MABC Blog

For three years, Lee Johnsen led MABC’s Programming Team with exceptional dedication. Under his leadership, the team streamlined speaker outreach, built sustainable systems, and introduced innovative programs such as field trips and topic-specific mini-series. The reemergence of in-person events under the banner MABCLive! was also instrumental in getting our members back to meeting in person after a couple years of online only events. Lee’s grassroots leadership engaged members, while his behind-the-scenes work ensured flawless execution. Even as he neared retirement, Lee continued to give tirelessly, making him truly deserving of this award.

Congratulations Lee!

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Established by the MABC Board of Directors in 2022, the Walter Jankowski Award honors the legacy of longtime member Walter Jankowski, who we lost suddenly in 2021. Walter made his mark through process improvement, metrics, and organizational change—but what people remember most is the joy he brought to every room. He gave freely of his time, shared his knowledge without hesitation, and lifted others up through mentorship and kindness.

This annual award recognizes MABC members who carry that same spirit forward.

As a new business owner, it's wise to work with someone who has been in your shoes and possesses the experience to help you navigate any uncertainty you might face. Launching and running a successful business requires time, energy and seasoned insight. However, many budding entrepreneurs tend to shy away from spending money on a consultant.

If you're unsure whether it's worth investing in a business consultant, there are some clear indicators that might suggest you could benefit from one. Below, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council members shared 10 signs you should hire a consultant for your business.

Young Entrepreneur Council members think these could be signs you need to bring on a business consultant.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS.

1. You Can’t Keep Up With Emerging Trends Or Tech

Emerging trends and new developments in technology can affect your industry faster than you can research and understand them. If you're trying to keep up with these new developments but you feel as though you're in over your head, it's a good idea to find a consultant who's knowledgeable in your industry and the latest developments related to it. This can prevent anxiety or FOMO from affecting your judgment when making business decisions, but it requires finding a trustworthy expert whom you can rely on for informed guidance. - Bryce Welker, Testing.org

2. You Need An Impartial Opinion

Sometimes you might have a difference of opinion with your team or partner on certain issues. At such times, it can be a wise decision to hire an expert who can offer you an impartial opinion on the matter. Being experts on strategies, business consultants can add perspectives that you and your team might have missed. They can help think things through, navigate internal politics and offer sensible solutions. - Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite

3. You're Lacking Inspiration And Perspective

Consultants have exponential exposure to situations that you just can't get in the private industry world. We say here that one year at our company is like 10 on the other side of the table. So go to a consultant for fresh ideas, for inspiration, for change management or expectations. Hire a consultant to reassure you that your team has it right in their processes, or to improve on efficiency and technology. A consultant can help substantiate a gut feeling and make sure that you have data to back up your decisions when needed. Even the best consulting firms have consultants themselves, so think about them as strategic partnerships. - Marjorie Adams, Fourlane

4. You're Unable To Meet Your Goals

When you are not able to achieve the goals with your internal team, then it is time to hire a consultant. For two years, our sales strategy was stagnant and our revenues were not growing. We were implementing strategies based on our internal team's suggestions, and these strategies were not paying off. We decided to rope in an expert sales consultant, who provided us with great insights. It was a little bit more expensive than hiring an internal team, but it was worth it. - Piyush Jain, Simpalm

5. Your Business Isn’t Growing And You Don’t Know Why

If you think you’re doing well overall but the financials don’t show that, something is wrong and you might not know the answer. A consultant will likely be able to take a more objective look, find the issue and help you solve the problem. - Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

6. You're Stalling On An Idea

We've needed a consultant when there was something that I was putting off for a long time and realized that it's because I didn't feel like we had the right expertise in-house to launch this new project/initiative. We frequently talk to clients who reached out to us because they have been "talking about doing content marketing" for a few years, but never actually put in the work because they knew it was going to take a lot of time, resources and expertise they didn't have. - Kelsey Raymond, Influence & Co.

7. You're Working Outside Your Expertise

Any business leader has their strengths and weaknesses. The best use of your time will always be to focus on your strengths. But as your business goes through its cycle and your needs change, the most impactful things to focus on may well be things that lie outside your own area of expertise. That’s a great time to think about bringing on a consultant. What can that person do better than you? What would they enjoy doing that you don’t? These questions can help you decide whether it’s time to hire outside help. - Cody Candee, Bounce

8. You Lack In-House Resources

It might be a good idea to hire a consultant for your company if you lack in-house resources. If you need human resources and marketing strategists but you don't have them within your company, it's wise to hire experts instead of relying on yourself or your team to figure it out. - Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms

9. You Have Tunnel Vision

If you feel like you have tunnel vision from working on a problem for too long, then bringing in a consultant can be transformative for your business. Consultants are typically people who have expertise in an area. Many of them are experienced business leaders who've moved to the consulting business to share their experiences. Getting a fresh set of eyes to look over ongoing problems in your business can be just what you need. Ask yourself if there's a problem that simply isn't going away in your business. Maybe you have a high employee turnover rate or your customers just don't come back after their first interaction with you. A consultant can give you tailored advice and a fresh perspective you won't have from working too close to the problem for too long. - Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner

10. You're Working On A Time-Sensitive Project 

You may want to consider hiring a consultant if you have a time-sensitive project in the pipeline. It's not easy to work on a brand new product design or marketing campaign if you're unsure where to start. A consultant can buy you some much-needed time and give you advice that can turn your first attempt into a success. I suggest looking for experts who have experience in your industry with plenty of references. You want to avoid "fake" gurus and only work with consultants with real-world experience. - John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC

Customer Service

Written by Seth Godin

A b2b insurance agency spent two million dollars ripping out voice mail from their agency. Every call gets answered by a human every time. It paid for itself in four months. That’s a strategic investment, not a cost-cutting shortcut.

Comcast and the other cable companies led the way in treating customer service as nothing but an expense, one that they work overtime to decrease. And so now, it’s not unusual to spend an hour or two trying to get help from Adobe or Apple. Fedex now takes more than two minutes (up from 2 seconds) to connect a valuable customer to a human operator. Apple, the most valuable company in the world, has shifted its customer support promise to one of denial, delay and disrespect. Was that an intentional strategic act?

The thing about strategies is that you and your team can work to maximize them. If answering on two rings is good, then answering on one ring is better. If 10 helpful salespeople are profitable, then 20 very helpful salespeople are better.

The truth about strategy in a competitive environment: If you are doing what everyone else is doing, if you are inside the band of common, then it’s not an approach that will move you forward. The only way to use customer service as a growth strategy is to be outside the accepted norms.

By John Russell

That's a loaded question.  There are dozens of ways to attract and acquire new customers.  Too many to mention. And by what criteria would you determine whether or not to pursue a specific company to do business with?  Pre-qualifying a business to learn whether or not they would be a good fit for your product or service is an essential first step.  As I work through this process again for the millionth time, I find it invigorating to apply the process and follow the process through to determine the actual outcome.  If I prospect 25 potential customers, how many will I actually develop a long-term contract relationship with?

It's a numbers game.  Once you've applied this process several times, a trend will emerge and you'll be able to use what you've learned to project the results of your next prospecting effort.  Each step is critical to the next.  

Let's establish a pre-qualifying set of criteria that we'll use to make sure the prospect is a good fit for the type of solutions you provide.

Can I work directly with the owner?  In today's Monday Morning Memo, written by Roy H. Williams he highlights several other criteria to help him determine if he thinks the prospect will be a good fit.  Here's additional questions to ask.

"Do I believe in the business owner? And do I like them enough to give them a place in my life?

Has their company been flat, or declining, for the past 3 years?Do I see a clear path to grow them a minimum of 4x in 4 years or less?

If we focus 80% of their ad budget on a single media, will that number of dollars allow us to reach enough people with enough repetition to see significant growth in the second half of the first year?"

In asking these questions he's stacking the odds of success in his favor.  Potentially entering into a relationship that will most likely lead to success.  Win-win for both parties.  

Today we've touched on prospecting and qualifying potential customers to determine if they're a good fit and to ensure the chance of a win-win success is stated from the beginning.

More to follow next week.

Are you a consultant, coach, or solo entrepreneur looking to grow your business, connect with a vibrant community, and maybe even become a published author? Be like Wendy Herrmann

Let me introduce you to MABC - Madison Area Business Consultants.
Besides being an incredible organization filled with smart, collaborative professionals, MABC gives you real tools for real growth:

✅ A network of like-minded business owners
✅ Monthly programming that sharpens your skills
✅ High-quality referrals and visibility through our member directory
✅ Access to seasoned experts who get the challenges of entrepreneurship
✅ And this year… a chance to become a published author!

MABC is publishing its third volume of "What We Wish We Had Known", a collaborative book series where members share hard-earned wisdom and expert tips. Volumes 1 & 2 were both Amazon bestsellers in multiple categories!

Annual dues are $90 per person.
There is a one-time fee of $60 to support the MABC website.
Your own profile onmadisonconsultants.com
Access to all events and networking opportunities
The chance to co-author a book that showcases your voice and builds your authority. (All members as of August 1st may write a chapter for Vol 3)

This is your year to expand, elevate, and connect.
Check out MABC and consider joining us:https://lnkd.in/gjeCsYaJ
hashtag#MABChashtag#BusinessConsultinghashtag#Entrepreneurshiphashtag#Networkinghashtag#MadisonWIhashtag#AuthorsWantedhashtag#SmallBusinessSupporthashtag#Consultantshashtag#ProfessionalGrowthhashtag#WeWishWeHadKnown

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It’s here! My TEDx Talk, The text message that changed my understanding of DEI, is officially live.

Check out Deborah's TEDx Talk here

This moment means more than I can fully explain. For years, I’ve spoken, trained, and coached leaders on how to build cultures of belonging. But one late-night message from my son—just a few simple words—completely changed how I understand inclusion.

In that moment, everything I thought I knew became personal.

This talk is the most vulnerable I’ve ever been on a stage. And it’s also the clearest I’ve ever been about what real inclusion actually looks like—beyond policies, beyond programs, beyond checkboxes.

If you’ve ever struggled to lead with heart, to include with intention, or to belong in a world that wasn’t built with you in mind… I hope this message speaks to you.


Watch my TEDx Talk here:https://zurl.co/cCNJl

I help organizations move beyond performative DEI by embedding it into leadership, strategy, and operations. My approach shifts DEI from being merely a checkbox to a strategic business advantage—driving innovation, engagement, and long-lasting impact.

As a DEI strategist, speaker, and executive coach, I work with leaders who are ready to transition from superficial initiatives to genuine, measurable change. I challenge outdated frameworks and help organizations reimagine DEI as a leadership-driven, cross-functional strategy that enhances decision-making, talent retention, and business performance.

I don’t just teach DEI—I help leaders integrate it into their leadership, hiring, and growth. Through executive coaching, organizational assessments, and leadership development, I equip companies with the tools to create inclusive cultures where employees thrive, trust is built, and impact is sustained.

In today’s politically charged climate, organizations that deprioritize or dilute DEI risk disengaged employees, misaligned leadership, and reputational damage. Conversely, those who commit to meaningful action create stronger teams, foster greater innovation, and establish a workplace where belonging enhances performance.

If you're prepared to advance from initiatives to infrastructure, let’s connect.
hashtag# TEDxhashtag #DEILeadershiphashtag #Belonging

Congratulations to Stuart B. Fields on receiving the 2024 Walter Jankowski award!

Established in 2022, the award honors the legacy of former member Walter Jankowski who passed away suddenly in 2021. While he specialized in process improvement, metrics, and change management, Walter will be remembered for the gracious way he volunteered his time. And for the unforgettable joy he exhibited when sharing his knowledge and mentoring others.

An expert facilitator and business

coach guiding professionals on

their path toward abundant

success.

Stuart partners with business managers and teams around the world to to identify and delivery personalized learning solutions. These solutions expand their ability to transform setbacks into the stepping stones on their path toward achieving abundant success.

More specifically, these learning and training solutions help his clients:

• Enlarge the vision of who they are and what they can achieve.

• Look at situations from different perspectives to see possibilities not previously considered.

• Narrow the possibilities to the most effective solutions.

• Move forward along a path of continual development.

• Build resiliency so they bounce back from setbacks and prosper.

Stuart has delivered a broad array of over 50 different educational programs to audiences ranging in size from 2 to 502. When companies partner with Stuart, they benefit from his:

Extensive toolbox of learning and training solutions

A lifelong learner, Stuart’s gathered and mastered leadership development exercises, trainings, assessments and processes for more than three decades. He often uses this extensive toolbox to adapt an experience or exercise in the moment to meet the needs of the person or group he’s guiding.

In addition to having a master's degree in adult learning and leadership, Stuart’s a certified:

• DDI Leadership Program facilitator for target selection (behavioral-based interviewing) and more than 60 soft-skill leadership courses

• Trainer in Jack Canfield's Methodology and the facilitation of individual and group transformation through the experiential teaching of Canfield's principles of success

• Technical Trainer (CTT+) by the International Bureau for Standards in Training and Performance Improvement Board (IBSTPI)

Stuart's also been certified in Business Writing (Brainbench) and holds many proprietary certifications through Hewlett-Packard, Agilent Technologies and The Schwan Food Company.

Global perspective on the benefit of working with people of diverse cultural backgrounds

Living, working and training around the world shaped Stuart’s appreciation for diverse cultural backgrounds and the global perspective he provides. With an academic background in intercultural communication and management, Stuart spent 10 years working overseas in Europe and Asia-Pacific. And, he often partners with global learning and development consultancies to adapt and deliver training materials for U.S. based employees.

This global perspective Stuart provides brings a unique understanding of contrastive views to most situations. As a result, Stuart’s able to guide teams to explore possibilities in ways many others may not be able.

Personal Experience

Stuart shares personal stories of resiliency to provide the encouragement his clients need to keep moving forward during challenging time. Like many, he’s experienced several setbacks in life, and he knows first hand it’s possible to come out stronger on the other side of a challenging situation. By learning the skills to see possibilities instead of problems, Stuart was able to transform these obstacles into opportunities and reach greater levels of success. He's committed to helping others do the same in their lives.

Have questions?

Email info@stuartbfields.com

Call the office at +1 (608) 644-9999.

Every entrepreneur, solopreneur and business owner makes decisions about how best to advertise and market their company.  The decision making gets more difficult the smaller you are.  Funds for marketing and advertising are limited in most cases.  Essentials are your visual assets like your logo, business card, letterhead, etc.  Then add website design and development to the budget including hosting, SEO, SEM and various other marketing tactics including social media and you've got a good start.  Consider additional spending on traditional advertising and digital ad campaigns.  But before you spend any money on "digital" advertising, buyer beware.  Chasing shiny objects on Meta and Alphabet can take you and your budget down a dark hole.  I recently came across a good video produced by Johnny Molson that helps frame the relationship between traditional and digital advertising.  You can click to see the video here on You Tube.   In the video Johnny informs us about a new, free, e-book that just came out by Bob Hoffman.  It verifies what I've always suspected.  Digital advertising can be a risky investment with not a lot of oversight or real, factual reporting.  Click through rates ranging around the 0.05-0.5 range don't impress me.  And the actual performance of digital ads is much different than traditional methods.  Buyer Beware.  Download a FREE COPY of "Inside The Black Box" by Bob Hoffman here. 

Work on increasing your productivity through improved posture and comfortable computing. You'll learn refreshing mind-body posture techniques you can do at your desk and get a chance to ask your ergonomic and posture questions.

Anne Asher is a health coach, personal trainer, yoga instructor and workstation wellness consultant. As founder of Posturally, LLC, she has 25+ years experience helping people feel better physically and mentally.

For over a decade, Anne was also an award winning health journalist for a large website owned and operated by the New York Times Company. Her "beat" was spine and chronic pain management.

REGISTER TODAY FOR THIS FREE EVENT!

________________________________________________

What: MABC Live! Event | Increase Productivity the Mind-Body Way

Date:  Thursday, July 18

Time:  8:00 am - 10:00 am 

Location:  Mercies Coffee, 1748 Eagan Rd, Madison, WI

Business owners may choose to hire a consultant for various reasons, depending on their specific needs and circumstances. Here are some of the most important reasons why business owners often seek the expertise of consultants:

1. Specialized Knowledge and Expertise:

   • Consultants often bring specialized skills and knowledge to the table, which may not be readily available within the business. This expertise can help address specific challenges or capitalize on opportunities.

2. Objective Perspective:

   • External consultants can offer an unbiased and objective viewpoint. They are not emotionally invested in the organization, allowing them to assess situations and make recommendations without being influenced by internal politics or personal relationships.

3. Cost Efficiency:

   • Hiring a consultant can be more cost-effective than bringing on a full-time employee, especially for short-term projects or specialized tasks. This allows businesses to access expertise without the long-term commitment and overhead costs associated with permanent staff.

4. Efficiency and Time Savings:

   • Consultants are often hired to complete projects within a specific timeframe. Their focused expertise can lead to quicker problem-solving and implementation, saving the business time and enabling it to adapt more rapidly to changing circumstances.

5. Strategic Planning:

   • Consultants can assist in strategic planning by analyzing market trends, identifying growth opportunities, and helping businesses develop and implement effective strategies for long-term success.

6. Risk Mitigation:

   • Consultants can help businesses navigate risks by providing insights and recommendations based on their experience. This proactive approach can prevent potential issues and enhance the company's ability to adapt to changes in the business environment.

7. Training and Development:

   • Consultants can train existing staff or management in new skills and best practices. This knowledge transfer can contribute to the ongoing improvement of the organization even after the consultant's engagement has concluded.

8. Flexibility and Adaptability:

   • Consultants often bring a diverse range of experiences from working with various clients and industries. This enables them to adapt quickly to different business environments, bringing fresh ideas and perspectives to the organization.

9. Project Management:

   • Consultants are experienced in project management and can take the lead on specific initiatives. Their skills in planning, organizing, and executing projects can ensure that goals are achieved efficiently.

10. Market Insight:

    • Consultants stay informed about industry trends, market conditions, and best practices. This knowledge allows them to provide businesses with valuable insights into their competitive landscape, customer behaviors, and emerging opportunities.

In summary, hiring a consultant can offer businesses a strategic advantage by providing specialized knowledge, an external perspective, cost-effective solutions, and the ability to address specific challenges or opportunities.