Skill Question #2
I have experience in many areas of business and, though not an expert, I can comfortably discuss marketing, sales, operations, human resources, finance, and leadership.
Details
No one is an expert in all aspects of business. However, your eyes should not glaze over if the client says, "what do you think of my balance sheet?"
A high-level-only understanding is all that's needed. If the client needs a true expert, we are very much like general contractors who find the right specialist.
Not to oversimplify, but being a great businessperson is all that's needed. Our job is to be a quality sounding board for the client, not solve all their problems. We help them solve the problems, not do it for them.
No, Are you sure?
We only spend 90 minutes a month one-on-one with each client, so we do not need to be an expert at anything. We provide a high-level sounding board for the business owner to discuss issues, so we need only be conversant at a high-level. However, if you don’t know what a balance sheet looks like, you will not be able to have this high-level conversation.