Description
Using your expertise to solve problems or deliver outcomes for others
Major variations
In person versus remote. Advisory versus taking on responsibility to deliver a project or result. Commercial contracts versus donor funded work to deliver social impact.
Potential impacts
- Helping to increase your impact e.g. supporting the creation of new makerspaces
- Supporting industry and other organisations to maximise their effectiveness
- Using your skills to deliver social impact in a variety of ways leveraging donor funding
Advantages
- People who run makerspaces tend to have a range of skills that often lends itself well to consultancy, and there are opportunities for it almost everywhere.
Challenges
- The sales cycle can be long, particularly with donor funded projects, and there is often uncertainty over project timings making resource planning difficult.
- High levels of expertise are needed as well as soft skills to ensure high quality delivery and good client relationships.
Business model canvas
Key partners
- Other consultancies, particularly established ones with good client relations but lacking in some technical skills
- Networks of peers to enable you to find solutions and identify other experts
- Government and charities that want to support local industry
Key activities
- Attracting clients
- Developing your expertise
- Advisory or project delivery
Key resources
- Expertise
- Reputation
- Networks of other experts to draw on
Value propositions
- Expert Guidance
- Delivery of better solutions than the client could get by themselves
- Proven methodologies or a track record of good results
- Ability to bring a group of experts together with the right mix of skills
Customer relationships
- Personal service to develop customised advice and solutions
- Trust based relations
- Ongoing support
Channels
- Build relationships with organisations
- Collaboration with existing networks
- Joint funding applications
Customer segments
- Entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses that need advice on product development
- Humanitarian and development projects that need delivery expertise
- Businesses, NGOs or government institutions that need advice or support with their own operations
Cost structure
- Cost of time spent on the specific consultancy project
- Cost of time spent in learning and skill development
- Travel or other incurred costs
- Any equipment or materials
- Marketing or advertising costs
Revenue streams
- Charge those who have a challenge they want help with – either in the form of time and materials (a daily fee plus any direct costs incurred) or a fixed fee for a project.
- Public, development, or humanitarian funding to pay for activities with positive social and economic impact
Complementary models
Using your expertise to perform tasks that deliver a service for others
