrong?” returns interesting results – experts are often wrong.
When it comes to business coaches and several business opportunities, it’s common to see an army of experts promising you unlimited success. Most of those offers are focused on separating you from your hard-earned money. Your likelihood of success if you buy their product or service is under 10%. You need a way to determine if the “expert” can deliver on their promise. Let’s break down the mandatory requirements for finding a real EXPERT, versus someone who thinks they might help you get lucky and find a bit of success.
Requirement 1: What path have they walked?
Was the expert born into an upper-middle-class or wealthy family? Or did they have to learn discipline, delay of gratification, strategic thinking, contingency planning, financial management, and other lessons successful people seem to “just know”? Someone born into a comfortable life may have all those traits, but those people are generally streamed into professional studies in the school system. Bernard Arnault, the head of LVMH, is a good example of a person born into wealth who understood the mechanics and methods needed to increase wealth significantly. Most small business owners would unlikely be able to hire a consultant at that level.
When hiring an expert/consultant, you need someone who understands the struggles, pitfalls, and obstacles you’ll face in your business. If the person has never experienced hardship and challenges, how will they help you navigate the mountain of challenges every business owner faces? The experience of stepping on a piece of glass highlights this fact. Someone can read every book on the planet about the experience of stepping on a piece of glass. They can interview people who’ve stepped on glass and talk to doctors who pull glass out of people’s feet. They will understand the concept of stepping on glass but be completely unprepared for the first time they step on a sharp piece of glass. Walking the path gives your expert a level of experience and understanding that can only be gained by living through the challenges that launching and growing a business teaches.
Requirement 2: How do they deal with failure?
Failure is never enjoyable. It can humiliate and threaten to crush the souls of the most optimistic people, but it’s also the best teacher. Failure is an opportunity to learn and grow. It lays the foundation of strategic thinking and planning. Few people understand that strategic planning occurs because of failure. If life went as expected, we would never need to think strategically, devise contingencies and “what if” scenarios, or engage in strategic planning.
Requirement 3: How do they deal with the unexpected?
Business is dynamic, and you have to be able to change quickly. Most “experts” create a poorly planned, impressive-looking roadmap for your business without knowing what to do when something goes wrong. (Something always goes wrong!) They will act confident and in control but really be clueless and useless.
The only way to avoid this issue is by asking hard questions. Pose scenarios that could take place and see what the “expert” says. Make notes at each point in the interview and refer to things he or she said that were inconsistent. The truth never minds being asked questions, but anything less always resents proper vetting.
Requirement 4: Do they deliver a course or a solution?
Courses are incredibly popular today. Drop shipping and “how to” courses attract huge audiences of good people looking for ways to earn extra money or start something they can grow and leave as a legacy to family members. For anyone wanting to build an A.I.-powered business, online course delivery is one of the best options. Online courses may not be the best option if you are investigating ways to build or expand a business.
Experts and consultants are hired to deliver solutions, not courses. They solve challenges and problems your business is facing. The saying, “Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime,” is true, but the consultant can teach you how to fish after he’s solved your issue. It will cost a bit more in the short run, but if your revenue goes from $100,000 to $10,000,000 in 12 months, it is money well spent. Results like that are rarely delivered from a course.
Requirement 5: An expert that offers support after the job is finished.
You will always have questions and need guidance after the job. Choose an expert who will be there to deliver that support. It should be specified in the contract deliverables, but to make sure, choose a professional that cares about their work, reputation, and legacy they plan to leave. Contracts can be broken and are then dealt with in court. It’s better to choose experts who value honor, referrals, and knowing how much of an impact they made professionally and personally on business owners.
We are on the cusp of an A.I. revolution in business. New opportunities are taking shape every day for entrepreneurs around the world. Take advantage of these opportunities and weave A.I. into your business from the ground up. Thousands of experts online offer courses to “teach” you how to make money. Save yourself the time and energy. Hire a consultant to deliver a business you can customize to fit your personality and goals. That consultant should support you and work to build a strong connection between both parties.