ForumsStarting a Business

I have 6 years experience working with nonprofits in Providence and I'm interested in helping companies (Corporate Citizenship is very popular right now and I've taught about it for 6 years) and/or individuals who are looking to make connections in the community by providing volunteers or volunteering themselves. In my past jobs, I placed college students in Service-Learning and Volunteer opportunities and I have strong relationships with area nonprofits as well as the knowledge of how to make a good "fit."

I do not intend to be a non-profit entity, but I formed a grassroots community group (that has non-profit status) that has been very successful and I believe that the leadership skills I used to get my community involved will be an asset to my work.

I hope that provides a little more of a background as to my goals.

Thank you!

I do have contacts that I can let know about my new plans, but I'm not sure how to go about doing that. Do you suggest I call them or send letters? Since I haven't done any consulting work yet, I don't know how to "sell" myself as a consultant.

1. Think of all the community or non-profit groups with whom you have a contact who serves in a senior leadership role.
2. Ask those contacts to name the local businesses from which they would like to see better "citizenship" (such as more active volunteer participation).
3. Approach the managers of those companies, persuade them to become better corporate citizens, and then teach them how.

The fastest way to gain experience, recognition, and credibility as a consultant is by finding solutions to the problems no one else is willing to take on. (I'm not belittling your background, but it is not all that difficult to find, train, and coordinate volunteers from companies that are already eager to help out in the community anyway.) Every community has one or two sizable employers who are notoriously bad citizens, and rarely give anything more than excuses. Figure out how to "turn" one of them, then do it successfully, and other people will be buying your lunch for the next year just to hear how you pulled it off. Plus, turning one bad corporate citizen into a good one will get you more credibility (and get it much faster) than turning ten good corporate citizens into better ones.

Hope this helps. Best of luck!

Luckiest,
I've visited the SCORE site, but haven't explored it thoroughly. I have spoken to the SBDC in RI though and they provided some helpful information.

Just wondering about your progress . . . have you gotten your practice off the ground yet?

I have the same conviction and we seem to be at the same point in the process Can we exchange notes? Please