[rodrigo]

What i wanted to know more about is (and i do now thanks to you): what does someone can sell, what does a business needs so bad that it reaches an outsider and pays him to get. Also interesting, your take on the "consulting ladder", when i think about doing consulting, i try to find what could i offer, but i wasnt seeing it as a process to find your place. Thanks a lot Daniel, as usual i got to learn something of what you say.

[DanielBMarkham]

When I was young I used to think high-paid consultants were the smartest people in the building.

Now that I am one of those guys, I know better! Consultants are trusted friends who know stuff. Work on being a good friend and knowing valuable stuff and you'll be a good consultant.

[rodrigo]

I have met some very high paid consultants who doesnt look smart at all(smartly dressed, if any);

Knowing stuff and being able to do something useful with it (AND sell it) looks pretty smart to me. :)

[DanielBMarkham]

The thing is: there's a tension between "knowing stuff" and "being a good friend"

It usually means coming in and caring for folks you have never met who are doing things in a way that hurts. The trick is to explain this to them in a way that's non-confrontational and that they can grow from.

I used to tell people being a consultant was traveling to far away places to meet new people and disagree with them (grin)