FAQs
Women In Consulting® (WIC) is a dynamic 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of seasoned professional consultants in a broad range of more than 30 specialties, ranging from engineering to financial advising and marketing to web design. Our members are a premier resource for independent professional women seeking expert insights and advice to build their businesses.
Women In Consulting was established in 1998 as a collaborative community to help foster successful consulting practices and to build stronger businesses. We provide education and enable the sharing of best practices, resources and expertise.
Women In Consulting is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable and educational organization.
The board members are nominated each year to deliver outstanding services to members.
Services include a listing in the Women In Consulting directory, educational and mentorship programs, and access to our community email list to share resources, expertise and advice.
Our goal is to create and maintain a place where women can come together and feel comfortable sharing ideas and experiences about creating, building, and running a consultancy or independent business. Men are also welcome to join our community and leverage our network to get and give referrals and expertise, and attend meetings.
No other organization provides the dynamic energy and proactive approach toward supporting members in growing their business.
Meetings include opportunities for structured networking to encourage affiliations, and share resources 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 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.
- We’re Crazy for Collaboration
- Take your business to the next level
- Learn from other successful high caliber women
- Camaraderie with women in business
- Peer group forum
- Gain insights and knowledge for faster results
- Qualityeducation/professional advice
- You won’t have to recreate the wheel
- Be a Trusted Advisor
- Enduring friendships
- You won’t go it alone
- Be embraced – we provide “whole life” support
Membership is designed for consultants and independent business owners 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 provide a more targeted, individualized opportunity to gain advice and information that will allow you to succeed in your consulting practice.
Participating in WIC’s educational programs and leveraging its access to subject matter experts also help you strengthen your business.
Monthly attendance for our Expert Series ranges between 5 and 15 depending on the topic.
Our monthly Sandbox attendance ranges between 5 and 20 and has very active participation. The Sandbox provides and excellent opportunity to meet and get to know other members.
Women In Consulting initially started in California, USA, and many members are located there. However, many of them work with national or international teams to deliver project objectives.
Our membership now includes people across the United States and in some foreign countries. Many of our meetings are virtual and use a variety of techniques for helping attendees meet and connect.
Women In Consulting has regional satellite groups throughout the United States and continues to assess new geographic locations.
Independent consultants and professional service providers often need to work with other top-notch talent to help solve mission-critical business issues. Women In Consulting offers a convenient and free resource to help identify skilled talent through our online searchable database of consultants, our community connection events, and our email forum. Consultants from different disciplines are easy to identify and contact through the Women In Consulting directory.
Women In Consulting also provides education and support for consultants and independent business women to share best practices, advice, resources and camaraderie.
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 don’t 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 on a leave of absence
- Need for a critical interim senior staff member
- Need to produce a result you’ve never produced before
- 99% of Women In Consulting members have 10+ years of industry experience, with 87% running their own consulting practice for six+ years
- 55% of Women In Consulting members have advanced degrees, and 72% 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
- Women In Consulting’s extensive collaboration and access to expertise, resources and best practices
Rates are set by each consultant. They are based on the complexity of the project, the specific deliverable and timeline involved.
Contact Women In Consulting consultants directly for details regarding pricing.
Our Best Practices in Consulting Research offers detailed insight into rates and fee structures. Our reports are available for purchase to provide that valuable information.
(Note: We do not allow discussion of fees, nor do we become involved in the setting of rates, as that is considered price fixing and is illegal.)
Women In Consulting is committed to support the ongoing effectiveness of independent women consultants’ businesses and to provide a forum to discuss their business needs and provide education.
There is no formal screening process.
However, Women In Consulting memberships are structured to encourage regular participation in meetings and educational events. Individual consultants and business owners are encouraged to engage and commit wholeheartedly.
As a result, Women In Consulting members are serious about running a sustainable consulting practice or business, not between full-time positions.
We do have one membership option, the Executive Membership level, that we curate to create a peer group of senior business women and thought leaders—well established in their specialty—to network and collaborate with peers who are seeking greater growth and productivity from their businesses. These members typically face more complex business issues in building and expanding their businesses and benefit by learning from peers who have similar challenges.
“I am a new member of Women In Consulting and am overwhelmed with the quick and knowledgeable responses I received to my urgent request sent only 18 hours ago! Thank you for this great resource.”
–Beatrice Schultz, Westface Financial & Insurance Services
“I’m a raving fan of Women In Consulting and have recommended it to my colleagues.”
–Norina Sharpe, SharpeVision Consulting
“As a Women In Consulting volunteer, I collaborate with smart, experienced consultants and learn new skills that enable me to provide value to my clients.”
–Amy Smith, Amy Smith Consulting