I have done a lot of consulting in my former professional life. In fact, I was a business and information systems consultant for a number of large and small companies as well as government agencies for years. I don't do that anymore; other interests are more compelling. However, I continue to perform a limited type of business consulting that I find rewarding and in line with the way my life has evolved.

The type of consulting that I perform now has two requirements:
1. The businesses that I work with are small or start-up companies.
2. The people within those businesses are honest, compassionate, and spiritually inclined.

I enjoy working in that environment. Although my life is largely about directly involving myself with matters spiritual, I also recognize the need for business and the ends that it serves to all of us. We as a species cannot live alone in mountain caves drinking spring water and eating berries. We have evolved a complex society that demands the interaction and cooperation of many organizations; hence, we have business and government. The nature of business "seems" to be evolving, slowly perhaps and more at the level of small companies and individuals, but at least evolving. Government, no matter how well meaning or seemingly benign, looks like it is collectively locked in the mode of control and domination of those it purports to serve. I think it will be the last institution to begin to evolve just after organized religion.

Working with people who are engaged in business and are spiritually oriented puts an entire new slant on the nature of consulting. Taking financial greed out of the equation and replacing it with an orientation of truly wanting to serve the customer is refreshing and hopeful. As Gary Zukav comments in Seat of the Soul (see Readings), the traditional paradigm of business has been to provide goods and services to people for profit, and he predicts the emerging model is to use profits to provide goods and services to people. I like that. It took me some think time to really understand what he means. Let's all give intent that this evolution takes place quickly.

What services do I provide under the category of consulting? They are for the most part:

• Support in the determination of the company's statement of purpose. This is not as uppity as it may sound. I prefer to work at the level of helping to create an "elevator speech," i.e., if you had to explain your job, service, or company in thirty seconds (the length of a typical elevator ride) with no warning, what would you say? Condensing a "purpose" into that amount of time or number of words forces a very hard look at the essence of the purpose. If done well, it provides a great way to identify you or your company. It is also a great tool to pass on to employees so that they can easily understand what their company is about.
  
  
• Writing or supporting the writing of business plans. A business plan is typically used to raise capital, but it can be used as the living and evolving blueprint of the company. It can establish goals and the plan for meeting those goals. It can define what the company is about (beyond the elevator speech) and why success will be achieved. It has many other purposes as well, and each one is very individualized.
  
  
• Preparing research reports addresses issues that often the owners of a small company do not have time to investigate themselves. Research reports answer a variety of questions such as who else is in this business? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How do our plans compare or fit with what others are doing? If a company has a question, then a research report may provide the answers.
  
  
• Developing the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is an extension of the elevator speech. The USP simply and succinctly defines how the company's product or service is uniquely different from everyone else's. How will the USP attract customers?
  
  
• Creating a "verbal" logo is often an important component of a company's marketing plan. We all know a lot of them: "Things go better with Coke," "Just do it," and "Reach out and touch some one." The verbal logo is one of the most fun and creative tasks that I get to participate in. It takes brainstorming and a commitment to keep at it until the "right" words come forth.
  
  
• Last, I serve as a general consultant to owners of small or start-up companies, looking over their shoulders, being a confidante, and a sounding board. Acting in this capacity has resulted in my being elected a member of the board of directors for two profit-based companies and one non-profit.

I am open to consulting in the areas above for a limited number of companies on a part-time basis. If you are interested in learning more about what I do as a consultant or for references, please email me at :Ron@RonMcCray.com and we can discuss your plans and requirements for support in any of the above services.