Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Andy Fry, Owner of Quantas Consulting, Corp., located in Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My primary business is Quantas Consulting which provides Oracle consulting services to organizations. I focus on organizations that are project-centric such as Oil and Gas, Engineering, Construction, Utility Services, and others whose primary business is project-related activities.
During my consulting career, I realized the importance of mentoring and information-sharing among consultants. Then I started TheConsultingPlaybook.com, which focuses on sharing information among consultants to help them improve their careers. I search for procedures and models I can share with others as I have found that successful people model successful behavior that they have learned or been taught. I want to share those with others.
The sharing of information with others inspired me to write two books, The Trust Paradigm, which discusses how to develop trust to earn more opportunities, & The Consultant's Code, which discusses the skills I have found are necessary for consultants to be successful in their careers.
Tell us about yourself
I started my career in information technology with Oracle Consulting. After six years with Oracle, I moved to a smaller firm for five years and opened my firm. During this time, I realized that successful people modeled successful behavior. I wanted to learn those models and share them with others.
I have always known my success was primarily due to the mentoring and help I received from others along my path. I want to share what I have learned, been taught, and experienced with others so they can also achieve great careers.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment in business is experiencing those I work with achieve their goals. This is when I work with companies on their technology implementations and individuals I help mentor and share ideas for their careers. Also, being in operation since 2008 and still contributing to my clients is extremely rewarding.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The most challenging thing about being a business owner is balancing all of the demands of the business. Being motivated is essential, but finding help when one needs it is critical. Also, knowing when to hand tasks off to others rather than doing them myself is a challenge, as I like to be hands-on.
One last challenge may seem odd, but it limits the areas of focus to ensure the business is not being spread too thin and the line of business we cover has the proper attention. There are a lot of opportunities, but one must be selective in them to ensure they align with overall goals and capabilities.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- There is a saying that the purpose of a business is to make money, but I believe that saying is false. The goal of a company is to stay in business, and anyone starting or operating a business must develop the resourcefulness to remain in business, as challenges will undoubtedly come.
- Develop a strong network of resources where you can share information and challenge and help them. You can never have too many top-shelf individuals in your corner, and networking will be an endless endeavor to develop strong relationships with others.
- Give back to others. Helping others who ask for help has opened the world to me with developing my own skills and the deep, rewarding feeling of helping others and allows me to give back to the countless others who have helped me throughout my career and life.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.theconsultingplaybook.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theandyfry
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fryandy/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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