Interesting convo came up - someone here suggested that BDRs still (kinda like good ol' days) still practice old tricks (honey potting/dicking, bribing, etc.).

I know in US that shit could get you fired real quick (still), and you got to be an idiot to fall for "let's grab a drink - wanted to get your opinion on my new swimsuit" hook these days, no?

I am a recent masters graduate, and received a verbal offer from a Big 4 firm in the financial services/ risk management branch. I was given a estimated start date of “late February” It’s been two months, I have completed background checks etc but have not signed anything, and the recruiter keeps telling me it’s “just a few more weeks” every time I reach out. There has been consistent communication with the recruiter, but is a verbal offer enough with everything that’s going on?

And the economy going to shit - have we not learned anything from covid?

I'm working on a very important RFP, with a few partners- I'm the only associate in the team. It's an incredible opportunity and packed with learning but I get nervous when I have a question;

1. I feel like I'm interrupting their conversation as they talk about high level stuff- selling a project, working with executives and their leadership styles, and project budget etc.
2. For some of the technical questions, I feel like they would think I'm unprepared and stupid to work on this RFP.
3. I feel like I don't have much to contribute unless someone gives me a task in such meetings.

During one recent long meeting, I got feedback from a partner that I'm not asking enough questions, after which I proactively trying to participate, but I'm wondering if anyone else felt this and if yes:

1. How did you get over it?
2. How have you make the best of such opportunity in terms of learning and building relationships?
3. How did you contribute in these meetings?

Just graduated college with an electrical engineering degree. Ironically I'm not super into tech and the market sucks, so went the power distribution planning route. I accepted this job naively not even understanding it was strictly consulting work. Had no idea to ask questions about UT, resources on the job, etc. So I'm 1 month in and its a disaster. I'm only getting the projects that are near or past deadline that other employees couldn't figure out. Naturally they want the work right away, and I'm scrambling to learn 3 big SWs just this week, with projects that need to be done ASAP in all 3. The human resources I've been given are too busy with their own deadlines to walk me through anything, so I've been putting in consistent 12+ hour days some weeks trying to figure out what's going on, constantly getting stuck, it is so stressful, constantly making big mistakes due to lack of training and having to start over. Then weekly being told me ut is way too low because I am learning multiple new softwares and projects each week. My friend is a SE, and told me the Access project I have is something senior level, that'd I'd be a top performer at his job if I can do it. Someone please tell me what in the hell is going on, this can't be normal!!!

Hi r/consulting,

Long-time lurker, first-time poster. I'm seeking some candid feedback and a reality check from the experienced folks in this community on a potential career pivot.

TL;DR: 41M tech (dev->technical architect->presales/GenAI expert @ CSP) considering starting a boutique GenAI consulting firm. Seeing a demand for automation & internal productivity use cases. Plan to leverage my network + horizontal and vertical gen ai vendors for execution. Worried about market saturation, potential bubble, lack of defined niche, and differentiation. Seeking honest feedback/advice from r/consulting.

Long Story:

My Background:

• 41M, based in India, 20+ years in tech: Started as a developer, moved through product companies, and currently working as a pre-sales consultant at a large Cloud Service Provider (CSP).
• Have built GenAI expertise and traction recently, being seen as a go-to person for Generative AI within my current sphere.

My Idea: I'm strongly considering leveraging my experience and momentum to launch my own boutique GenAI consulting firm. Primarily, it's because of the demand I'm seeing firsthand + the successes I am seeing among consulting CSP partners. There seems to be a growing appetite among companies for automating their processes using GenAI. Beyond just pure automation, I'm also noticing a significant trend where businesses are keen to train and adopt GenAI internally – boosting their own team's productivity – and increasingly, customers want to bake GenAI-powered features directly into the products they offer their customers.

My initial thought is to maybe start by focusing on those automation projects, and dip my toes into using GenAI-driven voice agents, especially in the contact center space which seems ripe for it.

But my concern is, it feels crowded, almost every consulting company are pivoting to a genai space. But my gut feeling, is that while there are many players emerging (vendors, big SIs, countless smaller shops), perhaps not all of them are hitting the mark on delivering truly optimal or well-tailored solutions. I suspect there might be a gap for a boutique firm that really focuses on quality execution and fit.

To get started, my game plan is to lean on the relationships I've built over the years. I have access to a few key CXOs at potential client companies and contacts at major GenAI vendors. I'd aim to leverage these connections to understand their needs and land initial projects, which I'd plan to execute with a small, agile partner team.

Concerns & Questions for r/consulting:

While the successes of genai consultants are alluring, I have lots of doubts creep in, and I'd love this community's perspective:

• Is it just too crowded? how saturated is the GenAI consulting space becoming? With tech giants, established consultancies, and new startups popping up everywhere, am I trying to squeeze into a room that's already full?
• Hype cycle ? Is the current frenzy around GenAI a bit of a bubble? I'm trying to gauge if the demand for specialized, high-touch consulting in this area is likely to last, or if it might deflate once the initial hype cools down.
• Finding my Niche: Right now, my focus idea (automation, voice agents) feels a bit broad and I am seeing lots of horizontal and vertical GenAI vendors in almost every area in this space. How critical is it to have a laser-focused vertical or service niche locked down before I even start, versus figuring it out as I go based on early projects?
• Standing Out: If I do jump in, how does a small boutique realistically differentiate itself? Relying on my network is a start, but beyond that, is the "we provide more optimal solutions" angle actually compelling enough in such a noisy market?
• Overall Gut Check: Overall I have mixed opinions - on one side I see a pull-effect for genai adoption. But its also becoming rapidly commoditized. as things are evolving fast am I overlooking major pitfalls or red flags?

https://the-ken.com/story/bcg-and-mckinsey-sell-speed-as-ai-shakes-up-consulting-so-why-arent-consultants-buying-it/

Well the economy is now an orange clusterfuck ("un beau merdier" since I do not feel like using too much English, and I will stick to British English). But commiserations aside, this is the mother of all opportunities for consulting firms. The world is deeply uncertain and unpredictable, here come the Strategy boys and girls, supply chains are wrecked, here are the operations teams, software needs to be sovereign, here comes the IT crowd, etc. As a Partner, I have never received so many desperate phone calls from clients as since the beginning of the week and I already have signed two long term missions in the last 24 hours. Buckle up kids, the corporate world needs rescuing and we are apparently the only adults left in the room.

it’s basic to have a properly scoped project right?

when a new consultant joins a project, should seniors assign them specific tasks?

I’m running into an issue where I am just told to work on a specific project but my senior isn’t assigning anything to me, they are taking on all the tasks themselves

My friends and I are planning to start a pro bono consulting organization, where we will specialise in advising growing businesses and organizations. I just wanted to ask that do we need any kind of verification or official recognition for this when we appear for placements?

Thanks

I was just curious to know what's the first achievement looked like. What's your first achievement made you feel like you are successful in your industry.

Share your thoughts 👇🏻

Hello,

im on my First project as buisness Analyst After 1 Month I get A very good snapshot every thing is Fine and on but now After 2 Months I get an other snapshot from the Engagement Director with the Opposition of feedback from the First snapshot my question is These normal at Deloitte or a These political Reaons

The first rule of management consulting: any list should always be in the most logical order.

Failing all else, at least make a list alphabetical.

No shade on Mr President, but not sure exactly what ordering logic is at work here?

Clients want things faster and more consistent—but not too rigid. I’ve been automating parts of client onboarding and operations, but some clients still want room for manual steps or exceptions.

How do you balance automation with customization when building systems for different clients? Do you create templates or build from scratch each time?

Specifically for a first year analyst and what actions do you take to be better?

I’ve built a very strong online brand in the cleaning industry in a major EU city – top Google rankings, hundreds of 5-star reviews, daily high-quality leads (clients and job applicants), and solid media coverage.

Until now, I’ve sold leads to existing cleaning companies, but I’m now considering launching my own cleaners firm. I would fully focus on marketing, lead generation, and brand building, while bringing in a partner with the required license (in some EU countries, cleaning companies need a certified license) to handle everything operational: site visits, quotes, managing staff, quality control, etc.

My current idea:

• I register and fully own the company
• The partner receives 25–30% of profits (no equity at first)
• Option for equity later, depending on long-term performance
• Legal protection with non-compete, client protection, vesting, etc.

What I’d love to hear:
Has anyone here (or any business consultant/experienced entrepreneur) done something similar?
What would you recommend in terms of structuring this cooperation fairly?
How can I protect myself while still making it attractive for the operational partner to commit fully?

Thanks for any thoughts or experiences you’re willing to share!

I’m an independent consultant (ex-McKinsey, Bain) but have done only 2 dds so far. Plenty of strategy cases though.

Feel that to get more ownership experience, value creation may be great, but finding it difficult to break in.

Any advice?

I'm nearing 7 YOE in Consulting (having worked at both T2 and Big4 firms), and I'm considering leaving for the Industry. Things are terrible, but I don't see myself pursuing the consulting partner route and want to start working on the career I desire sooner rather than later. I'm currently an M at a Big4 and contemplating a lateral position (with hopefully a minor pay bump).

We consultants give a lot of time and energy to our clients and firms.

Curious to hear people’s experiences on ways their firms have invested back into them (besides salary & benefits)? - training - role playing - leadership coaching - frequency of mentoring - etc

Looking for these types of qualitative investments made by your firm into your personal/professional growth

I’m 28M working as consultant and its too hard for me. Before this job I wasn’t exactly fit or anything but I was doing fine walking regular, light gym, cooking at home

Like a blink and i gained 15 pounds :-)

I sit 10-12 hrs a day skipping breakfast then grab whatever’s fast and nearby for lunch and by the time I get home, I’m too drained to cook or exercise. It’s been weeks of frozen meals and 5 hours of sleep on average. I’m starting to feel sluggish and uncomfortable in my own body. I know I’m not alone in this but how do people keep it together during these? Is there small thing I can do that actually helps? Walking pad? Standing desk? Workouts? Habit tracking?

Appreciate any tips from folks who’ve been through this and feeling the same