Neon Beach

Quote:
On 2005-04-27 19:21:00, DWhite6872 wrote:
First, you have to get the money!
OMG!!!!!!!!! Where did you get the money? Six 400K salons in less than 2 years?? Splain that one to us. It takes money to make money, a simple truth. It becomes very hard to take advice from someone that has the bux and does not understand that they are not the norm.........

DWhite6872

I borrowed from lenders and leasing companies!

Sol Sister

Big Leo- I hope my post did not inspire your 3rd glass rant... I am happy for you that TanPlan has worked so well. I think when using a consultant (and I did meet with a couple, personally, to discuss what their services entailed and how they might work WITH my vision to assist me in creating MY personal business) that one needs to define his/her weak points and detail exactly what they need assistance with. I am not against using a consultant or aqcuiring the services of specialists. I actually did use the services of a specialist for final analysis of my start-up BP before considering it a "final copy." However, the actual "tanning" consultants I met with did not meet my needs. Both did not really want to analyze what MY vision was and how to make THAT vision a success- both wanted to sell their "big" package claiming if I follow their ideas I will be fine but that without their knowledge I would fail. I did not want to be bullied into using a consultant, I just didn't feel a connection with them or the trust I would need to rely on them to assist me in my business.

What I wanted from a consultant for was them to TEACH me how the financials they set up worked, how they arrived on the numbers(of course after purchasing)so that I could confidently answer any question that the bank, lender, landlord, investor- might have. Neither consultant was willing to go there; I received responses such as "Well, it took a long time to write this program so that you don't have to think or worry about anything, just put in your numbers." I cannot work like that... I like to think; not thinking would have worried me. I expected to hear "Yes, I have a specific formula based on # of potential tanners, your chosen equipment, your price structure, your marketing efforts/plans based on proven percentages..." or some other substantial answer. I did not feel secure in their plans or their support. Consider this: I take my plan (their plan that I bought "last week") to a financier or prospective landlord and he says, "Great numbers, how did you reach them?" is the acceptable answer "Well, I bought this program from a consultant, made up the numbers that I put in and, yeah, they are great aren't they?" I just wasn't comfortable with it for myself.

I expect professionalism and to be treated as a thinking, learning individual from those that I hire (which is what you do with a consultant, not the other way around). Remember, this is not a Safari Guide you are hiring, this is someone you are paying, bringing into your personal business and giving your personal information (financials, personal info... etc.) and you need to be completely comfortable with this person and their intentions.

Any way you go, your plan or a consultant's plan or one off the internet, one of the most important things before making your decision to move forward is to truly understand what the goal is, the steps you are taking to get there and how to measure if you are making progress.

BigLeo

Sol Sister,

I strongly recommend that you contact Tommy Toy at Pointblank Business Technology. I used him as a consultant early last year. I purchased TanPlan and it is the best darn product ever. His number is (925) 768-1805. Good luck to you.


Big Leo