Business Case Studies, Executive Interviews, Harish Bijoor on Managing Troubled Times

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Executive Interviews: Interview with Harish Bijoor on Managing Troubled Times
March 2009 - By Dr. Nagendra V Chowdary


Harish Bijoor
Harish Bijoor, CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc.


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  • First, a word about Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. What does ‘zero-solicit consulting practice' mean? What's your vision for Harish Bijoor Consults Inc?
    I started what I call a ‘private-label business consulting’ outfit 9 years ago. It is private-label because the base equity of the consulting practice started with my private equity in terms of someone who has practiced in the Indian market environment for a couple of decades.

    Initially I used tahis as a point of leverage. Today of course, it is something of the past. My several Senior Consultants have left me

    behind and have built an equity that is no longer personal, but an equity that belongs to a savvy and senior team of 89. Every one of my Senior Consultants is a partner in the business and the current equity of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc., is a shared equity of each of these consulting gems. The name of the company is only incidental today. It alludes to me, but that’s all it does.

    Zero-consulting practice is a USP I put together for the business when this was a business of one person. Just I, me and myself. I had been in corporate environments all my life, and have always been a client. As a client, I have had salivating business consultants queuing up at my offices, all wanting a piece of the business we used to offer—beer-lunches, extrafriendly folk at the evening parties and networking angels who introduced one to another was the norm. I could never imaginemyself to be one of this tribe. I therefore decided that I would be in the business of business strategy and brand consulting, but would not ask anyone for business. Business had to come to me—by word of mouth—by a process of satisfaction that one client exuded and cascaded down voluntarily, without being asked by me, to other prospective clients.

    This meant a strict discipline. This meant sacrifices. This meant losing big accounts just because I was attempting to be different. This also meant that I would not ever employ a single business development Manager. I still don’t. This meant no brochures, no web-site (I now have a 3-page window presence on the web, which is more personal about me than my work), no acceptance to attend a client pitch call. This meant that my company would do no speculative work. Every bit of work needed to be paid for from start.

    This meant very different things. If a client wanted to meet any of us, just to check out our credentials, he had to pay for our flights and we would offer two hours of our time. This was billed on an hourly basis as well. No free lunches at all. Not for anybody. This meant we would not talk business to anyone when we met at parties. We would just stay personal and enjoy ourselves. A card could be exchanged, but that’s it. Therefore nobody has ever heard me talk business at a cocktail party ever.

    This also meant a slow growth of business. In the first two years, we grew from a one-man business to three people with a total of five clients. The third year had us ramp up to nine clients. And then, just as I was wondering if my USP was right, things started happening. We grew exponentially. Today we touch a total of 97 clients with diverse sets of work involvements. In total we have done work thus far for a total of 139 clients. 132 very satisfied clients who refer us on and on. And seven unhappy ones. Business life is a mix of both. And failure is a part of self-growth. Makes one all the more down to earth and humble.

    My vision for the company: Distance itself fromthe personal equity that the name itself packs in it. Add on a manageable set of clients in terms of numbers and not get into the greed of taking more and more. Never outsource any work. Nurture and maintain the three USPs of my business. Zero-solicit. Build-operatetransfer. Unique Thought leadership. Do really unique work that adds value that is distinct to the client company. And that’s a lot to do.

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