FAQs

General
What is Women in Consulting?
Why is this a group for women?

Company Perspective
How is WIC run? What services are provided?
What need does Women in Consulting fill?
Why should I hire a consultant?
Why would I use WIC over another network of consultants?
What rates do WIC consultants charge?
Are WIC consultants national, regional or local?
Are there specific requirements to become a WIC member?

Member Perspective
What need does Women in Consulting fill for a consultant like me?
Who should join Women in Consulting?
How many attend the monthly events?

General

What is Women in Consulting?
Women in Consulting (WIC) is a dynamic organization of seasoned professional consultants in a broad range of more than 30 specialties, ranging from engineering to financial advising and marketing toweb design. Our members are a premier resource for businesses seeking expert consultants to deliver specific, high-quality results A non-profit corporation, WIC was established in 1998 as a collaborative community to help foster successful consulting practices.

Why is this a group for women?
Our goal is to create and maintain a place where women can come together and feel comfortable sharing ideas and experiences about running a consultancy. Of course men may leverage the network to get and give referrals and attend meetings. Membership is open to men but most choose to take part in our email community or attend meetings or workshops, rather than joining.

Company Perspective

How is WIC run? What services are provided?
WIC is a 100% volunteer 501c-6 non-profit professional organization. The board members are nominated each year to deliver outstanding services to members. Services include a listing in the WIC xonsultant directory, monthly meetings including two member-only meetings, opportunities for exposure via the web site and WIC marketing efforts and access to recommended resources and ideas provided through the email discussion forum.

What need does Women in Consulting fill?
Bay Area businesses need access to top-notch talent to help solve mission critical business issues. WIC offers a convenient and free resource to businesses to help identify skilled talent via our online searchable database of consultants. Consultants from different disciplines are easy to identify and contact through our consultant directory.

Why should I hire a consultant?
Working with highly skilled consultants can reduce your time to market, increase sales and produce results more quickly. Consultants can give you expertise that isn’t available in-house while gaining valuable, objective insights. You get quick results from seasoned professionals who are adept at developing creative business solutions. Consultants are variable business expense resources – they can be retained for only the duration of the project, and do not require the overhead associated with permanent employees.

Consultants are invaluable when you have a:

• Mission critical business project, but no internal expertise or bandwidth
• Larger workload to manage with reduced head count or reduced budget
• Employee leave of absence
• Need for a critical interim senior staff member
• Need to produce a result you have never produced before

Why would I use WIC over another network of consultants?

• 89% of WIC members have 10+ years of industry experience, with 86% running their own consulting practice for 3+ years.
• 48% of WIC members have advanced degrees and 71% have served in senior management positions as full time employees.
• Our members work with a wide variety of companies, from start-ups to Fortune 500 firms.

What rates do WIC consultants charge?
Rates are set by each consultant. They are based on the complexity of the project, the specific deliverables and timeline involved. You will need to contact WIC consultants directly for details regarding pricing.

Are WIC consultants national, regional or local?
The majority of WIC members are located in the San Francisco Bay Area however many of them work with national or international teams to deliver project objectives. WIC has also recently expanded its network by adding regional affiliate groups in San Francisco, the South Bay, the East Bay and on the Peninsula and continues to assess new geographic locations.

Are there specific requirements to become a WIC member?
Women in Consulting is committed to supporting the ongoing effectiveness of independent women consultants’ businesses and to providing a forum to discuss their business needs, network, share information and learn about starting, running and promoting an independent consulting practice. There is no formal screening process. However, WIC memberships are structured to encourage regular participation in meetings and educational events and requires a commitment from the individual consultant. As a result, WIC consultants are serious about running a sustainable consulting practice, not in between full-time positions.

Member Perspective

What need does Women in Consulting fill for a consultant like me?
No other organization provides the dynamic energy and proactive approach towards supporting members in growing their business. Meetings include opportunities for structured networking to encourage affiliations and lead sharing with other participants. Topics relevant to today’s consulting issues are addressed by compelling speakers who are encouraged to offer insight and practical, actionable solutions to difficult business issues. The email discussion forum provides an immediate resource for critical consulting issues on an as needed basis. Participation is the key to our success – our members are committed to delivering high quality products and services to their clients – and they learn how to improve their skills through active participation in Women in Consulting.

Who should join Women in Consulting?
Membership is designed for consultants who want to get the most out of Women in Consulting by attending a majority of the meetings and getting to know other WIC members. Face-to-face dialogues with other members provides a more targeted, individualized opportunity to gain advice and information that will allow you to succeed in your consulting practice.

How many attend the monthly events?
Monthly attendance consistently ranges between 50-75 attendees per meeting.